Questions Birth Parents May Have When Considering Adoption
By Manuel Serritos
Your pregnancy should be a time that should be as stress-free as possible. For your own good and for that of the baby, having as little stress as possible is beneficial. If you are considering adoption for your child, know you have support. Adoption Choices of Colorado is there to support you all the way through your pregnancy and even after. Although adoption is a process you might have many questions about, we are here to provide answers.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
A Few Questions Birth Parents May Have During an Adoption
Initial Questions When Choosing Adoption
If considering how to put a child up for adoption or adoption agencies in Colorado, you will have questions. These questions may come up because adoption can seem like an intimidating process at first. One initial question you could have may be, “is adoption the right choice for both my baby and me?” If you are going through an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, you may not be ready to raise a child. When considering adoption in this case, please know this decision is an act of love for your baby. Through adoption, your baby will be provided with a loving and supportive family. Adoption can be the start of a journey for both you and your child.
“How much is the adoption process going to cost me?” The cost of pregnancy and raising a child can get very expensive quickly. Raising a child is a cost you might not be ready for at this stage in your life. Knowing you are not ready for this just yet is more than acceptable. You may need to focus on bettering yourself by finishing school or furthering your career at this time. Adding taking care of a child at this time may not be the most ideal situation. With Adoption Choices of Colorado, we are here to provide you with financial assistance during your pregnancy. Some of the assistance we provide includes food, rent, medical care, transportation, and phone coverage. Delivering a child can be an expensive process, but we are there to assist you every step of the way.
Adoption Process Questions
“Do I have choices for the type of adoption that works best for my family and me?” Private adoption in Colorado is a process that gives you the birth parents’ agency. When considering an adoption plan, know that you choose the exact type of process you are most comfortable with. If you want to have a relationship with your child and adopted family, open adoption is an option. With this form of adoption, you will have contact with your child and their new family for a set period of time. The type of communication and length of the open adoption can vary depending on the agreements made prior. This communication can range from scheduled meetings with the adopted family to phone calls and emails.
“I’m not sure if I’ll be ready or comfortable to see my baby after delivery?” If you have doubts about seeing your child once they are born, we offer semi-closed and closed adoptions. These forms of adoption will help create space between you and your child. This might be a good option for some birth parents as it may be difficult to see your child after delivery. The only information the adopted family will receive about you is basic medical history. They will not receive any other information. Semi-closed and closed adoptions can help provide a new beginning for all families involved.
“Can I choose the family my baby is adopted by?” Choosing a family for your baby is an essential decision that is in your control. As long as you want to make the decision., you will get to screen the families for your child. This screening process will show you profiles of carefully selected families ready to welcome a baby into their lives.
Further Questions Birth Parents May Have About the Adoption Process
“How will I be supported after delivery?” Care provided by Adoption Choices of Colorado is not limited to only during pregnancy. Further assistance may be provided depending on your financial situation and the type of care discussed with the case counselor. In addition to this, I will receive counseling and post-placement support when choosing adoption. Putting up your child for adoption is not easy, but you have a support system in us.
“If I have recently given birth, can I still place my baby for adoption?” Even if you have recently given birth, adoption is still an option. Parenting is a journey you might not be ready for yet. If that is the case, you can still consider an adoption plan to find your baby a loving family. While an adoption agency in Denver might provide certain conveniences, Adoption Choices of Colorado goes above and beyond for your care. No matter what the stage of your pregnancy, our knowledgeable team will help you with any questions you may have.
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!