6 Facts about Open Adoption that Might Surprise You
If you are a birth mother considering open adoption, you may already have a general picture of what this process entails or could look like. However, every open adoption is different and even if you’re already familiar with open adoptions and the services Adoption Choices of Colorado provides, you may still only have a generalized picture. While we’ve written a lot about open adoptions, we’ve not yet discussed which facts about open adoption that might surprise you!
- Open Adoptions are Growing in Popularity
Closed adoption used to be the vast majority of adoptions. However, over the best few decades, this has shifted tremendously. Many birth mothers want the option to stay in their child’s life without being the primary guardian and caregiver. More and more nontraditional families who include birth mothers and adoptive parents are popping up all over the country. The more open adoptions occur, the more birth mothers realize they are in fact interested in this type of adoption
- Open Adoptions don’t All Look the Same
Birth mothers and adoptive parents work closely with their adoption caseworkers to determine what works best for them. Some birth mothers may want only occasional contact/updates via email or phone calls. Others may want to schedule annual visits. Still others may decide to be an active and regular participant in their child’s life. Each and every open adoption agreement is different.
Open adoptions can be used to describe a variety of situations and adoption plans! They are as unique as the birth mothers, adoptive parents and adoptees living them out. Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to support you in determining what the ideal plan looks like for you and your child.
- Open Adoptions Help with the Grieving Process
One of the facts about open adoption that might surprise you is that they can assist birth mothers in their grieving process. While not all birth mothers experience this, many report feeling complex emotions after placing their baby for adoption. Feelings of loss and grief are common, even when birth mothers knew from the beginning that adoption was the best choice for them.
Open adoptions can help mitigate the painfulness of placing your child as you are still able to play a major role in their life. It can be healing and reassuring to know as you’re navigating this time that you are able to be in contact with their child whenever you are ready.
- Open Adoptions Benefit Adoptive Parents
Adoptive parents quite often love having birth mothers involved in their child’s life. While some people may picture adoptive parents as jealous or concerned about a birth mother’s involvement, families who choose to be adoptive parents in open adoptions are usually beyond grateful to have their child’s birth mother in his or her life.
As a birth mother, developing a close relationship and good rapport with your child’s adoptive parents may not only benefit you, but also contribute to their wellbeing.
- Open Adoptions Support Adoptees
Adoptees who experience open adoptions often report feelings of appreciation and gratitude. Having both primary caregivers and parents, as well as their birth mother, involved in their life can give him or her a sense of safety and support. What’s more, adoptees who experience open adoption are confident and thankful for the opportunity to know both their adoptive and birth families.
- Open Adoptions Create a More Stable Support System
Open adoptions can benefit all parties because they create an extended family network of individuals who all care deeply for one another. Birth mothers, adoptive parents, adoptees and other siblings/family members associated with the open adoption all get to experience the support and love of a large family. One that has each other’s back and wants what’s best for one another.
Facts about Open Adoption that Might Surprise You
If you are considering open adoption, be sure to talk to Adoption Choices staff today and set up a consultation with an adoption caseworker. Our team will work alongside you to create the best open adoption plan for you, your child and their adoptive family.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Kara Bringewatt is an English major and psychology minor at Queens University of Charlotte. She plans to get her masters in social work and work at a nonprofit as a case manager for at-risk youth. She loves using writing as a means of creating community and bringing attention to causes she’s passionate about.
Kara is particularly interested in educational and mental health interventions for young people in foster care. She’s worked as a tutor, professional caregiver, preschool teacher and acting instructor, and loves being able to utilize her wide range of passions to support young people and plans on being a foster and adoptive parent.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!