If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and are considering whether adoption might be the right choice for your baby or toddler, it is important to know that you have a lot of control in the adoption process. If you choose to contact one of the private adoption agencies near you such as Open Arms Adoption Network, we will provide counseling and be sure to explain everything that you need to know, such as the differences between the three types of adoptions, your rights as a Birth Mom, and just the overall adoption process. Should adoption be the path you ultimately choose, our counselors can work with you to help you decide which type of adoption is right for you and your baby.
The Adoption Process
The adoption process can vary in length, as it is very different for Expectant Parents and Prospective Adoptive Parents. If you are pregnant, you can contact us today, and we will begin the process with you. You may be wondering what happens next, so the entire process is outlined below.
First, you will meet with an Adoption Counselor, however you feel most comfortable– in person, virtually, or by phone. Your counselor will review all your options with you, and help you decide if you would like to continue to learn more about adoption, or if, perhaps, there are resources available to you in order to help you parent safely and successfully. Should you decide that adoption is truly the avenue you wish to pursue, your counselor will continue to provide support and counseling.
Once you are further into your third trimester, and you still feel confident in your adoption plan, you can choose the adoptive family if you like. We have many waiting families including singles, same sex couples, and more, who are waiting to grow their family by adoption. You will have the opportunity to look through “Adoptive Family Profiles” should you wish you choose. And, if choosing a family feels right to you, you might like to meet the family of your choice as well. your Adoption Counselor can help arrange all of this, as you continue to be supported through the process.
When it comes time to deliver, we will still be there for you. We will visit you in the hospital and make sure that you have everything that you need to ensure a safe delivery and a comfortable recovery. When it is time for discharge, or to go home, depending on how you are feeling about adoption, we can either discharge the baby. or perhaps you might feel differently about adoption and want to bring the baby home. We will continue to explore these options with you and follow your lead with regard to how you would like to move forward, and we will never pressure you to move forward with adoption.
Should you move forward with adoption, typically you would sign adoption paperwork about three days after giving birth, and only after that would placement occur. At that point, the licensed agency would allow the adoptive family to complete adoption paperwork as well, so that they would then become the parents of the baby.
Open Adoption
Open adoption is when the birth mother and adoptive family stay in contact with one another through letters, phone calls, and visits. Pregnant women or Birth Mothers who choose Open Adoption are interested in keeping up and maintaining a relationship with their child and his/her adoptive family. The mode and frequency of contact is something birth mothers will discuss with their counselor or social worker as well as the chosen family ahead of time. Choosing an Open Adoption could be the right path for you. An Open Arms counselor will be happy to help you with this decision, with no pressure from us.
Semi-Open Adoption
In a Semi-Open Adoption, the birth mother chooses to stay connected to the adoptive family and baby but with the extra help and guidance of Open Arms Adoption. There is no direct contact between birth parents and the family, and contact information is not exchanged in a Semi-Open Adoption. Birth Moms who choose Semi-Open Adoption might want to maintain their privacy while having the peace of mind that comes from staying connected, through photos, letters and/or visits but with the mediation help of Open Arms Adoption professionals.
Confidential/Closed
A Closed or Confidential Adoption offers complete privacy and confidentiality to the birth family. Expectant mothers or new moms who choose a Confidential/Closed Adoption may feel that updates and contact might be too emotionally challenging at the moment. Even with a Confidential/ Closed Adoption, there is a lot of flexibility and if a birth mother decides she wants to connect with the adoptive family at any time in the future, Open Arms Adoption will happily all parties through that process- the Birth Mom, the Adoptive Family and the child.
Your Adoption Options
After learning more about the adoption process and the types of adoption, you may have gained a better sense of how you feel, if adoption is an option you would like to consider, and what kind of adoption you may be interested in. We are here to support you throughout this process, no matter which route you choose, and we will be there for you the entire time.
You likely still have many questions about Adoption. Open Arms is here to talk with you by phone, text, email, facetime, whatsapp or duo, and we are happy to meet you at a location of your choice to talk about the adoption process and to answer all of your questions. Talk to an adoption counselor today. You will never feel any pressure from us along the way. We can help you on the next steps to learn more about the adoption process. You can reach us at 1-888-OPENARMS anytime.
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