Considering All of Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options: Choosing Adoption in Missouri
There are many different reasons why you may be considering all of your unplanned pregnancy options. Maybe you need to face a teen pregnancy and feel that you are too young to raise a baby of your own. Perhaps you are a grown woman who already has a career or a family of your own and just do not have the resources to raise another child. Or maybe none of these apply to you, and you simply feel that raising a baby is not for you.
Whatever your reason is for exploring your unplanned pregnancy options, it’s OK! The important thing to remember here is that you are the one in control and that this is your decision to make. You should never feel pressured to make a decision that you do not feel comfortable with regarding your pregnancy. No matter what, you are the one who has the final say in what is right for you and your baby.
At Adoption Choices of Missouri, we truly care about our birth mothers. That is why we are here to help you make the most informed decision possible with no added pressure. We are here to answer any of your questions and to provide you with any information you may need to help make your unplanned pregnancy journey as easy as possible.
Exploring Your Options Considering Adoption in Missouri
- Parenting or keeping the baby. It is only natural that you would want to keep your baby or feel hesitant towards any other options. But please keep in mind that choosing to parent is a huge and life-changing decision. If you are considering keeping the baby and being a parent, please be realistic about your expectations. First, it’s important that you make sure you have a good support network of friends and family. You will need someone who can help babysit or help pick up the slack when you feel tired after so many sleepless nights.
While a financial strain is often cited as the reason for not choosing to parent, that is not always the case. Babies require a lot more than just money in order to be healthy and happy. Babies require your time, energy, and a stable environment. They need consistency in order to thrive. Please be absolutely sure that you can realistically provide the stability they need before you finalize your decision to be a parent. - Terminating or aborting your pregnancy. Many women choose to terminate their pregnancy because they are just ready to close this chapter of their lives and move on. Despite the stigmas that still surround abortion, it is a fairly simple and safe procedure as long as it is done early enough in your pregnancy. Please consult your doctor regarding any medical questions you may have about the available procedures.
You must act fairly quickly if you do decide that abortion is the right option for you. While abortion laws may vary by state, Missouri state law says that a pregnant woman cannot abort her pregnancy after 22 weeks since her last period. The only exception to this law is if terminating the pregnancy is medically necessary for the health and safety of the mother. If you wait too long to make this decision, you will lose your eligibility,, and the state law will decide for you. - Placing or “giving up” your baby for adoption. Remember, you are never “giving up” when you choose adoption. Instead, we prefer to keep things positive and say that you are placing your baby for adoption. Adoption is not selfish or giving up; rather, it is a selfless act of love on your part so that your baby may have the best opportunities in life.
Thanks to different types of adoption, like open adoption, choosing adoption does not have to feel so absolute and final. In an open adoption, both the birth mother and adoptive family leave identifying contact information so that they can stay in touch. You will be able to maintain contact with your baby and the adoptive family through phone calls and in-person visits. With open adoption, you can get to know the person your baby grows up to be.
Not only is adoption never at any cost to you, but it also comes with financial assistance for birth mothers. Our adoption agency provides financial assistance to help curb the costs of daily expenses for birth mothers. This means providing things like safe housing or help with covering rent and utilities, medical assistance, food costs, transportation, maternity clothes, and phone service.
We also like to go above and beyond by providing post-placement care as well. That is why we offer counseling and emotional support services for Missouri birth mothers. Even if you choose open adoption and plan to still be involved in your baby’s life, it is natural to grieve over your loss of parenthood. That is why our team is on standby to help you through your adoption journey, even when you are adjusting to post-placement life afterward.
Adoption Choices of Missouri Will Help with Your Unplanned Pregnancy
No matter which of the three unplanned pregnancy options you decide is right for you, please do not hesitate before seeing your doctor or seeking help from our adoption agency. It is important that you begin to receive any prenatal care as soon as possible so that you do not miss out on any important supplements or healthcare you may need. Waiting too long may even close off some unplanned pregnancy options that were previously available to you. At Adoption Choices of Missouri, the safety of you and your baby are our number one priority. The longer you wait to seek help, the less time you and your baby to receive care and the less open your options will be.
Adoption Choices of Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call us toll-free at 877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at 1-816-527-9800
Meet the Author: Kelly Felix is a graduate from the University of New Orleans. She holds a BA in English as well as a BA in Sociology. Her English concentration is in journalism, and her specialties in sociology are gender studies and environmental sociology.
When she isn’t voraciously guzzling coffee or devouring books, Kelly can be found either bent over a canvas working on her art or at her computer playing video games. She has hands-on classroom teaching experience from her time working as a substitute teacher for Kelly Services. Kelly also completed an in-house editorial internship at Pelican Publishing Company, and she finished the goal internship program at Green Light New Orleans. Kelly generally exists in a state of suspended disbelief, but when she’s not there she resides in New Orleans.
