Birth Mother Blog

I Am Not Ready to Parent What Are My Unplanned Pregnancy Options?

You have just found out you’re pregnant and are unsure of your next steps. If you are looking for Unplanned pregnancy options, you may be feeling terrified, alone, and overwhelmed. Adoption Choices of Missouri is here to ensure that no woman feels alone while navigating their options and feelings. If you don’t feel that terminating your pregnancy is the best personal option for you, but you know you are not ready to become a mother. Adoption is an option, and Adoption Choices of Missouri is ready to help you through the adoption process

What Does Adoption Entail?

If you decide that adoption in MO is the choice for you or want to know more about it, our website offers questions, advice, blogs, and forums for every possible question you may have. If there’s a question that you can’t find that you want to be answered, you can always contact our representatives via phone call or email. They are happy to help. Adoption means that you are terminating your parental rights to your child and allowing someone else to claim full custody over them. Adopting is a great choice if you feel that you are not in a place mentally, physically, environmentally, or financially, or you just don’t feel that you are meant to be a mother. Adoption is not as simple as the media makes it out to be either. Every situation is unique and will be treated as such. In some cases, the birth mother may choose a closed adoption in which the adoptive family or child has no contact or information about her. In other cases, the birth mother may choose an open adoption, where she establishes an agreement with the adoptive family to have a relationship with the child and opportunities to see the child after they are born. Some women want to remain a part of their child’s lives, while other women don’t feel comfortable with that. Either choice is completely okay and is entirely up to the birth mother herself to decide. From there, the birth mother can decide what type of family she wants to place her child with. 

Is It Bad To Put My Child Up For Adoption?

Absolutely not. Unfortunately, there are a lot of stigmas around women putting their children up for adoption. However, recognizing that you are not ready to be a mother or give your child quality of life, but want to give them that opportunity with another family, is a brave and mature decision to make. You are not a bad person, lazy, careless, or neglectful for deciding you are not ready to raise a child. When you choose to put a child up for adoption, you allow a family to make their family feel more whole, whether you are assisting an LGBTQ+ couple, a single parent, or a couple who has struggled to conceive. There is no shame to place your child up for adoption, and you also do not owe anyone an explanation as to why you felt it was the best choice for you. 

What If I Need Support During My MO Adoption? 

While adoption is a great option if you decide you are not ready to care for a child, it can still be a scary process to go through, especially if you’re on your own. Adoption Choices of Missouri offers support every step of the way. From finding out you’re pregnant, discussing adoption choices, choosing an adoptive family, counseling support, financial support, and after-birth support. While it’s also very helpful to lean on family, friends, and loved ones who show you unconditional support when looking for your unplanned pregnancy options. Our adoption specialists are ready to assist you with making complicated decisions that can help make things less overwhelming and make you feel more confident in your decision.

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 816-527-9800

AllieMeet the Author: Allie Nowak is in her senior year of undergrad at Illinois State University studying public relations, with a minor in health & wellness coaching. She is extremely passionate about writing, digital content creating, and all things related to lifestyle & wellness. In her free time, she enjoys serving as editor-in-chief and publishing articles for her university’s chapter of Her Campus, the nation’s largest media platform for college women. You can also find her spending time with friends and family, traveling, reading, and walking her two golden doodles. She currently lives in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago where she was born and raised.