As a birthmom, choosing to have your child adopted by a loving family is a wonderful and brave decision. However, some women fear that once they decide to make an adoption plan, they will lose control over how their unborn child’s future is handled.
Expecting parents have complete control over their pregnancy and their child’s future up until the moment where they legally give parenting rights to an adoptive family. This is something that cannot happen until after the child has been born.
If you are considering adoption for your child, it’s important to understand your rights as the biological mom.
You Set the Terms
Once you’ve decided to have someone adopt you’re child, you’ll create an adoption plan. An adoption plan is comprehensive document that covers the immediate future of your child including what your pregnancy will look like, what you expect from an adopting family, what your rights will be as a parent after the adoption is finalized, and more.
You can choose what type of home you want your child to grow up in. Possible specifications include where the family is from, whether one of them is a stay-at-home parent, whether there are already children in the family, etc.
You can also state what kind of openness you want in the raising of your child. If you wish to remain in your child’s life as they grow and develop, you can create an open adoption plan. The specifics of an open adoption depend on the terms set in the plan. They can range from exchanging letters and emails to actual in-person visits as the child grows.
Financial Assistance
When you decide to make an adoption plan in Ohio the adoption agency is able to help with up to $3000 in living expenses. Legal services required to handle and approve the adoption process are covered, as are medical fees that stem from giving birth. Further specifications and support requirements can be detailed in the adoption plan.
The Birth
When creating your adoption plan, you can also choose the doctor you see and where you plan on giving birth. You have the same rights as any other pregnant mom. After all, you will continue to have parental rights until you, as the biological mom, legally release those rights in a legal document. Until that happens, you decide where the baby stays, how they are fed, and more. If an adoptive family has been chosen before you go into labor, you can also choose whether or not they’re present at the hospital.
It’s Your Choice
Many women who decide on adoption are surprised by just how much control they have over the birth and future of their child. This includes the adoption agency that you work with. It’s important to select an ethical adoption agency that not only provides support and counseling as they work to connect you with families waiting to adopt, but they’ll continue to be there for you after the adoption is finalized.
At Choosing Hope Adoptions, the birthmoms we work with mean everything to us. We are here for you every step of the way, before and after the birth of your child. If you’re looking for an adoption agency in Columbus, Cincinnati, or any other city in Ohio, we’re here for you.