Every adoption situation is unique and personal. Today, expectant mothers and birth mothers have more choices. You have control over the process.
For your future and your child’s, it’s vital to take your time and create a personalized adoption plan. At A Gift of Hope Adoptions, we work closely with you to ensure you understand the process and your choices.
We will prioritize your desires first. Let’s take a closer look at the five steps to create a personalized adoption plan.
Step One: Choosing the Adoptive Family
As you choose to place your child for adoption, your biggest decision will be selecting the family that will raise them. We will ask you to make a list of the “gotta haves” in your adoptive family.
Do they need to live in a particular area? Should they already have other children, or do you want your child to be their firstborn? What about pets? Hobbies? Religion? What’s important to you should be important to them.
Picking the right adoptive couple is your first step in personalizing your plan. View some of our current waiting families.
Step Two: Choosing Your Adoption Plan
You will also need to decide how much contact you want with them. Although this can be difficult to determine at first, you can always adapt your plan later. There are three adoption plans to choose from: open, semi-open, and closed.
- Open adoption means you exchange some identifying information with the couple you’ve chosen. You can share full names, phone numbers, addresses, emails, etc. This plan lets you connect with them directly.
- Semi-open adoption lets you communicate with the adoptive family, but all contact first goes through A Gift of Hope Adoptions. This plan provides you with a little more privacy.
- Closed adoption offers no communication. The courts seal all adoption records, and you have no further contact with your child or their adoptive family.
Step Three: Meeting the Adoptive Couple Before Giving Birth
If you select an open or semi-open plan, you can decide when and how you wish to meet the adoptive couple you’ve chosen. Many expectant mothers want to begin a relationship with the adoptive couple they’ve selected immediately. It assures you that you’ve made the right decision and allows you to begin building a relationship.
Step Four: Arranging Your Hospital Plan
We will work closely with you, your hospital, and your physician to ensure you receive the quality care you deserve. After giving birth, you can choose how much time you want to spend with your baby at the hospital.
In Missouri, you cannot sign any legal documents, such as a “Consent to Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption,” for 48 hours after giving birth. Until that time, you are the legal parent of your child.
Your personalized delivery plan will also include how you want to introduce your child to their adoptive parents. Do you wish to have pictures taken with them at the hospital? Would you prefer they come after you leave? You decide.
Step Five: Ongoing Counseling
Some birth mothers find immediate comfort in their adoption decision and require little counseling. Others struggle emotionally and require more. You determine your need for counseling and connection with other birth mothers.
We will facilitate and refer you to the type of counseling you desire. We can also put you in touch with other birth mother groups for support and healing.
Let A Gift of Hope Adoptions Assist You
Choosing to place your child for adoption is a deeply personal decision. No one but you can decide. We won’t pressure or manipulate you into making this choice.
If you would like more information on creating your personalized adoption plan, please contact us. You can fill out our confidential online contact form, chat with us online, or call or text us at (888) 564-HOPE. Let’s build the perfect plan together.
This blog is for informational purposes only. This is not legal or medical advice. While we try our best to reflect current laws with accuracy at the time of writing, please note the laws can change over time.