Anxiety, Pregnant, and Choosing Adoption
An unplanned pregnancy is one of life’s most disruptive surprises, regardless of your age or situation. As you consider your unplanned pregnancy options, you might be searching for a sign. Anything that screams, “Yes, adoption is right for you!” Unfortunately, you probably won’t get that big, flashing, clear sign. Your situation is unique and honestly, only you can know what is best for you and only can decide what’s best for your unborn baby. Fortunately, there are little signs that might help you with choosing to place your baby for adoption.
If any of these signs resonate with you, and you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
The financial pressure of pregnancy is overwhelming
Finances can cause such strong anxiety that it has become a common cause for declining mental health. This stress is only compounded by an unplanned pregnancy, which creates new financial demands. If you’re going to spend your entire pregnancy filled with anxiety and how you will afford to raise a child, adoption might be the right decision. With our Colorado adoption agency, pregnant women who decide to put their baby up for adoption with an adoption plan receive financial assistance for pregnancy-related expenses. This covers medical bills, legal bills, living and transportation costs, and supportive counseling.
You have mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, addiction)
If you have experienced or are currently experiencing a mental health problem you may be considering adoption. Maybe you have chronic anxiety, depression, or a substance addiction and don’t feel ready or capable of having a baby. There is no reason to feel ashamed nor guilty. Some women who have been diagnosed with bi-polar, schizophrenia, or other mood disorders have made the decision to put their baby up for adoption. Mental health problems are not a reason to or not to choose adoption. We have a staff of licensed counselors prepared to navigate your mental health history and help you make a decision that you feel confident and comfortable with.
You do want to parent or you are not ready to be a parent
Beyond pregnancy, there’s a whole life of parenting ahead. What does your gut instinct tell you when you think about that? It’s normal to be nervous. But if you go beyond nervous and into all-out fear, then your body/heart/mind is trying to tell you something. It may not be time for you to be a parent. And that’s okay! There is no shame in not wanting to be a parent or not being ready to be a parent. Many birth mothers go on to have families later in life even after choosing adoption. And some others place a 2nd and even 3rd child for adoption. If it’s not the right time, if it’s never the right time, this is your right. You can choose adoption and create a new opportunity for yourself, for an adoptive family, and for your child.
The birth father is unknown or unsupportive
Being in a supportive relationship does make an impact on parenting. A reliable partner can provide support, encouragement, love, and assistance through your pregnancy and obviously, into parenthood. If the father of the baby is unknown or doesn’t want to be involved in parenting, especially if you are not interested in being a single mother, adoption might be a good choice for you. We can help you with all the details of finding out who the birth father is and/or contacting an unsupportive birth father to gain consent and parental relinquishment.
You want a better life for your baby that you are unable to provide
You’ll read it a dozen times over, “give up baby for adoption“. Adoption is not giving up. Adoption is giving a chance, giving life, giving love… but never giving up. Women who choose adoption choose adoption because they love their baby and want to give them what they feel is best. It’s honestly brave and quite self-less. And with open adoption in modern-day adoptions, a relationship can even be built with the adoptive family and your child. Often, seeing firsthand your child thrive in life make a positive impact in knowing you made the right decision.
Choosing a Colorado Adoption Agency
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado. 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.
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!