Self-Care Tips for Colorado Birth Mothers Navigating Adoption During the Month of May
By Kelly Paczkowski
Creating an adoption plan can be difficult. It is not only emotionally draining but can begin to take its toll on you physically. Many birth mothers focus on their baby being taken care of, but what about the birth mother? Of course, the baby’s well-being is important, but so is yours. It is easy to focus on your baby, but you cannot forget about your physical, mental, and emotional state. The healthier you are, the healthier your baby will be. You may have already contacted an Adoption Agency in Colorado and have decided on your adoption plan, or you may just have started the process. It is okay to think about your health wherever you are in your Denver adoption journey. Here are some self-care tips for Colorado birth mothers that any birth mother can follow.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Live a Healthy Lifestyle During Your Pregnancy
- Eat a proper diet of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains
- Exercising can help reduce stress – take a walk or even a yoga class
- Take prenatal vitamins
- Listen to your doctor
Bonus that being fit can also help with labor and delivery.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Make sure you are getting enough shut-eye. Proper sleep can make a world of difference. It regulates mood, but your body also needs proper sleep to rejuvenate. Plus, when you sleep well, you wake up feeling well. It can help set the mood for the entire day.
Practice Self-Care Throughout the Adoption Process
Self-care is when you do something for yourself. Something that makes you feel good and relaxes you.
- Take a Bath: Nothing seems more relaxing than sitting in a nice warm bubble bath. While it might not be the answer to all your problems, it can help you to relieve muscle aches and help with circulation within the body.
- Read a Book: Still have that book you never got to finish, or look at a newly published work from your favorite author. Reading a book can help reduce blood pressure and heart rate. It might be the perfect distraction you need.
- Spend Time With Friends: Being able to do an activity that you enjoy with people you love can help you to let go of the stresses that can overwhelm you. Going out to dinner or shopping at the mall can help nourish your emotional health and is good for your soul.
- Watch Your Favorite Show: Make yourself cozy and put on your favorite show. Watching a show that brings you joy could just be the type of comfort you may need. Don’t forget the popcorn to watch a good comedy or get that movie on pay-per-view that you have wanted to see.
Find Adoption Support
The best way to feel supported is to find people who support you. Friends and family can be great resources, but they aren’t the only resource. A religious leader or another birth mother can also be a source of comfort in the CO Adoption process. Find someone you can talk to and who will listen.
Express Yourself
Keep a journal or find a hobby. Maybe you were thinking of taking up drawing and painting, or maybe even knitting. All can be therapeutic for you to get out any feelings you may have. This might just be the way for you to relieve the emotions you might be feeling during pregnancy. It can be a great way to convey the feelings you did not even know you had.
Give Yourself A Break, Adoption is Not a Sprint, it’s a Marathon
Coming up with an adoption plan can be hard. The private adoption process in Colorado can be difficult to navigate and stir up an array of emotions. Many birth mothers can have feelings of guilt or anger over their unplanned pregnancy, and that is okay. Everyone can take the adoption process differently, and every journey is not the same. Remember to go easy on yourself and be kind.
You may need to talk to an adoption representative about finding counseling or a support group. Finding others that have gone through the same thing you are can build connections and, who knows, maybe friendship. Finding resources or receiving counseling can help you then begin to heal.
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!