The CO Adoption Process from a Birth Mother’s Perspective
You’ve just made the hardest decision of your life. Choosing to put your baby up for adoption did not come easy. But knowing that he or she will soon be in the arms of a loving and capable family offers reassurance. Still, your mind is running a mile a minute. What’s next? What does the adoption process look like? Do I have to find an adoptive family myself? How can I make sure that my baby is taken care of?
First of all, take a deep breath. Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to alleviate your worries. At our agency, we’ll answer any and all of your questions, starting with: What does the adoption process look like for a birth mother?
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
How Do I Start My Colorado Adoption Process?
Starting your adoption journey is a unique process! From the level of openness you wish to have with the adoptive family and your child to what you look for in a prospective adoptive family—every decision is yours and should be made with care. Here’s what you can expect when starting your adoption process:
- Choose an adoption agency.
- Meet with an adoption specialist.
- Choose your level of openness.
- Choose an adoptive family.
- Create a birth plan.
- Consent to adoption.
- Utilize ongoing support provided by your chosen agency.
Adoption Agencies Near Me
Choosing an adoption agency is step one! It’s also the most important step. After all, placing your baby in the hands of a loving family is of the utmost importance to you. So, you’re going to want to trust the adoption professionals you speak with on a daily basis. The best way to do this is by reaching out to local agencies and asking questions! Make sure their values align with yours. Do they share religious values? Do they place an importance on you making every decision along the way? Do they offer post-placement support? Do they seem trustworthy and empathetic? In the end, choose an agency that puts you first.
What level of openness in adoption should I choose?
The answer to this question is one hundred percent up to you. Do you want contact with your child and his or her family post-adoption? Consider open adoption! The level of openness is decided and agreed upon by you and your child’s adoptive parents, allowing you to more easily contact your child and maintain a healthy relationship. Do you want zero contact post-adoption with a promise of non-identifying information? Closed adoption is always an option. No personal information is shared in this type of adoption.
Do neither of these options sound appealing? A happy medium is semi-open adoption! This type of adoption allows for communication while also maintaining some semblance of privacy. In fact, the address and last of both parties are never disclosed unless otherwise agreed upon.
How do I choose an adoptive family?
Upon delving further into the adoption world, you may begin to wonder what types of people choose the adoption options in Denver, CO when trying to grow their families. The answer is simple!
Adoptive parents come from all walks of life: older and younger couples, same-sex couples, single parents, families with other biological children, interracial and transracial families, and religious and non-religious families. Anyone who wants to grow their family and has been deemed a fit parent by a professional can adopt. At our agency, we match you with hopeful adoptive parent(s), and, as always, you have the ultimate say. Nobody but you should be able to choose your child’s future adoptive parents!
How do I create a birth plan?
Don’t fret! Your birth plan can be as simple as a list or document detailing what you do or do not want during your hospital stay. Creating one before you go into labor helps you prepare mentally for the process. It also allows your adoption professionals and adoptive parents to understand exactly what you want your stay and delivery to look like.
The Adoption Process for a Birth Mother in Colorado
As you know by now, the CO adoption process is anything but easygoing. In fact, there are a lot of decisions you will have to make along the way. But if adoption is what feels right for you and your child, you can tackle each hurdle with undulating perseverance. You can make every decision with one motivation in mind—the love you have for your unborn child.
And if you falter along the way, Adoption Choices of Colorado will be there to pick you right.
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.
About the Author: Patience Bramlett, a University of Southern Mississippi news-editorial graduate, is a seasoned and award-winning freelance writer. She is also a passionate reader, whose only wish is to live life without fear of the unknown. Her motivation and inspiration to live her best life stems from the words of John Lennon:
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
When Patience is not exploring Colorado with her husband, she’s drinking coffee, forever figuring out how to tame her hair, growing her library, and trying to break into the publishing career.
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!