6 Ways Birthmothers Can Involve Birthfathers During the Adoption Process
As a birthmother who chooses adoption for a baby, you may often involve the presence of the birthfather. If a birthfather supports the adoption, then you can work together to…
As a birthmother who chooses adoption for a baby, you may often involve the presence of the birthfather. If a birthfather supports the adoption, then you can work together to…
Are you pregnant and in college? An unplanned pregnancy doesn't have to put an end to the pursuit of a bachelor's degree, especially if you've chosen adoption. But if you…
When you make the choice of adoption for an unborn child, having the support through the journey will go a long way in creating a smooth transition and adoption process.…
What can you expect from your childbirth experience? Take a look at what first-time birth mothers need to know about labor, delivery, and their childbirth options.
Where Will You Give Birth?
By now you may already have an OBGYN or nurse midwife. If you’ve already chosen a medical provider, talk to the doctor or nurse about what your options are. The most common places where women deliver their babies include:
Are you pregnant? An unplanned pregnancy isn’t easy for any woman to handle on her own — regardless of age. Even though you may feel alone right now, you aren’t. If adoption is an option you want to explore, take a look at what you can do next.
Whether you are in your first trimester of pregnancy or third, you should begin preparing your body and mind for a healthy labor process. When you prepare your body, you can improve the chance of the delivery of a healthy child while keeping your own health in mind. When you prepare your mind, you can ease worries and apprehensions that you currently have about the labor process.
Learn three ways to prepare your body and mind for a healthy labor process as a birthmother.
As a birth mother, take the time to decide what is important to you before you meet with an adoption agency. Time spent on research into the lives of the available adoptive parents can help a birth mother to feel more secure about the process. Voicing your preferences enables the adoption agency to direct you to the candidates that most closely match your desires.
Every birth mother is an individual, so the priorities of each will vary. Think about the things you value in your life or what you feel your childhood lacked. Your image of a perfect life can help you determine what matters most about the family your baby will grow up in. Below are some suggestions to think about as you create your wish list.
Are you a pregnant teen? An unexpected pregnancy is challenging — especially during the teen years. If you’re not sure how to talk to your parents about your pregnancy, take a look at what you need to know about this complex conversation.
Relax Before Your Start to Talk
Even though starting this conversation isn’t always easy, tension and excess anxiety won’t help anyone. Anxiety, stress, and fear can cloud your head and make the upcoming discussion more difficult than necessary.
When you first find out you are pregnant when you are not yet ready to be a parent, you face a lot of emotions, decisions, and uncertainty. Many mothers who are considering adoption as an option for their growing baby can struggle during pregnancy, wondering if adoption is really the right thing to choose.
Choosing adoption is not easy, and feelings of uncertainty are normal for many women. If you need reassurance that adoption is right for you, here are some ways you can help feel more secure in your choice.
1. Meet Often With the Adoptive Parents
You get the opportunity, if you want, to choose the family your baby goes to. You can spend time with the parents you pick to raise the baby. If you need more reassurance that adoption is a good decision, ask to spend even more time with the family. You will see more about the life your child will take part in, which can be a big comfort to you.
Preparing to both give birth and give your baby up for adoption can inspire many emotions as the months go by. It can certainly inspire feelings of confidence and admiration for yourself since you are making a selfless choice, yet it can also inspire feelings of fear and doubt. A birth mother support group can be a huge comfort when faced with any and all those emotions.
Many birth mother support groups are designed like other well-known support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. They are created to help people who are going through difficult experiences share their joys, defeats, pain, and triumphs with others who are in the same boat. Consider these strategies to optimize the time you spend in a birth mother support group.
Attend the First Meetings to Just Listen
Going to your first few support group meetings can be intimidating. You’ll take some of the pressure off yourself if you commit to going to the first few meetings just to listen and learn. Attending quietly is perfectly acceptable, and you will likely find others in the group who aren’t eager to talk.