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December 9, 2020
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December 9, 2020
Thinking about placing your child for adoption? Having a professional, caring team on your side can help you navigate the joys, challenges, and emotions of adoption with confidence.
Expecting moms often don’t know where to start when it comes to choosing an adoption path and getting guidance throughout the process. But if you’re interested in creating an adoption plan for your child, we’ll walk you through everything you should expect during your pregnancy and adoption journey.
Here are the steps you’ll take to create an adoption plan:
1. Learn your options and ask any questions you have.
Whether you just found out that you’re pregnant, or you’ve been weighing your options for a while, you can text or call 765.326.1110 to speak with our Birth Family Coordinator. She can answer any questions you have about pregnancy and your options.
Many pregnant women don’t think about this, but there are other paths besides parenting and abortion. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your baby is to make the loving, selfless decision to place them for adoption and give them a more secure future. But we won’t pressure you into choosing adoption or even working with Gifts of Grace. This is your journey and decision.
2. Share your story, needs, and desires with us.
When you meet with us in our safe, welcoming office, we’ll invite you to share your story and pregnancy journey so far. Whether you know what you want for your baby, or you have no idea what to do or where to turn, our team can support and comfort you.
Our Birth Family Coordinator will also work with you to review your pregnancy and birth options, discuss your immediate and long-term goals, and understand what you want for your child. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re ready to raise a baby, we can walk through this questionnaire with you.
3. Become a client and create an adoption plan.
We know placing a child for adoption is a hard decision, but it’s one you’re making out of love and selflessness. If you choose this path for your baby, you’ll sign an agreement to become a Gifts of Grace client!
Once you’re officially partnered with us, we’ll review your needs and discuss community resources that may benefit you. These include housing expense assistance, transportation to doctor’s appointments, help in getting health insurance, and more. Having these things in place will help you form a secure adoption plan and give you peace of mind.
4. Receive ongoing support during your pregnancy.
An unplanned pregnancy can be a scary experience, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Whether you already have a great support system, or you need a shoulder to cry on, our team will be here for you throughout your pregnancy and adoption journey.
Along with providing emotional support, we’ll work to understand your preferences for an adoptive family match. We’ll also discuss your desires for the future — specifically, whether or not you’d like to form a relationship with the adoptive family and/or receive post-adoption support from us.
5. Match with an adoptive family of your choice.
Our Birth Family Coordinator will present waiting families to you and help you match with the best one for your baby. This is a major decision, so take your time learning about each family and considering what you’re looking for in an adoptive couple.
No matter whom you choose, you’ll see lives change when you make the loving decision to provide a bright future for your child by placing them with a great adoptive family.
6. Meet the family and make a hospital/delivery plan.
Once you match with a waiting family, you can meet with them if you’d like. Both our Birth Family Coordinator and Adoptive Family Coordinator will help you in building a relationship, setting up communication (and boundaries), and more.
You’ll also work with our Birth Family Coordinator to develop a hospital and delivery plan, which we’ll share with the family you’ve chosen. This will help you (and the adoptive family) feel confident and make sure things go smoothly once your baby is born.
7. Deliver your baby and sign placement forms.
Once you go into labor, we’ll take you to the hospital (if you need transportation) and help you make sure your delivery plan is followed. After you deliver your baby, you and the adoptive family can spend as much time with him or her as you’d like.
Then, you and the adoptive family will sign and notarize all the required legal documents. This is usually a very emotional time for birth moms as they officially place their baby with another family, so we’ll be by your side the entire time for support.
8. Stay connected with (or say goodbye to) the adoptive family.
After your baby goes home with the adoptive family, you can continue a relationship with them and your child, if you like. Some birth moms decide to stay in touch with the family and baby so they can watch their child develop and thrive.
Other birth moms know the emotional toll of seeing their baby raised by someone else will be too much, so they choose to part ways with the family and child after the adoption. That’s perfectly fine, too; we’ll respect your decision either way.
9. Receive support from Gifts of Grace (if you’d like).
Even after your pregnancy and delivery, we’ll be here for you if you’d like post-adoption support. That includes free articles and resources, support groups with other birth moms, and more.
Many birth moms experience a wide range of emotions after placing a baby for adoption; relief, guilt, sadness, anxiety, confusion, and so on. A strong support system — whether that’s our team, your loved ones, or both — can help you process these feelings.
Ready to create an adoption plan? We’re here to help.
Gifts of Grace Adoption Support Center has worked with expecting moms, adoptive families, and children in the Lafayette, Indiana community since 2013. We believe that quality, affordable, Christ-centered adoption services empower pregnant moms and dads, create thriving adoptive families, and help all children be placed in a loving home.
For more information, please contact us. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
