Birth Mother Blog Putting baby up for adoption

What is the Difference Between an Expectant Mother, a Birth Mother, and an Adoptive Mother?

What is the Difference Between an Expectant Mother, a Birth Mother, and an Adoptive Mother?

By Jordan Smith

Are you a woman who is pregnant and considering adoption? We are providing information about three specific terms used during the adoption process. The three most important terms used here at Adoption Choices of Missouri are expectant mother, birth mother, and adoptive mother. Each of these terms is unique in its own way, just as the term inscribes. 

We find it crucial that you know the differences between these three terms because they each play a different role in adoption. Expectant mothers, birth mothers, and adoptive mothers each play important roles during the adoption process. First, each is greeted and treated with the utmost respect.

What are the Three Terms for Each of the Three Different Mothers?  

Contact us anytime to discuss the What is the difference between an Expectant Mother, a Birth Mother, and an Adoptive Mother.

What is an Expectant Mother?

An expectant mother is a woman who is expecting a baby and is considering adoption. It also means that this mother has not begun the adoption process yet but is considering and looking into it. When experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and thinking about adopting makes the decision hard and difficult to do. It is completely understandable for the expectant mother to take some time before making the final choice to adopt. The expectant mother is seeking out all her options. When the time comes, she can make the best decision she sees fit for her and her baby.

Who is the Birth Mother?

A birth mother is a woman who is already working on her adoption process and has already decided on adoption. This could mean that this mother is giving her child up for adoption or is working on her adoption planAdoption Choices of Missouri works closely with birth mothers to establish positive adoption experiences and to provide them with helpful resources. Birth mothers are assigned an adoption counselor who will assist with developing a unique adoption plan and any resources that may be needed. 

What Role Does an Adoptive Mother Play in the Process?

An adoptive mother is a woman who is working to adopt a child, and at Adoption Choices of Missouri, there are a lot of women seeking to adopt. This mother would have been working with the private adoption agency for a while to achieve the goal of adopting a child. These mothers would be working hard and taking the proper steps to establish a good relationship with Adoption Choices of Missouri and make for a positive adoption placement. 

Why is it Important to Use These Adoption Terms Separately?  

The terminology that is used here at Adoption Choices of Missouri is to have respectful terms for important individuals in the adoption process. Terms such as expectant mother, birth mother, and adoptive mother are all important in their own individual role in adoption. We find it important to use these terms so their obvious roles are respectfully noticed during the adoption process.

Any mother who works with Adoption Choices of Missouri will be supported and treated with the same amount of respect as every other mother. We have a no coercion and no pressure policy. Our professionals support each of the individuals involved in the adoption process’s decisions and any choices they may make. 

Adoption Choices of Missouri’s Terminology are Helpful    

Here at Adoption Choices of Missouri, it is crucial for everyone involved in the adoption process to know the terms in which they may encounter. Using such terms can make the adoption process run smoothly, allowing our staff to know the proper role each individual has. Expectant mothers who are new to adoption and are looking into adoption will find these terms helpful. Birth mothers who are either at the beginning of the adoption plan or post-placement would benefit from using these terms. Adoptive mothers who work with Adoption Choices of Missouri would also benefit from using the terms. To distinguish every party involved in the adoption process in a respectful way. 

Birth Mother Blog

Life After Placing a Baby for Adoption

Life After Placing a Baby for Adoption

By Jordan Smith 

After placing your baby for adoption, you may have mixed emotions about how to continue with your life. You are not alone; many birth mothers feel the same way after pregnancy and adoption. Adoption Choices of Missouri takes pride in offering much-needed support for you, and through our counseling, you can learn many coping skills for those negative emotions. There are also many things you could do after the pregnancy and adoption that would help bring your spirits back up and leave you feeling a lot better about yourself and your choice.

So what are some things you could do after the adoption to bring positivity and avoid being too hard on yourself? 

Knowledge That Your NOT Alone Throughout Out Your Adoption

It is very important for you to know that you are not alone through the pregnancy and adoption processAdoption Choices of Missouri has a wonderful staff dedicated to supporting you through your private adoption plan. Almost every birth mother has the feeling at the beginning of being alone and frightened with little to no resources. Our website is fully informed about the services we provide. 

 Adoption Counseling and Support

When it comes to your emotions throughout the adoption process, it is crucial that you recognize any negative emotions that may arise. Adoption Choices of Missouri has birth parent counselors that will help you cope with those emotions and to remind you that you have support. The birth parent counselor will be there for you throughout your pregnancy and adoption process. In addition, they are ready and loaded for any questions that you or the birth father may have.

Express Yourself through Your Adoption Journey

Communicating is one of the vital aspects during the process of your adoption plan, and without it, it can lead to confusion and other negativity. Your birth parent counselor is there for you to speak to them about your feelings. It is important to talk to your counselor about your feelings, and what could be bothering you so your adoption plan is a positive one. 

Do Things You Enjoy

Doing things that you enjoy doing is something that would bring positivity into your daily life. For example, if it has been a while since you have gone to the movies with your friends or gone out to dinner with your family. These are things that will bring joy into your daily life and will help bring clarification that you have a support network.

If you are pregnant and considering adoption, here at Adoption Choices of Missouri, your needs and emotional state are very important to us. The counseling that we offer will help you cope with such emotions that arise when going through your adoption plan. In the end, when you learn to accept those emotions, it will bring you a positive future. Go out and be yourself and do stuff that is fun for you, and remember that you made the right decision. Just because you adopted out now, that does not mean you can’t start a family later on in life. There are a lot of reasons to adopt out your baby, and only you can make the right choice.

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.

Birth Mother Blog Putting baby up for adoption

Ways to Handle the Holidays After Placement

Ways to Handle the Holidays After Placement 

By Jordan Smith

If you are a woman who is pregnant and considering seeking adoption, Adoption Choices of Missouri is a responsive and trusting agency to work with and provides full support through the pregnancy and adoption process. This is how adoption works, you would begin the adoption process with the step-by-step method, and there will be one on one guidance with a specialist.

 First, you would need to reach out to Adoption Choices of Missouri, where you can text, call, or fill out an online form to begin the process. That can be on the phone, by video, or somewhere in person that is fitting for you. Adoption Choices of Missouri comes to meet you.

Here at Adoption Choices of Missouri, it is important for us to get to know your unique situation, which is then when we would create your adoption plan. You are in control of the viewing and choosing of the adoption family, and depending on how open you are, you can meet and communicate together until the baby’s due date. Before that, you will have developed your birth hospital plan, for when that time comes, your counselor will be with you to guide you. 

When the baby leaves the hospital, it will be with the adopted family, and your final consent will be given. The support does not end there. After the adoption, there will be minimum communication from the adopted family in regard to the baby via pictures and/or letters if you so choose. depending on your level of openness.

The Holidays are Coming Up. How do I Cope After Placing My Baby for Adoption?

Going through the process of adoption may seem simple in its methods, but emotionally, it could affect you negatively. The negative thoughts of “Giving my baby up for adoption” or “Adopt out my baby because I can’t take care of it” are thoughts that could hurt you psychologically. With the holidays approaching, we are to be joyous and thankful, but negative thoughts could affect our ability to do so. Here will be shared a number of ways you can work through any negativity and focus more on the positive of making a hard but respected decision. It is important that you know that the birth mother will always be respected and dignity at this adoption agency, and learning positive coping skills is also important. So, what can you do to enjoy the holidays after an adoption?

1. Accept Your Emotions:

When a specific emotion arises, it is important to acknowledge and feel that emotion. Accepting these emotions means avoiding the burden of putting those negative emotions aside to never face them. Recentering yourself by sitting calmly and taking some deep breaths will also benefit you during this time of recovering after pregnancy and the adoption process

2. Develop a Safe Space:

Find a space in your home where you are most comfortable with privacy. This could be where you perhaps stop to recenter and do your breathing exercises. Having a designated safe space helps give you security when any negative emotions come up. This space could also be used for meditation and/or imagination enhancement as well, along with being a nice calm space after a pregnancy. 

3. Surround Yourself with Loved Ones

Being around those you love can bring warmth to your heart, which would be very beneficial after your pregnancy and adoption. Having your support network be there for you during this time could bring positivity to you and reassure you of the decision you made. To go through an unplanned pregnancy and the process of adoption, it is a blessing during the holidays to have family and those you love to be with you.

There you have it, a number of ways to cope with your emotions during the holidays. It can be tough to go through pregnancy and to make the decision to adopt, but in the end, only you know the right choice to make. During the holidays, it could add some overwhelming emotions on top of that, so try and accept those emotions to start your healing process. Making a safe space in your home could add additional security for you and some comfort during a vulnerable time. It is a blessing to have those that support you be there to also show you that you are not alone. No need to look for adoption agencies near me or agencies in Missouri. Just go to Adoption Choices of Missouri, and we will be there to guide and help you every step of the way.

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.