Finding Colorado Adoption Support as a Pregnant Woman Through the Holidays
My name is Maya, and I am currently 22 years old and a senior in medical school here in Colorado studying to become an OBGYN. Earlier this year, in February, I gave birth to my precious baby girl. When she was born, I cried and stared at her because of her beauty and grace. Plus, I knew she was going to change the world and become successful in life. That isn’t the only reason I cried. The other reason I cried is that I wouldn’t be raising her. The feeling has just dawned on me five minutes after giving birth and staring into her eyes. When I first found out I was pregnant, I was just a junior in college and struggled to make ends meet while paying for my tuition. Not to mention the father of my child, Tom, he and I were broken up at the time. We still sustained a friendly friendship and would hang out with each other as much as any time when we were together. Though I had no money, he came from a wealthy family and became a neurosurgeon in his senior year. When I told him, he was ecstatic and scared. He always wanted children, and during our four-year relationship, he talked about it frequently and started a family once we were well into our careers. But, he was scared to tell his family who I got along with, but I knew they probably wanted someone different for their son. While he smiled and cheered, I knew regardless of how excited he was. He would always listen to his family. Instead, I told him that I was going to terminate because I was a broke college student who had a small family. Not to mention I was close to grouting, and I didn’t want any distractions. Then I thought to myself, I can’t terminate this pregnancy because I love children, and I am studying to become a doctor that saves children and mothers. Instead, I looked up adoption in Colorado because that was my only other option besides raising the child as my own. At first, I was hesitant because adoption does have a stigma, and I was scared. I eventually came upon Adoption Choices of Colorado, a private adoption agency located in Colorado.
As an agency, they support local women in Colorado state and assist us during times of need. They even explained to Tom, who was against adoption, the Colorado adoption process and the right we have as birth parents. Eventually, Tom came around, but he wasn’t excited about the idea at all. Then the holidays came around New Year, which is supposed to be the most exciting day. It’s the first day of the new year, and you have so many plans ahead. I was alone and eight months pregnant with a girl. By that time, I did choose the adoption plan I wanted, which was open because I still wanted to have contact with my child after their birth. Not to mention I picked the adoptive parents of my baby, Tony, and May, who were amazing. I loved them from when I met them, and I knew my daughter would be safe. I could have spent time with them because they offered me to attend a party, but I wasn’t in the mood, plus I didn’t want to impose. My family didn’t support my decision to give up my baby for adoption, so they really did not speak to me much. Not to mention Tom was out of town with his parents and invited me, but based on the look his parents gave me, I knew they didn’t want me there. Part of me felt that they believed I became pregnant by their son on purpose. I did turn that down as well. I was alone and depressed in a way because I had no one, or so I thought. I found support in my adoption agency in Denver, which contacted me on the regular and gave me sources to birth mother communities. I learned at that moment you are never alone, and though I hadn’t had support from those I wanted most from, I was still happy to spend the new year with fellow people who understood my decisions more than anybody.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Can I seek out my adoption agency during the holidays for support?
Absolutely.
If you come to Adoption Choices of Colorado, you will not be disappointed and would love those around you. They are amazing and give you the best resources. They look at the birth mothers they assist as a family, which was amazing for me because I didn’t have much family. I felt like I gained a new set of family members who I wasn’t related to by blood but love. It reminds me a lot of a child being adopted by another family because they aren’t connected by blood but love each other anyway. Not to mention your Denver adoption won’t seize because of the holidays. In fact, it will still proceed. Never hesitate to contact your adoption agency as I did. The one thing they want birth mothers to resist is stress and loneliness.
Come to Adoption Choices of Colorado, and you will find communities as I did. I still have relationships with some birth mothers even after the birth of my baby. Welcoming in a new together can bring people pretty close together!
Will the adoptive parents of my unborn baby want to celebrate the upcoming holidays with me?
They might depend on the type of adoption form you picked and them as individuals. I chose open adoption, which allows me to stay in contact with the adoptive parents of my baby and have more rights as the birth parent. Not to mention I know a lot about them in regards to address, the last name, and more. Tony and May did want to spend time with me on the New Year, and I was surprised because, during my pregnancy, they treated me like family. They invited me to different events, attended doctor’s appointments, and even gave me the option of naming my baby girl. I chose against that because it should be their choice.
It is not a guarantee they will. If you have closed or semi-open adoption, there will never be any direct contact between yourself and the family.
If Facing an Unplanned Pregnant Come to Adoption Choices and You Will Find a Family
Adoption Choices of Colorado is a private agency that wants to build families and end adoption’s stigma. They assisted people like myself, who are now a senior and close to making my dreams come true. By choosing adoption, I gave my daughter a better life and myself time to grow. With a location in Denver, you can attend without an extended trip. In no transportation, they will come to you if need be. If you would like to contact Adoption Choices of Colorado, you can do so in multiple ways. You can text, call, or seek them through their portal. They will contact you as soon as possible!
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: Imani Agbionu is a recent graduate from George Mason University, earning her Bachelor of Science in Marketing. With a history in writing for her former university’s online publication, Her Campus, she aspires to become a successful journalist who can provide for herself and her family. She is from Washington, DC, where she has lived her whole life, but one day wants to move to experience and call another state home. Her mother is from Washington, DC, and her father is from Nigeria, part of the Igbo tribe. As an introvert, she loves streaming platforms, with her favorites being HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+. Unfortunately, she can’t pick one due to all playing a vital role in her life on a daily basis. She enjoys reading, with her favorite book being The Shining by Stephen King, which she sees as unusual since she is a fearful person that avoids horror at all costs. Listening to music is a vital mechanism that helps her stay calm and deal with her anxiety at times. As an inspiring Journalist, she likes to write about a plethora of topics that some may look at as controversial, but she believes in staying true to herself. She doesn’t mind having conversations with people as long as opinions are being respected.
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!