7 Ways Birth Mothers Can Celebrate National Adoption Month November is a time of swapping out those jack-o-lanterns and spiders in the front lawn for cornucopias and turkeys (or Christmas lights if you just can’t wait for December). It’s also an important time for the adoption community as it marks National Adoption Month. During this time, we place special attention on raising awareness for all the children in need of a home and honor all those involved in the adoption process. For birth mothers, National Adoption Month is a wonderful time to nurture solidarity and community with each other. This is very important, especially for those who may be confronting feelings of pain and grief. For expectant mothers who find themselves struggling during the holidays, the timing of National Adoption…
Why I Chose Adoption for My Child: Stacy’s Story as a Birth Mother
Why I Chose Adoption for My Child: Stacy’s Story as a Birth Mother in Kansas If you are familiar with our adoption center in Kansas and Missouri, you know that every birth mother has their own story. That they have their own reasons and motivations behind placing their baby for adoption. This is part of why each and every adoption process is as unique as the birth mother behind the wheel. No two birth mothers are alike, yet they all share one thing in common -- their decision to give their child a better life through the miracle of adoption. Stacy is no exception. Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri had the honor of interviewing Stacy, a happily married birth mother with two kids in Michigan, and learning the reasons behind…
The Symbol of Adoption: The Adoption Triad
The Symbol of Adoption: The Adoption Triad Adoption is a very complex process. That is no surprise. There is much involved. However, in essence, adoption surrounds three essential groups of people: the birth parents, the adoptive parents, and the adoptee. They form what’s become known as “the adoption triad.” Definition of Adoption Terms Otherwise known as “the adoption triangle,” the adoption triad describes the connections an adoptee has to their biological and adoptive families. Think of it as an adoptee’s “extended family,” if you will. The term, “adoption circle” has also been used to explain this concept. The actual symbol is represented by a triangle intertwined with a heart. The adoptee occupies the topmost point, while the birth parents and adoptive parents take up the bottom two points. As a…
Considering Adoption (Again) as a Birth Mother in Kansas and Missouri: Placing another Child for Adoption
Considering Adoption (Again) as a Birth Mother in Kansas: Placing another Child for Adoption Confronting another unexpected pregnancy after previously placing a child for adoption can be shocking, and even painful, if you’re not ready to be a mom. Initially, finding out you’re pregnant for a second (or third) time might feel surreal since you couldn’t imagine this would happen again. However, once the reality of the situation sets in, you might feel overwhelmed by intense feelings of fear, shame, isolation, or guilt. You might start worrying about your future, how others will treat you, or your child’s well-being. Even if you found closure and new beginnings following your last adoption journey, life didn’t go as planned because life is messy. In your moment of crisis, know that Adoption Choices of…
A Birth Mother’s Guide to Her Last Minute Adoption in Kansas and Missouri
A Birth Mother’s Guide to Her Last Minute Adoption in Kansas and Missouri During the last nine months, you decided to carry out your pregnancy, unplanned or planned, and accepted taking on the role of being a mother. But when the day of your child’s delivery finally comes and you begin to go into labor, reality hits hard. You come to an uncomfortable and overwhelming realization: you’re not ready to be a mom. Maybe you’ve recently found yourself falling on hard economic times, and you know you will not have the sufficient means to provide for your child. Perhaps you face an abusive or toxic environment at home, and you can’t imagine putting the safety of your child at risk. You could have been recently recovering from physical or mental…
Creating an Adoption Plan as a Birth Mother in Kansas and Missouri
Creating an Adoption Planas a Birth Mother in Kansas and Missouri When preparing to give birth, there are so many things you realize you need to prepare for. Whether you will be raising your child or placing him or her for adoption, a plan of action on how you would like things to be is always best. If you’ve chosen adoption for your child, this would include creating an adoption plan. As a birth mother in Kansas, you may be wondering what your options are and what kind of adoption plan is right for you. You’ve come to the right place! Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri is here to give you a better understanding of what an adoption plan is and what all it should cover regarding your adoption…
Three Tips and Pieces of Advice for Single Adoptive Dads
Three Tips and Pieces of Advice for Single Adoptive Dads Just like with birth mothers, the adoption process for a single dadcan be challenging. Perhaps you do not know what it’s like being a father, but you have a general idea. Maybe you want to be a dad, but could fear judgement from others. Maybe you are considering fatherhood, but you feel like you are at a disadvantage, because you do not know what it means to physically be pregnant. However, we are here to tell you that single dads can be just as great parents as single moms and adoptive parents. Whatever the case may be, we want you to know that being a single, successful adoptive father is possible and well worth it. Today, we have three tips…
Top 5 Questions to Ask LGBT Adoptive Parentsas a Birth Mother
Top 5 Questions to Ask LGBT Adoptive Parentsas a Birth Mother Other than making the choice to place your child for adoption in Kansas or Missouri, the biggest decision you will make in your adoption journey is choosing the adoptive family to raise your child. Even though the weight of this decision may feel overwhelming, it can also be comforting to know that your child’s potential adoptive parents are on their own adoption journey as well. This knowledge can make it easier to approach the adoption process as a team so you feel less alone. Working as a team with the adoptive parents requires open and honest communication. After you’ve selected your child’s adoptive parents, it’s important to voice your expectations and needs to ensure that the potential parents are…
What is National Adoption Month and Why is it Important?
What is National Adoption Month and Why is it Important? The month of November is home to many events. The end of fall, Thanksgiving, and National Adoption Month. Of all of these events, National Adoption Month probably isn’t the first thing you think about. Perhaps you weren’t even aware that there wasa National Adoption month, let alone that it was in November. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri is here to help inform you about the wonder of National Adoption Month and why it’s so important to both know about and celebrate. Let’s start with what exactly this theme of November is all about and where it began. What is National Adoption Month? It all started in 1976. Massachusetts’ Mike Dukakis, who was…
Give Up My Baby for Adoption vs. Place My Baby For Adoption: The Importance of Positive Adoption Language for Birth Mothers
Give Up My Baby for Adoption vs. Place My Baby For Adoption: The Importance of Positive Adoption Language for Birth Mothers If you are a birth mother experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and are researching adoption for your child, you may have come across the terms “give up my baby for adoption” and “place my baby for adoption.” Both of these terms are commonly used in the adoption industry and are often used interchangeably. However, these individual phrases relay two very different messages about adoption and the choice you are making -- one positive and the other negative. At Adoption Choices of Missouri, we believe that you should never feel shameful or guilty for placing your child for adoption. That you should never feel as though you need to hide your…