If you are unexpectedly pregnant, but know you are not ready to be a mother, making an adoption plan for your baby could be the solution you are looking for. Adoption allows you to give life to your baby, but not have to be a parent before you are ready. Making an adoption plan may feel overwhelming. Mercy is here to offer support and help.
Reasons to choose adoption:
- You aren’t ready to be a parent
- You don’t want to have an abortion
- You don’t have a stable living situation
- You are not emotionally, physically, or financially ready to be a parent
- You are addicted to drugs or alcohol
- You are in an abusive relationship
- You don’t have support from family or the baby’s father
- You want your baby to grow up in a loving and stable home
What is modern adoption?
Unlike adoption of the past, modern adoption allows you to make all the choices for your baby. You can choose the family for your baby and decide how much contact, if any, you want to have with your baby at birth and beyond. Many modern adoptions allow birth mothers to receive photos and regular updates on the progress of the baby.
All the decisions are yours to make.
There are three different types of adoption to consider:
1. PARTIALLY OPEN
You choose the parents and home your child will grow up in. You receive photos and updates about your child from the adoption agency. You will likely not know your child’s full name or location.
2. OPEN
You choose the parents and home your child will grow up in. You can choose to have contact with the adoptive family and child throughout their life. You may have ongoing visits with the child.
3. CONFIDENTIAL
If you decide you do not want any contact with your child or do not want to choose the adoptive parents, the adoption agency will choose your child’s family. You and the adoptive family will not have any contact or know any details about each other.
All three kinds of adoption plans are available to you, and you can decide what feels right for you and your situation. Making an adoption plan may seem difficult since there is so much to consider. Mercy is here to help you figure it out.
“Adoption Options,” Before You Decide, 2023, page 40
Is adoption the same as foster care?
Modern adoption is not foster care. Children placed in foster care are most often taken against their parent’s will and into the custody of unknown foster parents. In modern adoption, you make an adoption plan for your baby which includes choosing the parents who will adopt your baby.
Foster care is often temporary and may involve moving to several different foster families. By making an adoption plan, you provide your baby with a stable, loving, forever home that you have chosen.
What can I expect if I meet with an adoption agency?
Mercy does not facilitate adoptions, nor do we benefit from your decision. If you would like to learn more about making an adoption plan, we can put you in touch with a trusted agency that can help you. You can investigate adoption with no strings attached. A representative from the adoption agency will meet with you in person or over the phone to answer all your questions and concerns. There is no pressure to choose to make an adoption plan. The agency will help you to determine if adoption is a good fit for your unique situation.
How will I feel if I make an adoption plan for my baby?
Whether or not to make an adoption plan is a difficult decision. But if you know you are not ready to be a parent, or your circumstances do not make it an option, adoption might be the right choice for you. Mercy is here to help you work through your feelings and concerns.
What can I learn at Mercy?
If you want to hear more about modern adoption, Mercy can offer free information and referrals to adoption agencies that can support you in making the best adoption plan for your baby.
Mercy does not facilitate adoptions, nor do we benefit from your decision. We want to support you as you make the best decision for you and your baby.
If you are interested in hearing more about adoption or any of your options, please call for a confidential appointment today.
Call 610-376-0828
Text 484-946-3885