Adoption has come a long way in the past few decades. Gone are the days when a young woman would give birth without ever laying eyes on her baby and never know anything about where he went after leaving the room in the arms of a swiftly walking nurse. Today, a birth mother has so many options when it comes to choosing adoption.
Open adoption experienced a burst of popularity in the early 90’s and continues to be favored for many reasons today. Open adoption allows the birth mother to retain some connection with her child while still ensuring that he has the best life possible. While there are varying degrees of contact, and these must be agreed upon by the adoptive parents, an open adoption can make it possible for the birth parents to receive photos, updates, and even visits with the child. Certainly, being able to see the stability and happiness that you have provided by trusting your child to a loving family makes it clear that you made the right choice.
Since open adoption focuses on interaction between the birth mother and the adoptive parents, the birth parents are offered the opportunity to choose the couple that will raise their child. Portfolios of families who are all waiting for a child to love are looked through carefully, studied, and narrowed down to just a few. Then, there is normally a meeting arranged so the future parents can all meet and a final decision can be made. If geographically possible, the chosen adoptive parents can participate in doctor visits, ultrasounds, and eventually the birth of their soon to be child. This helps create a bond and a sense of trust between the parents and the birth mother. Often times, the adoptive mother will be present at the delivery and the first to hold the child. In an open adoption, the birth mother has no reason to feel as if she will never see her son or daughter again and this gesture is a beautiful way to put the adoptive parents’ minds at ease.
In addition to maintaining contact with your child, open adoption also makes it possible to provide medical history, genealogy, and family updates so your child never has to wonder where he came from. This can prove to be invaluable if ever faced with a medical emergency or questions about his birth family arise.
These days, non traditional families are the norm and open adoption is just one of the amazing ways some of those families are formed. If you’re pregnant, and scared, adoption can offer you hope and a solution that will allow you the best of both worlds – a life where you can know your child and still follow your dreams.
