The Difference between Infant Adoption and Newborn Adoption in Colorado
As a birth mother, you may be wondering about when you should reach out to adoption agencies in your process. Adoption Choices of Colorado provides birth mothers with services both during and after pregnancy, offering both infant and newborn adoptions. The difference between infant and newborn adoption is simply the timeframe in which they occur. Newborn adoption includes all adoption plans for unborn or just-born children while infant adoption includes all adoptions ages 1-12 months.
What is Infant Adoption?
Infant adoption involves placing your baby for adoption between 1 month and 1 year of age. These adoptions allow you to have some time to be with your baby and feel out what the best choice is for you personally without having to commit to placing your child before even giving birth. Some birth mothers find it deeply reassuring to still have the option of adoption available during this time, so they can decide for themselves what is truly in their and their child’s best interest.
If you currently have an infant or are close to having your baby, please know that Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to support you in deciding whether infant adoption is right for you. We offer free counseling to birth mothers and their supports to help navigate all the thoughts and emotions that come up for you in this discerning process. It can be incredibly beneficial to make use of this year time frame in order to get really clear on your decision.
What is Newborn Adoption?
Newborn adoption is the term used for all adoption plans for unborn or just-born children. These plans allow you to take advantage of your time in pregnancy to choose an adoptive family for your child that you feel is the best fit, and to create a plan that fits your needs. It can be really reassuring to be working on the adoptive process while pregnant.
Newborn adoption allows for a sense of reassurance and comfort knowing that your child will be immediately well taken care of and that all your decisions have been made. Having a plan in place before birth can allow you to feel more confident in navigating the stresses of childbirth and recuperating. It also gives you time post birth to take the time and space you need to grieve and begin the healing process.
The Difference between Infant Adoption and Newborn Adoption
While there are pros and cons to both infant adoption and newborn adoption, the important thing is to remember that the timeframe in which you choose to pursue adoption is entirely up to you. If you have already given birth, or desire to have time feeling out what it’s like to care for your child and make your decision around adoption after the 1-12 months, then infant adoption may be the perfect choice for you. However, if you would feel more secure knowing you already have a written and agreed upon adoption plan for your child before giving birth, newborn adoption is a better choice for you.
Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to help you in whatever route you choose. We offer free counseling services and case management to help you choose your child’s adoptive parents and create your ideal adoption plan. Contact us today to talk more with one of our providers about how we can assist you with your infant or newborn adoption.
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: Kara Bringewatt is an English major and psychology minor at Queens University of Charlotte. She plans to get her masters in social work and work at a nonprofit as a case manager for at-risk youth. She loves using writing as a means of creating community and bringing attention to causes she’s passionate about.
Kara is particularly interested in educational and mental health interventions for young people in foster care. She’s worked as a tutor, professional caregiver, preschool teacher and acting instructor, and loves being able to utilize her wide range of passions to support young people and plans on being a foster and adoptive parent.
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!