By Mitchell Kennis

There is no mistaking the importance of a birth mother in the adoption process. After all, without her, no child would be placed with another family. What’s more difficult to grasp is the role a birth father plays in adoption. How do they add to the experience of bringing a new family together? We’ll help explain birth fathers and what they offer to a perfect adoption. 

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can call us to speak to someone now. 

Adoption in Nevada

Before going any further, let’s briefly go over what adoption is and how to place a baby for adoption. Adoption is the process a pair of families take to transfer a child from the care of one to another. The birth parents are the biological parents of this child, and the adoptive parents are the new child rearers.

An Example of an Adoption in Nevada

A basic adoption usually goes as follows: an expectant woman decides she is unprepared to raise a child for any number of reasons. She contacts any of the local adoption agencies that she is comfortable consulting with. The agency assigns the woman an adoption specialist to work with her on a plan for her specific situation. Birth mothers will get to select her preferred adoptive family and the level of contact maintained with them.

Her pregnancy will progress while she might be supported financially by the agency according to her needs. After giving birth, the adoptive parents will come to pick up the baby and begin raising them as their own. The two families would maintain contact if that was how the adoption was planned.

This was just an example of how adoption can proceed but in no way covers all the variations. Each process is distinguished by who the birth parents are, who is adopting, and a dozen other details between them.

What Birth Fathers Do in Nevada Adoption

Now, where does the father of the adopted child fit in? Well, a birth father is almost like the second in command when it comes to the adoption process. The birth mother is the head of the decisions as it is her body and her baby. Her partner, though, is there to provide support when needed.

This might seem unglamorous. The birth father, though, can play a key part in the adoption through many means. One can continue to provide for the birth mother. This could be by working extra or helping out a bit more around the house, or just driving her around. His partner should become a priority during pregnancy. 

He can also fill the role of a kind of PR manager for the adoption. It can be difficult for an expectant mother to keep up with appearances and communication with curious peers. The birth father can step up and just send regular updates to family and friends about her health.

The main thing a birth father can do, though, is just present. Being there for the birth mother, even as a shoulder or pair of ears, is helpful in its own right. He can be there when things get complicated or when she needs to share her joy. He is the man in your corner of the ring, ready to grab you water or throw the towel.

What if there isn’t a Birth Father?

A wrinkle to having a birth father is sometimes the relationship is not that cut and dry. Pregnancy, of course, has a way of complicating a relationship, especially if that pregnancy is unwanted or unprepared for. A disagreement can happen between the birth parents about the right course of action. Minds can change over nine months. And occasionally, a birth father can see walking away from the relationship as the easy way out.

So, things happen, and the birth father is not always present. This doesn’t disable a birth mother from still choosing adoption in Las Vegas. You are still the decision maker and child-bearer. It can make things a little more difficult to proceed through the process without your secondary. However, the solution to this is to lean a bit more toward your chosen agency. Adoption agencies are very equipped to support birth mothers in whatever relationship they find themselves in. Therapists are nearly always available when you need them, and financial support is on the table. 

Who can be a Birth Father?

Here’s the thing: a birth father doesn’t need to just be a man. They don’t even really need to be the actual father if you think about it. Breaking down the definition of a birth father as simply someone who supports you during your adoption process means what? That anyone can really fill this role! If you have a best friend who is there for you or a sibling who is supportive of your adoption. There isn’t any legal binding that requires a person to sign up to be a birth father. So think about who you want in your corner.

Creating an Adoptive Family in Nevada

Adoption is a beautiful continuation of a family. It is the sharing of life between birth parents to adoptive parents and the support between a mother and father. Whether you are expecting or there for someone who is, consider talking with us at Adoption Choices of Nevada. We’ll be here to facilitate the adoption process and help make a bright future for both you and your child.

You can call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno)