Is Giving a Baby up for Adoption Hard?
By Edward Harding
If you are pregnant and considering adoption, you probably have a single burning question holding you back. Will giving up my baby for adoption be hard? The short answer is yes. Choosing adoption certainly comes with its fair share of hardships, especially on the emotional side of things. However, it can also provide benefits by giving you and your child a better life in the long run. Adoption helps mothers suffering from homelessness, sexual abuse, and addiction by giving them time to get back on their feet. Perhaps you are still in school or working towards a better career. Adoption can give you the freedom to continue pursuing your goals while simultaneously ensuring your child is cared for.
Even though your adoption journey may be difficult, that doesn’t mean you have to face it alone. Adoption Choices of Missouri is here to help make this process as painless as possible. We believe the best way to combat your worries is by taking direct action. That’s why our agency gives you the power. We provide expert consultation and personalized services that will help alleviate your worries.
How Adoption Choices Help
The major pillar of our personalized service comes in the form of a customizable adoption plan. Many adoption agencies in Missouri utilize this feature to help birth mothers through adoption. The plan acts as your major outline for all of your goals. Your adoption counselor can help you to form this plan by giving you clarifying information or asking specific questions. Keep in mind this is your plan, and our counselors will never seek to coerce you into specific decisions. They are here to provide a purely objective resource for you and will offer opinions only if you ask for them.
We also encourage participating in an open adoption program within your plan. This allows you to not only maintain contact with your child but take an even more active role throughout the matching process. Choosing this type of adoption allows you to meet with adoptive families directly. You are also welcome to exchange contact information and discuss potential communication options post-placement. For many birth mothers, forming a positive relationship with the adoptive family is extremely beneficial to combating feelings of grief or guilt. Often birth mothers find their own lives enriched through the kindness of an adoptive family. Seeing just how a family has lovingly cared for your child can make you feel better about letting them go.
Even if you decide against an open adoption, that doesn’t mean you have completely given up control. Every birth mother retains the right to approve an adoptive family for their child and is liable to receive our agency benefits. Adoption Choices of Missouri provides post-placement counseling services to all mothers. Additional benefits you can take advantage of include services such as:
- Financial assistance- Whether you need help with utilities, food, transportation, or other simple living expenses, Adoption Choices can help. We pay for your needs throughout the pregnancy and for six weeks following the delivery.
- Medical Care- Adoption Choices can help you to apply for federal services such as Medicaid to ensure that you receive adequate medical services during the pregnancy.
- Safe Housing- Not having a safe place to sleep or living within a dangerous environment may lead to harmful complications during pregnancy. Adoption Choices of Missouri can offer affordable housing for you.
Supportive Counseling Makes Adoption Worthwhile
Despite all the difficulties you may face, it will all be worth it in the end. Remember to keep sight of your goals and reasons for choosing adoption in the first place. Also, even though every journey and plan is unique, you can still gain a lot from talking to others. Adoption agencies in Missouri often offer support groups or one on one counseling. In periods of emotional turmoil, it can often be difficult to think of the larger picture. Sometimes you might need an outside perspective to both to recognize and ultimately embrace the positive aspects adoption can provide.
Choosing Adoption is not Giving Up
Just because you have decided to relinquish your child to another family doesn’t mean you are a bad person. By forming an adoption plan and working with an agency, you have taken responsibility for your child’s future. Not only that, but you have recognized that your home may not be the place for them. This is something that takes incredible courage, and you should be proud of that.
Whether you are looking for adoption in Springfield, MO, Kansas City, or the surrounding area, Adoption Choices of Missouri is here for you. Contact our specialists now and start planning for your child’s future today.
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 316-391-4904