7 Common Questions about Adoption as a Birth Mother
If you’ve already chosen adoption or are still in the process of deciding, you probably have concerns. In fact, you probably have a lengthy list of questions about adoption as a birth mother. Adoption Choices of Kansas is here to make your adoption journey as pleasant and non-stressful as possible. Putting your baby up for adoption is a difficult choice and you should be as educated as possible. If we can accomplish anything through sharing this resource with you, we hope to cross off a few of those questions swirling around in your head.
- Why should I work with an adoption agency?
To be frank, it makes the whole adoption process a lot easier if you work with an adoption agency like Adoption Choices of Kansas. We are licensed and full service, so that you can feel confident throughout your adoption journey. We work closely with you every step of making sure you are informed and taken care of. We’ve worked with hundreds of women in your position, and are experts in our field.
Just a few perks of working with a local agency like Adoption Choices of Kansas are:
- Financial Help: We help you apply for assistance programs and make sure you’re covered for everything from groceries and transportation to maternity clothes. If you qualify, our adoption agency and your child’s adoptive family can provide financial assistance with court approved birth mother expenses.
- Safe Housing: We help you find and afford housing and make sure utility bills are taken care of. Having a safe place to sleep at night should never be a concern for you and won’t be with the help of our adoption agency.
- Medical care assistance: If you don’t already have Medicaid, we help you apply for it and ensure that the cost of medical bills, doctor appointments and prescriptions are taken care of.
- Support counseling: Adoption is not an easy decision, and we’re here for you! You need a support system and someone to talk to through this challenging journey. Post placement comes with a lot of emotions and grieving. Our adoption counselors are by your side for comfort and emotional support throughout the entire process.
2. How does adoption work? What are the steps?
The great thing about working with our adoption center in Kansas is that we walk you through the whole adoption journey and make sure it’s as easy as it can be for you. Adoption can seem like a confusing process. From finding doctors, meeting adoptive parents, and post-placement help, we’re with you every step of the way. You can talk with one of our adoption specialists or check out our website for our complete step-by-step guide to putting your baby up for adoption.
3. Are there different types of adoption?
Luckily, in the last 30 years or so, adoption has become more popular and researched. Because of this, different types of adoption are available for different people in different situations. There are three types of adoption:
- Open Adoption: this option allows for the most customizable adoption experience. Open adoption is a type of adoption that allows each party a varying degree of information about the other party. This may include full names of the birth parents and adoptive parents, phone numbers, addresses, etc. Contact can vary from occasional phone calls and letters to frequent visits. It all depends on what you and your child’s adoptive parents agree upon. More than 60% of adoptions today have some openness level, making it the most popular option for adoption. Research shows that there are a lot of benefits of open adoption as well.
- Closed Adoption: In a closed adoption, the birth mother and adoptive parents have no direct contact, and no personal information is shared. Before the 1980s, closed adoption was actually the popular choice. However, only 5% of adoptions today are entirely closed.
- Semi-Open Adoption: In this type of adoption, typically interactions are mediated by an adoption agency or lawyer. This allows you to exchange letters, emails, etc., from a comfortable and secure distance. There is a non-direct way for either you or the adoptive parents to ask questions or communicate, like in an open adoption, but still allows for relative anonymity for you, as the birth mother.
4. Does the birth father have to approve?
It can vary from state-to-state, but, generally, both biological parents must consent to the adoption. Every situation is different, and our team can help you determine if you can proceed with adoption. It all depends on whether your child’s birth father is known or unknown.
5. What happens when I give birth?
Our adoption counselors will help you develop a hospital plan, also known as a birth plan, so everything goes as smoothly as possible. You can decide to spend time with your baby, feed them, etc., depending on your situation. No one is going to whisk your baby out of the delivery room or tear them from your arms. The labor and delivery process is also up to you. You can have as much or as little contact with your baby as you want.
6. How will being adopted affect my baby?
One of the most common questions about adoption as a birth mother is the effect adoption can have on the adoptee. This varies from person to person and depends on the adoption type. Studies have shown that open adoptions tend to be psychologically better for the adoptee than closed adoptions. Aside from access to information about you and their background, your baby should know that choosing adoption was the absolute best option for you both.
7. Is there screening for adoptive parents?
Prospective parents go through a full gamut before being considered. We run background checks, do home interviews, and require a State Bureau of Investigation report showing and any all child abuse history, for starters. We also ask for a copy of their marriage license, if applicable, a clean bill of health from their doctors and test results including medical conditions or health conditions.
Questions about Adoption as a Birth Mother
You probably have a hundred questions about adoption as a birth mother, and we’re here 24/7 to answer the other 94. Adoption is a loving and beautiful choice, and you should be informed and confident in your decision as a birth mother.
Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call us toll free at 1-877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at (816) 527-9800; in Kansas call or text us at (316) 209 2071
Meet the Author: Michelle Brugioni is a practiced, well-versed college-educated writer and avid coffee drinker. She has ten years’ experience as a freelance writer, and has written for an alarmingly wide range of clients and publications. She has written on topics like: life science, bio-pharmaceutical company acquisitions, dealing with anxiety, and creative drinking games.
As a fearless writer and masterful researcher, each time Michelle is approached with the question, “Can you write this?” she responds confidently with, “When do you need it?”
