Can I be a part of my child's life after adoption?
Can I be a part of my child's life after adoption?
So many women ask us about open adoption when they contact us. Most of these women want to know that they will have the opportunity to have a presence in their child’s life, in spite of choosing not to parent. There really is so much to be said regarding openness in an adoption. I will share with you some of my experiences after working with hundreds of birth mothers and adoptive parents.
I recently worked with a young woman who made an adoption plan for her child. From the start, she made it clear to me that she wanted an “open adoption.” I discussed at length with her the different levels of openness that are done in an adoption situation. The most common is what professionals call a “semi-open adoption” where both the adoptive parents and birth parents have contact mostly before the baby is born and once the baby is born, most of the contact is through pictures, letters, updates of the child. Because of the great things we can do with technology these days, there are many quick ways to communicate instantly through, texts, private blogs and dedicated Facebook pages. In an instant an adoptive parent can send a picture of something extra cute the child did one day or even an audio of their first words!
Then there is a fully open adoption where the adoptive parents and birth parents agree to have ongoing phone calls and even visits. As a professional in this field, I have found that both sides typically step into adoption with hesitation, fear of the unknown and just not knowing what to expect. In working with both adoptive families and birth parents I have found that their thoughts and feelings are actually very much the same! I have seen apprehension on both sides turn into an amazing relationship! After all, adoption is about putting the child first and I think we can all agree that there are never too many people to love a child!
So… if you are considering placing your child for adoption, feel free to give us a call and let’s discuss how you see an adoption plan being created for your child’s future. You can text or call 850-815-5858 anytime!