Modern Adoption Vs. Past Adoption
Pregnancy is a term we’ve all heard about, and it might have even been something to look forward to when you were younger. The excitement about imagining a child and taking care of them might have even crossed your mind. However, this fantasy may not be what you are experiencing right now. You may be experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. As such, you may be experiencing bouts of anxiety and panic that may make it difficult to comprehend what your options are. For an unplanned pregnancy, you have three options:
- Terminating your pregnancy
- Raising and taking care of the baby
- Putting your child up for adoption
If you decide that a Wichita adoption is right for you, you may want to better understand what adoption looks like now and what it may have looked like in the past. By understanding how adoption processes work and how they have progressed throughout history, you will be able to dismantle stereotypes and myths commonly associated with adoption.
If you need adoption help now, please call us at 877-903-4488, text us at 316-209-2071, or visit us at Adoption Choices of Kansas.
Unplanned Pregnancy Help
An unplanned pregnancy can be extremely difficult to deal with, and at Adoption Choices of Kansas, we understand how overwhelming the situation may be. Hence, we provide many resources for expecting mothers like you so that you don’t have to stress about finances and housing, and instead, you can focus on having a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
One of the resources we provide is access to counseling. There are many emotional turmoils involved with pregnancy, such as stress and mood swings. When you are experiencing these things alone, it can have an impact on your health. It can make it difficult to take care of yourself physically, which can have an impact on your baby. Adoption Choices of Kansas provided free counseling during and after the adoption process because adoption can be difficult to go through.
Another resource we provide is financial assistance, which is given based on your specific situation that your birth parent counselor will evaluate. Pregnancy can make it difficult to work, and pregnancy can be even more difficult if you don’t have a supportive network of friends or family. Our staff will diligently work with you to get all the help you need so that you don’t have to worry about costs, and you can receive financial assistance for six weeks after your delivery.
Past Adoption Practices
Adoption has long been a practice within the US, but before 1851, it wasn’t legal until the Adoption of Children Act was enacted, which made adoptions safe for children. Since 1851, the number of adoptions has been steadily growing. Also the dynamic of adoptive families has been changing ever since.
During the mid-twentieth century, many adoptions occurred with unwed mothers, who placed their children up for adoption, and married couples, who would adopt the baby. Many of these unwed women who gave their baby up for adoption did so because they were coerced by their family, social workers, and even hospital staff. Married women who were deemed “unfit” to be mothers were also highly encouraged to place their children up for adoption.
As a result of these practices, adoption was treated as scandalous and shameful, the impact of these forced adoptions created life-long consequences for the mothers and children of this era. The problem with treating adoption this way was that it made adoption seem like it was the only option for women who were “unfit” and less than, which discouraged women from seeking adoptions, even though it may have been the best choice for them.
Luckily, views on adoption practices have progressed, and many more people are open about the idea of adoption. Adoption is no longer viewed as shameful by the majority, and it is an option that more and more mothers and parents are considering when they decide they can’t take care of their baby.
Modern Adoption Practices
One of the best things that has happened to adoption in the modern era is that many family dynamics are changing, and people are accepting the fact the typical idea of “family” is no longer just a mother, father, and their biological children. People are open and accepting of the idea that family doesn’t have to be strictly biological, and adoption discussions are more open.
Another change that has come about in modern times is the growth in the number of open adoptions. Open adoptions are a type of adoption where communication between the birth mother, adoptive family, an adopted child is open and available. In the past, adoptions were treated as secrets, so most adoptions were closed. However, treating adoption this way suggested that adoption is shameful, and it created many problems between adoptive parents and their adopted child. The transgression towards more open adoptions has enabled many mothers to maintain contact with their child, and it has allowed the adoption to become less taboo.
The most beneficial change to come about modern adoptions is that because adoption is becoming more acceptable, it has enabled modern adoptions to become more accessible for women. Many more laws have been created to protect mothers putting their child up for adoption, children placed in adoptions, and families who wish to adopt. As a result, adoption is safer and more accessible now than ever before.
Getting Adoption Help
The changes in adoption have made the process something to be celebrated because it provides many children and hopeful families with new futures. Of course, adoption still has its challenges with stigmas surrounding adoption and blended families, but by providing more information and resources for adoption, we can help de-stigmatize adoption and dismantle myths surrounding adoption so that it becomes a more available option.
Adoption Choices of Kansas is committed to creating a safe community for those seeking adoption, and our staff is willing to help any expecting mother get the help they need.
Adoption Choices of Kansas serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call Us at 877-903-4488 or Text Us 316-209-2071
Meet the author: Victoria is a sophomore at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and she is currently a Literature, Media, and Communications major. She currently runs her own blog, where she shares her poetry and creative writing projects. When she is not working or studying for school, she is often reading or writing, as she seeks to pursue a career in writing.
