Maternity Leave for Birth Mothers, Adoptive Mothers, and LGBTQ+ Parents in Missouri Adoptions
Adoption comes with many hard decisions, and as parents, you want to do the best for your child. The state of Missouri offers maternity leave for all types of parents, both birth and adoptive parents. Being a new parent will come with a period of getting to know your baby. As parents, you may be wondering how managing life with a new child is possible. The time you have with your child to grow your bond and create happy memories as a new family. We at Adoption Choices of Missouri have answered your questions by explaining the three types of parental leave you may have when making the wonderful choice of adoption.
The Three Types of Parental Leave
- Maternity Leave Laws
In Missouri adoptions, every type of parent can be on maternity leave, which either happens twelve weeks after your child’s birth or after your adoption has been finalized. The parental leave law in Missouri states that the main parent-which may be the mother of the child, gets six weeks off on maternity leave, and the father or partner of the mother may get three weeks on paternity leave. You may also have parental leave at the same time as your partner if you are a working couple. No matter what your circumstances are, know that we at Adoption Choices of Missouri will help you understand your parental leave so that you can fully embrace your new role as a birth parent or as an adoptive parent.
- Birth Mother Maternity Leave
As a birth mother, you may not know this, but you will have maternity leave to deal with your adoption process as a whole. You may have to deal with adoption emotions such as emotions like grief, longing, sadness, and time to heal after you have just given birth and placed your child with his or her parents. As a birth mother, you need time to adjust to placing your child up for adoption. Your estimated maternity leave may depend on your particular situation. For instance, if you had a safe and healthy delivery and your job title. Remember, as a birth mother, your voice matters.
- Adoptive Mother Leave
Your child’s adoptive mother might want to spend every moment with her new adopted child. While she is on maternity leave, she will have one on one time to get to know your child. As a new adoptive mother, she will most likely get twelve weeks off to adjust to her routine. Her maternity leave will depend on many factors, such as her job or lifestyle. As an adoptive mother, you will get the support you need by going to adoptive mother’s meetings in the Missouri area provided by our agency, Adoption Choices of Missouri, to understand your beautiful role as an adoptive mother.
- LGBTQ+ Adoptive Parent Parental Leave
As LBGTQ+ adoptive parents, you will get the same time off as previously mentioned for parental leave. As adoptive parents, you both will form a bond with your baby and learn to understand them as they grow and change. During your parental leave, you and your partner will take time to understand the dynamics of parenthood and grow together as parents.
Advice to Birth Mothers, Adoptive Mothers, and LGBTQ+ Parents
Like any parent, you will get the parental leave that you need to physically, mentally, and emotionally grow as a parent to your child. As a birth mother, adoptive mother, or LGBTQ+ parents, remember that your parental leave is for your benefit to grow in your adoption in every way and to try and be the best parent you can. As birth parents remember, your parental leave is just as important as your child’s adoptive parents,, and that no one will fault you for taking time off for you. No matter what, Adoption Choices of Missouri will be here to support you as you go through your parental leave because adoption can be such an emotional journey and affect every aspect of your life, so taking the time to focus on your well being and well-being of your child while on parental leave, will benefit your adoption process and make you feel better as a parent or parents.
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: Samara Wiley is a published author of poetry, essays, and an environmental children’s storybook called, Waiting for the Water Fairy. She graduated from Benedictine University in 2018 with a double Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and French.She has been published in three small poetry anthologies one was called Talented.
Her other writing accomplishments include: winning a high school poetry competition and $2500 for her high school, having two out of her five novels be considered for publication and writing movie critic reviews for her university’s newsletter.
Although she has Cerebral Palsy and has had a turbulent childhood, Samara puts these small specs of herself into her writing to personally connect with her audience. She prides herself on pushing the boundaries in her writing and in her personal life with everything she does. Samara writes with her heart and a voice of compassion, and loves to pull from her top passions in life.
She currently lives in Yorkville, Illinois with her mom and two sisters.