By Mary DeStefano

Having a fulfilling adoption experience is possible when you have options available to you, so you can tailor the adoption to serve the best interests of you and your baby. Having options is especially important when deciding the level of openness you want to have with the adoptive family. Openness is important to many birth mothers, especially if they have experienced an unplanned pregnancy. It’s no surprise that open adoption is the most popular option. 

We are here to assist you

Through this overview of open adoption, Adoption Choices of Nevada can provide you with some background on open adoption. We can also explain why it’s so common among pregnant women considering adoption. 

The Basics of Open Adoption

Before you take the first step in your open adoption journey, you need to understand what open adoption is. In an open adoption, you are able to directly contact the adoptive family and the child you place with them. They can also directly contact you. This contact can come in the form of exchanging letters, photos, e-mails, and phone calls, and it can even include in-person visits. You and the adoptive family can decide how frequently you wish to contact each other. 

If this type of adoption sounds like it could be the right fit for you, you can reach out to Adoption Choices of Nevada for further guidance. Our experienced adoption counselors are available during the day and night, so we can provide you with help as soon as you need it. We will walk you through all your options in depth before you decide how to move forward in your adoption journey. 

Why Birth Mothers Choose Open Adoption

Open adoption appeals to many birth mothers. It gives them the opportunity to see and hear from their birth child again without having to take on the responsibility of parenthood that they are not ready for. When you can anticipate a future that includes your birth child, the adoption does not seem so final and limiting. Having open adoption as an option may make it easier for you to choose adoption instead of pursuing alternatives. 

Beginning the Open Adoption Process 

Once you decide to pursue adoption, you will create an adoption plan. This plan will serve as a map for how your adoption process will play out. Your adoption plan will include what type of adoptive family you want to place the baby into, what you want your relationship with the adoptive family to look like, and how you want your hospital stay to proceed. Adoption Choices of Nevada will work as closely with you as you need to create an adoption plan that will lead to a smooth adoption. 

Executing Your Open Adoption Plan

As you search for an adoptive family, we will assist you in the selection process by providing you with adoptive parent profiles for you to review. Each profile provides details on a prospective adoptive family. The profiles will explain why they are choosing to adopt, what their daily lives look like, what values they hold dear, and more. Once you find an adoptive family who fits what you are looking for, we will arrange for you to meet them in person or via phone. From there, you can discuss with the adoptive family the level of openness you are comfortable with after placement has occurred. 

As part of your open adoption plan, you can even include the adoptive family in your hospital birth plan. Perhaps you would like for them to be present in the delivery room, or even have them be the first ones to hold the baby. You could request some time alone with them for some extra support before relinquishing your parental rights. You might want them at your side as you leave the hospital and enter the next stage of your life as a birth mother.  

Benefits You Can Experience During the Open Adoption Process

You have the opportunity to communicate directly with the adoptive family throughout the open adoption process. Laying the groundwork to build a beautiful relationship with them is critical. You are bonded by the fact that you are providing them with the gift of life. They are offering you a chance to get back on your feet. Throughout your adoption journey, you and the adoptive family function as a team. This ensures that neither of you is embarking on your adoption journey alone. The more you get to know the adoptive family, the more certain you can be in your choice to have them raise the baby you carry.

Life as a Birth Mother in an Open Adoption 

After you have placed the baby for adoption, your life as a birth mother is only beginning. Your role in the child’s life has not come to an end but will continue to deepen through the contact you will have with them in the years to come. There will definitely be difficult days ahead, but hearing about your birth child’s first steps, visiting them during the holidays, or receiving photos of them thriving with their adoptive family can give you some peace of mind about your choice. Open adoption fulfills the promise of reunification, which is why so many birth mothers find hope and comfort in it. 

Are You Open to Considering Open Adoption?

This overview of open adoption could be the first step you take in pursuing an open adoption. When you are ready to take the next steps in your open adoption journey, Adoption Choices of Nevada give you the information and support you need. Beginning your adoption journey can seem overwhelming at first, but we will put in the hard work to ensure the child you carry is successfully placed. 

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can also 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)