How Adoption can Change Your Life as a Birth Mother in Colorado
Learning you’re pregnant is a scary thing, whether it’s a planned or unplanned pregnancy. Your whole life changes the instant you see the positive pregnancy test in your hands. You start thinking about what you’re going to do next and it can be a difficult decision. Is adoption the best option for you? What are the benefits of adoption for a birth mother? Being a birth mother may be a new experience and we want to help in any way we can.
Adoption can change your life in more ways than you think. Many pregnant women like you have found that putting a baby up for adoption will not only relieve you of the pressure of raising a child, but also allow you to grow a new relationship from it. You can have a new beginning, while you watch your child thrive and grow without you having to parent him or her. There are multiple options on what you can choose that is best for you and your child.
It’s Okay if You’re not Ready for a Baby Right Now
When an unexpected pregnancy occurs, it can be overwhelming. You might not be ready for this big pressure in your life yet or ever. You could be in the beginning of your dream career or in the middle of financial pressure. Especially now, during this global pandemic, finances might be tight and it might not be the best time to raise a child. Whatever you are going through, adoption can relieve these pressures for you.
If you find out that you are unexpectedly pregnant, adoption can make you feel not so stressed. You might have a support team by your side — that being the birth father or other family members — but not having the birth father around, especially, can put even more pressure on you. To get that weight off your shoulders, there are many options for adoption. You don’t have to be a single mother, if you don’t want to. You don’t have to be a mother in general right now — or ever — if you don’t want to.
You can Stay in Your Baby’s Life without Being the Parent
You don’t have to give up your life, your career or your goals just because you are pregnant and going to be a birth mother. You might be asking yourself: Will I still be able to know how my baby is after they are adopted? Will I be able to witness their first steps and know what their first word is? When a baby is growing in your own body for nine months, most birth mothers become attached, whether or not they want to or not. It’s natural. The baby was a part of your life for almost a year, and it might be hard to place your baby up for adoption. But, at the same time, it still might be the best option for you. You might wish to know how your baby is even after the adoption process.
There are three different types of adoption: open, semi-open, and closed. You have the choice to stay in your child’s life without having to be the parent raising them, or you can always choose to not be involved in their life at all and start yours over. Open or semi-open adoptions might be the best option for you if you want to stay in your baby’s life.
Through open and semi-open adoptions, you will be able to have communication with the adoptive parents and your child. The communication can be as limited as you want. You will not get any unwanted contact you do not wish for. You can be there for your child’s life, whether that be just the beginning or the entirety of it. This can be through pictures, videos, phone calls or letters directly from the adoptive parents. You can also visit the adoptive family and create even more unique bonds together with both your child and the adoptive family.
Having this information about options of how you want the adoption process to be will help you be able to decide what’s best for you. You might just be in a hard time in your life and not have the ability to raise a child right now, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to still be in their life. That’s why there’s options for birth mothers who have different preferences when it comes to the adoption process.
Healing and Starting Over after Adoption
Pregnancy can be a traumatic experience for some, especially when it’s unplanned. Choosing adoption and letting go can be a great way to heal for you. It’s your choice on what you want to do, and we have many adoption specialists here at Adoption Choices of Colorado who will help you find the best fit for you and your child.
Choosing adoption can allow you to start new and start your life again. Although many say children are a blessing, you may not be in the best place in your life to agree and that’s okay. You can change your mind as many times as you want about what you want to do before the adoption is finalized. It’s all up to you and what you think is best.
Adoption can Change Your Life for the Better
The sky’s the limit when it comes to adoption choices, and it’s all up to you. You get to decide what’s best for you and your child when the time comes, no matter the reason. We want you to have the life that you want. Adoption can change your life for the better, and you will have a strong support team by your side through the whole adoption process. You can go at your own pace through it all.
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: Molly Allington is an aspiring author born and raised in Syracuse, New York. When she’s not watching her latest Netflix obsession, you can find her nose deep in a book or in her writing. She has been writing books since she was twelve and is in the process of trying to get her finished books published. Molly has a BA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. With her writing, she is hoping to share supportive information and help as many people as possible. Once she starts her own family, she is wanting to adopt.
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!