Pregnant Again: Can I Place a Second Baby for Adoption with the Same Agency?
You’re unexpectedly pregnant. Again. And parenting still isn’t part of your plans right now. Don’t worry. You can place a second baby for adoption. You can work with the same agency to find a loving family for your baby or a different agency.
At Adoption Choices of Missouri, we welcome all birth mothers, whether this is your first time making an adoption plan or you’re facing another unplanned pregnancy.
Respect and Resources for Birth Mothers Adopting a Second Time
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Judged? Nervous? Ashamed? Scared? You may be experiencing a jumble of emotions about this second pregnancy. That’s totally understandable. Remember that as an expectant birth mother, you deserve respect and compassion, no matter your pregnancy circumstances. If you find yourself unexpectedly pregnant again, you’re not alone. Unplanned pregnancy is common, and several of Adoption Choices birth mother clients go through the adoption process multiple times.
At our adoption center in Missouri, we are here to support you as you navigate your new reality. You will receive the same empathy, care and resources you did when you worked with us the first time. Your caring caseworker will help coordinate your adoption plan. You will have access to all our services, including financial assistance and legal representation.
Finding an Adoptive Family for Your Second Baby
You can work with the same agency to place your baby for adoption. First, your caseworker will check in with the family who adopted your first child since we try to keep your children in the same adoptive family. The adoptive parent(s) may be excited to raise birth siblings. If they are able to adopt your second baby, then everything should run smoothly, especially since you already know the adoptive parents.
Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that the adoptive family will be able to adopt your second baby. They might not have the time or financial resources to adopt and raise another child. Or maybe they were not planning on expanding their family. Whatever the reason, if the adoptive family can’t adopt your second child, don’t worry. We will help you make an adoption plan and match you with another loving family. Since you’ve already been through the process before, you know what to expect. You will be able to choose the type of adoption you prefer and look through profiles of prospective families before selecting an adoptive family. Your caseworker will correspond with both adoptive families to try to make sure your birth children can keep in touch as they grow up.
What this Adoption Journey will Look Like
Your adoption journey this time around might be quite similar to your first if you felt satisfied with the arrangements you chose last time. Or, it might be totally different. Since you’ve been on an adoption journey before, you may decide you want to make some changes when creating your adoption plan. You might choose to have more or less interaction with the adoptive family during your pregnancy. Maybe you want the post-adoption relationship with your child and their adoptive family to be different. If you’re placing your child with a different family, you might think about different characteristics, such as their family size, religion or hometown.
Whether your adoption choices are exactly the same or totally different, you will still be making the same loving decision to place your baby for adoption.
Taking Care of Yourself during the Adoption Process
You already made the brave decision to place your first child for adoption. You are caring and courageous. Now that you’ve found out you’re pregnant again, you may be stressed, confused, conflicted or unsure about what to do next. As you go through the adoption process again, remind yourself that you possess an incredible amount of strength and love. We are here to help you cope and feel confident as you choose what’s best for you and your baby.
Your mental health is important as you go through pregnancy and adoption, so emotional support is a top priority. Our agency offers counseling, both during the adoption process and post placement. You can talk with a counselor, who will listen to what’s on your mind and provide judgement-free guidance.
Another option is a support group. We can help you connect with a group of birth mothers who have gone through the adoption process or who are in the middle of placing their baby for adoption. In a birth mother support group, you can share as much (or as little) as you want. You can ask questions. You can share your feelings, frustrations and fears. Or you can simply listen to other birth mothers’ stories.
You do not have to face a second unplanned pregnancy alone. Do not be afraid to reach out for help or support.
You Can Place a Second Baby for Adoption
If you’re unexpectedly pregnant again and considering your options, you can absolutely place a second baby for adoption with the same agency! At Adoption Choices of Missouri, we do not judge birth mothers for any reason. If you’ve placed with us before, we are happy to work with you again. We will be a trusted resource for you as you go through the adoption process.
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: Zoë Bowlus, a writing and editing enthusiast, considers herself a grammar groupie and suffers from a weakness for wordplay and working with words, whether she is reading, furiously typing away, playing Words with Friends, or filling in the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle.
She was adopted from Vietnam as a baby and began exploring her adoptee identity in Asian American Studies and Communication courses at UC Santa Barbara. As she combed through adoption literature for her last essay of college (she graduated with highest honors in 2020), she was inspired to use the research, editing, and writing skills she developed in college and her personal experience to create resources and share stories about adoption in a professional context. Writing for Adoption Choices, Zoë hopes to support people on their adoption journeys and to grow as an adoptee herself.
Zoë is an aspiring cat lady who is allergic to cats. She enjoys curling up with homemade hot chocolate, kettle corn, and a good book but laments the absence of a feline reading companion. Her bedside table and bookshelves are overflowing with World War II historical fiction, Asian American and Mexico-U.S. borderlands fiction, contemporary fiction, grammar and style books, and collections of profiles. She spends an inordinate amount of time playing bridge.
An avid NBA fan, Zoë lives in Sacramento, the primary reason anyone would root for the Kings. She holds out hope that they will make it to the playoffs during her lifetime.