How an Open Transracial Adoption in Missouri Works

You’ve chosen open adoption with a local adoption agency as the type you want with your adoptive family. Open adoption means you want to have a close personal relationship with the adoptive family you choose. You set the limits as to how personal you want the relationship to be. Forms of communication include but are not limited to: letters, photos, video, phone calls, and in-person visits. You have also decided on doing a transracial adoption. To simplify what a transracial adoption is, it’s basically deciding on an adoptive family that is of a different race, cultural, and ethnic background from yourself. If you want to know more information about transracial adoption and open adoption services, go to Adoption Choices of Missouri.

Things to Keep in Mind for MO Transracial Adoption

Respect is something that you should receive from the adoptive family but also give to them. When deciding on a transracial adoptive family, you are asking them to give your child a loving environment. When it comes to starting a personal relationship with them, both parties must show the other respect. Respecting their racial background for what it is and how you can learn from it is a step in the right direction. Your child will be integrated into the culture under their roof, so respecting their race and who they are in terms of upbringing and parenting is a step in the right direction. Remember that this should also be given to you. You have made the decision to trust them with raising your child. An adoptive family follows your steps during the process and after, but respect should be given all around.

Research is something you, as a birth mother, should look into. Being knowledgeable about the racial background your child will be raised in is important. Educate yourself by keeping an open mind and asking questions that will help you understand any cultural traditions, parental ways, and upbringing. Research about traditions and the racial background that way, you can integrate it into your daily life. Also, take the opportunity for the adoptive family to research your racial background and traditions you do. This is an opportunity to diversify your homes and for the child’s upbringing. Your child will grow into a very diverse background and learn so much from you and the adoptive family.

Active Listening can help give both you and the adoptive family an opportunity to educate the other. This also helps understand both experiences that may be different or similar. Listening to the other’s experience can help you connect with the adoptive family on a personal level. It’s okay to be different and have different experiences. Diversity Is what makes people unique, and your child will learn from both you and the adoptive family and grow up to be a unique being. For that to happen it, all starts with hearing the other person out.

Common Ground can be an opportunity to find the connection and create a strong relationship. Usually, when you are deciding on an adoptive family, your goal is to find similar traits, values, goals, and intentions that match how you want the child to be raised. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to create a mutual friendship by finding out personal interests. Understanding your adoptive family can be a big advantage of the child’s future. You can picture a few years from now the potential visits and closeness of watching your child grow up with people you can rely on and call friends, maybe even family.

Unplanned Pregnancy Help in Missouri

Medical Assistance: If you do not have any medical insurance or a doctor you can rely on, your local adoption agency can provide a list of doctors for you to see. We want to make you feel comfortable receiving daily checkups during this adoption process. Once you choose a doctor, we can help you schedule appointments to see them and go over your birth plan. The goal is for both you and the child to be healthy until it’s time to birth.

Financial Payment Help: We understand that finances can be tight when an unplanned pregnancy occurs. You may not have money to support your needs with a child on the way. We can check to see if you are eligible for our financial services. Another option is that the adoptive family can help contribute to this financial assistance. Financial aid covers maternity clothes and essentials, food, transportation fees, rent, and other expenses. We want you to feel secure in taking care of the baby and yourself during the entire process.

Free Counseling: We know as a birth mother that there must be a lot of mixed and unresolved feelings when you find out about this pregnancy. However, you do not have to shoulder it all on your own. We offer free counseling available to you whenever you need it. Once the baby is given to the adoptive family, we are still here for you. You can go to group counseling or a private one-on-one session with one of our professionals. You may be feeling anger, resentment, grief, guilt, or a numerous amount of feelings. We want you to take the time and process everything you have experienced. There is no time measurement to feel back to yourself before the pregnancy. Yes, things may have changed, and you may no longer feel the same. However, getting your thoughts and emotions on track is a step toward finding your new self after the adoption process.

Birth Plan: When seeing your doctor for checkups, you will soon discuss a birth plan. When it’s time to deliver the baby, we want you to be comfortable and choose the best course of action. All decisions are up to you and final. If you want a natural birth, do you want pain relief medicine to be provided, is a c section a possibility, and do you want the adoptive family to be in the delivery room or any close family members. Your adoption specialist will speak on your behalf and help arrange your birth plan as you want. Remember to consider all potential comforts that will help this process go smoothly.

Housing: You may find yourself in a housing predicament. You may not have a home. You may not have the space you need to have a pregnancy. You also may not feel safe. Adoption Choices of Missouri will help provide housing options that are eligible for you during this pregnancy period. Even after the adoption is complete, we want you to have shelter to rely on as you figure out your next move.

Adoption Choices of Missouri is a place you can rely on. Open transracial adoption is an adoption option in Missouri. We hope that we have answered your questions about transracial adoption and what to consider and prepare for once your baby is given to the adoptive family you choose. We take pride in our diverse adoptive family applicants and in the birth mothers who decide that transracial adoption is for them.

Adoption Choices of Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! If you need pregnant adoption help, call us toll-free at 877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at 816-527-9800

Meet the Author: Gabrielle Maya is a recent graduate from New Jersey City University, earning her Bachelor of English Creative Writing and Minor in Women’s Gender Studies. She specializes in writing about topics regarding women, pop culture, books, and DIYs. Her blogs and articles have appeared on The Red Eye Media Group, Kiss and Tell Magazine, and Bookstr. She has also written poetry and flash fiction for New Jersey City University’s online Hype Magazine. Gabrielle also has a bookstagram where she posts daily reads. She enjoys streaming her favorite Korean Dramas, Anime. She is a bookworm to the core, reading several titles a week ranging from fantasy, poetry, fiction, and dystopian. She is social media savvy and creates visual content on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. She loves analyzing novels and having open, controversial conversations. Her writing is geared towards women because of her past insecurities with her body and voice. Gabrielle is a quick learner and open to writing any type of content.