6 Things You Need To Know About Unplanned Pregnancy and Adoption for Pregnant Women in Colorado
Unplanned pregnancy and adoption are both daunting words, and if you find yourself dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and have decided to go through with an Colorado adoption, you are not alone. There are many other women out there who are also in the same shoes as you are, and at Adoption Choices of Colorado, we provide support, guidance, and answers that you may have about pregnancy and adoption. Our staff can help answer any of your questions, even if you are unsure about following through with an adoption.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Dealing With an Unplanned Pregnancy
- It’s Okay To Not Be Excited
Pregnancy is often filled with a mix of emotions that can range from joy to anxiety. Whatever emotions you are experiencing, they are valid, even if you aren’t excited about motherhood and pregnancy. The media often portrays pregnancy as a joyous moment, but the media also overlooks many of the nuances involved with pregnancy. Your body is undergoing changes to accommodate a baby, and your future is going to change. With an unplanned pregnancy, these changes may be unwelcome, and it’s okay if you feel overwhelmed.
- You Should Prioritize Your Health
Pregnancy is followed by many stressors, from finance to learn how to take care of yourself as your body changes. While dealing with these stressors, you should understand that one of the most important things you can do is to take care of yourself physically and mentally. You should prioritize eating healthy, staying hydrated, and engaging in light exercise. During pregnancy, a lesser-known tip is that you should avoid saunas and hot tubs because it can make you more likely to experience overheating, which can have deadly consequences for your baby.
As you progress through your pregnancy, you should also make sure that you visit your obstetrician. Regular visits will allow your doctor to monitor your baby, and it will enable your doctor to be able to detect any problems that may arise.
- You Should Avoid Certain Foods
Of course, basic health is important to maintain, but one lesser-known aspect of staying healthy while pregnant is that certain foods should be avoided. Soft, unpasteurized cheeses, like feta, should be avoided because they may contain the bacteria listeria, which causes flu-like symptoms that can be extremely harmful to unborn babies. Raw fish should be avoided as well because it can expose your unborn baby to bacteria and harmful parasites. Fish, such as tuna and Chilean sea bass should also be avoided because these fish tend to be high in mercury, a chemical that can cause brain damage or birth defects. The USDA does have a guide on what fish is good to eat during pregnancy.
Colorado Adoption
- You Are Not Alone
The adoption process may seem long and arduous, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, when you work with an adoption agency in Colorado such as Adoption Choices of Colorado, we make sure that our staff is with you at every step of the way so that you can make informed decisions. During and after the Colorado adoption process, counseling is also provided at no cost because we understand that the decision to put your child up for adoption is not emotionally. Financial aid is also offered depending on your situation because we understand that dealing with pregnancy is already stressful enough. Financial aid can assist with paying your living costs so that you can focus on staying healthy and happy.
- You Can Place Your Child Up for Adoption After They’ve Been Born
If you have already had a child and are beginning to realize that you cannot take care of your child, you can still consider adoption as an option. The process of placing a 1-year-old up for adoption is similar to a newborn adoption, and Adoption Choices of Colorado can help you with the process. While most adoptions are newborn adoptions, our staff can still help you through the process. The process begins with getting into contact with the adoption agency and then working first-hand with a birth parent counselor, who will help you create an Colorado adoption plan. Afterward, you can then choose the adoptive family for your baby. The whole process is in your hands, and our staff will be there every step of the way, so you don’t feel alone.
- You Can Change Your Mind
One of the most daunting things about even considering adoption is a false notion that you have to finish it if you start the adoption process. In truth, you are in control of the adoption process, and at any moment you feel the need to stop, you can always do it. However, once the consent to adopt form, which relinquishes parental rights, is signed, you can no longer change your mind. As daunting as that may sound, Adoption Choices of Colorado will work with you closely and keep you informed at all times so that every decision you make will be confident.
Adoption Help is Available
Getting the help you need may be difficult because there are so many things to consider, such as Is the adoption agency licensed? Are they professional? Do they have experience? Fortunately, Adoption Choices of Colorado can proudly say “yes” to all of those questions. We are excited to help you on your adoption journey and hope that you will get into contact with us soon!
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: Victoria is a sophomore at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and she is currently a Literature, Media, and Communications major. She currently runs her own blog, where she shares her poetry and creative writing projects. When she is not working or studying for school, she is often reading or writing, as she seeks to pursue a career in writing.
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!