Women might choose to give up their baby for adoption for any number of reasons. But, no matter what the reason may be for their adoption plan, it's possible to move forward through the adoption process in just 7 easy steps. Open Arms Adoption can help you give your baby up for adoption and provide counseling so that you know you are making the right choice. Below are the steps you would go through the complete the adoption journey. Step 1. Do Your Agency Research Part of the adoption … [Read more...]
Do Orphanages Still Exist and Will My Baby Go to One?
If you are either pregnant or have given birth recently and are feeling like you cannot care for your baby, you may be wondering what your other options are. One question that might cross your mind is likely, "what if I can't take care of my baby, and I don't find anyone else to? Will my baby be an orphan and end up in an orphanage or a group home?" Many of us have seen the move Annie, Oliver, or even newer movies such as The Queens Gambit that depict orphanages. This often makes us wonder … [Read more...]
Finding Adoptive Parents Based on Your Baby’s Race
If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, or perhaps even a planned pregnancy and are considering adoption for you baby, you likely have questions about the race of family that will ultimately adopt your baby. This can be a complicated topic, and we will address all of your concerns in this article. Should I Choose a Family for My Baby Based on Race? Some women are not sure how they feel about a family of a different race or ethnicity adopting their baby. Some Birth Mothers have concerns … [Read more...]
Can I stay in contact with my baby if I choose Adoption?
Adoptions of the past were usually sealed, secretive events in which there was little chance that the birthmother and child would ever cross paths in life again. This has resulted in a great deal of confusion and even heartbreak as children who were adopted grew into adults and began asking questions about their past and there was little, if any, information about their birth families. And, not knowing how their child was doing in life and if they were well and healthy was often very painful for … [Read more...]
Choosing Adoption as an Alternative to Foster Care
I’m worried my baby might be heading into Foster Care. Is Voluntary Adoption, outside of the foster care system, another option?" If you are pregnant, or have recently given birth and are taking care of your new baby now, but you are worried that your baby is going to be put in Foster Care, you should know that Adoption is still an option for you and your baby. Why Foster Care Might Get Involved It is not uncommon for new moms to struggle at home when trying to take care of a newborn baby, … [Read more...]
Is Adoption still possible during the Coronavirus Pandemic?
If you are pregnant, or have recently given birth, and are wondering about your options, you may be curious as to whether adoption is still an available option to you right now, during the current pandemic. The short answer is yes. Open Arms Adoption Network is available to you, free of charge, at any time, if you would like to learn more about the option of adoption. A counselor is able to provide you all of the services and support that we typically provide, safely, during this COVID-19 … [Read more...]
Can you Choose Who Adopts Your Baby?
If you are pregnant or have recently had a baby and are considering giving up your baby for adoption, you might be wondering who will adopt your baby. Your first question is likely whether you can choose who adopts your baby. And the short answer is yes. You can absolutely be the one to choose who will adopt and parent your baby. You may also be wondering how you can make that happen though. We have all of the information you need about how to work with an adoption agency and plan a private … [Read more...]
The Best Questions to Ask an Adoption Agency
Whether you are currently pregnant and considering adoption for your baby, or you are considering adoption to grow your family, you are likely aware that there is a lot of information to consider when choosing adoption agency to work with. There are many ways that agencies differ, from the simplest ways such as location, to very specific differences in how they assist their Birth and Adoptive Parents. In order to understand which type of adoption agency you might want to work with, having a list … [Read more...]
Tips for Choosing an Adoptive Family for Your Baby
If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and considering giving your baby up for adoption, you might be thinking about who will adopt your baby. There are many adoption agencies out there who can help support you through the process, and you may want to consider working with a local agency that can offer you emotional support through this process. If you choose to work with an adoption agency such as Open Arms Adoption Network, you can actually choose the right family for your baby—the one … [Read more...]
How to Choose an Adoption Agency
Have you been wondering which adoption agency is right for me? You’re not alone. Many women who are searching for adoption information wonder how to choose a good domestic adoption agency that offers support for women facing an unwanted pregnancy as well as adoption services. There are some important factors to take into consideration concerning how an adoption agency might support you in the process. There are many private adoption agencies out there, and if you are unable to get … [Read more...]
How to Tell Your Boyfriend about Your Unwanted Pregnancy
An Unwanted Surprise Everything was great. You and your boyfriend were in a good place, talking about moving in together and meeting each other’s families. And then you made that mistake of missing your birth control pill, or maybe another form of contraception did not work. Now, you have 2 missed periods, your body is starting to change and you are exhausted. You know these are pregnancy symptoms but you have been avoiding taking a home pregnancy test because you are trying the “if I ignore … [Read more...]
How to tell family and friends about your unwanted pregnancy
View More Waiting Families You were in a good place with your boyfriend and all was good. Then a few months ago, you forgot your birth control pill a couple of days, missed a depo shot or maybe your boyfriend didn’t have a condom like he said he did. Now you feel exhausted and your body is beginning to change physically. Deep down, you know these are likely pregnancy symptoms, but you have put off taking a pregnancy test because you don’t feel ready to come to terms with the situation that … [Read more...]
I’m 6 Months Pregnant and worried, what should I do?
If you are currently 6 months pregnant, and getting stressed about this new baby coming soon, that is completely normal! You are likely in the “honeymoon” phase of your pregnancy, morning sickness has hopefully slowed down, and you have more time to think about what the coming months will bring. This may get you worried about the sleepless nights, a crying baby, money, housing, childcare and how you might balance everything in your life. Below we will explain a bit more about what is coming … [Read more...]
Is Open Adoption Right for Me and My Baby?
How can I decide what type of adoption is best for me? If you are considering whether adoption might be the right choice for you and your baby, you might be thinking more about what adoption might look like for you and them in the future. If you choose to work with Open Arms Adoption, you are completely in control of your plan, and the type of adoption that works for you, should you choose to move forward. When you meet or talk on the phone with your Open Arms counselor, one of the topics we … [Read more...]
I already have a toddler and now I am pregnant and considering adoption
I am thinking about adoption, but how can I give up the baby but keep my older child? If you are currently pregnant, or have recently given birth, and are parenting another child as well, you might be wondering about adoption for your new baby. This is a scenario that we hear about a lot for the women that we work with, as only a mother such as yourself can truly understand what it really takes to parent. So, please know right away that you considering adoption for this new baby does NOT make … [Read more...]
Are Waiting Adoptive Families Good People?
Are the waiting families good people? How do you screen them and prepare them to adopt? If you are considering adoption for your baby, one of the questions you may be wondering is about the waiting adoptive families who are hoping to adopt. Some women would like to choose a family for their baby, as we have many waiting and approved families, while other women do not want to choose, and they prefer that Open Arms chooses the perfect family for their baby. We will support your decision either … [Read more...]
Are You Feeling Pressure to Keep Your Baby While Considering Adoption?
I Want to Give My Baby Up for Adoption but Everyone is pressuring me to Keep the Baby. What Should I Do? If you are considering giving your baby up for adoption, whether you are pregnant or have already given birth, it is a difficult decision. There are lots of factors to think about when considering your options, and sometimes what you want or may think is the right decision for you and your baby, others around you may not agree with you. This is common. We all want the support and … [Read more...]
Can I put my Baby up for Adoption if I Currently am Using or if I am Currently in Treatment?
If you are struggling with addiction now and you are pregnant, or you have recently given birth, you might be wondering if now is the right time for you to be a Mom to a new baby. If you decide that you want to look into options other than you taking the baby home and raising him/her, you may end up wanting to learn more about voluntary adoption. Your next question might be whether you can choose adoption for your baby if you are in active addiction or in treatment? And, the short answer is YES, … [Read more...]
If I Am Considering Giving My Baby up for Adoption while I am at the Hospital: How Does it Work?
Your Plan- The Entire Time If you are pregnant and thinking about giving up your baby for adoption, please know that we will respect your decision, and provide you with pressure-free counseling and support every step of the way. We will meet with you, face to face, and offer counseling at your convenience to help you decide if adoption is something that you would like to pursue, while never pressuring you to move forward. This is YOUR plan, and we will move as slowly or as quickly as you would … [Read more...]
Can I keep my adoption plan a secret?
It used to be that if a woman put her baby up for adoption or was even considering putting her baby up for adoption, would likely be shamed by her friends and family for “taking the easy way out” or for “being selfish”. Fortunately, there is far less stigma around the idea of adoption now and far more understanding for those women who do choose adoption for their babies. We know, at Open Arms Adoption, that women who are considering the option of adoption are usually the most maternal and … [Read more...]
