Parenting Choices
Explore your options -
You have the legal right to choose the outcome of your pregnancy. Real empowerment comes when you find the strength and resources necessary to make your best choice.
Parenting
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Choosing to continue your pregnancy and to parent may feel overwhelming at first. The good news is that there are a lot of resources designed to specifically help people in your situation.
Life Choices is ready to connect you with these initial important resources such as: prenatal care, childbirth preparation classes, parenting classes, infant supplies and more to help you be successful in your choice to carry. Many women and men find the help they need to make this choice a positive one.
Choose a location near you and make an appointment to learn more.
Adoption
Considering adoption? Chances are you have heard that adoption means you will never see your baby again. Times have changed and so has adoption.
Developing an adoption plan empowers you to create a positive future for yourself and your child. Adoption may not be the first thought in your mind if you face an unplanned pregnancy. However, you might be pleased to learn that you can select the parents who will raise your child and that you can have some level of ongoing relationship with your child, if you wish.
With adoption you have the lifelong satisfaction of knowing that you gave your child the chance for a life of his or her own.
Research has shown that pregnant teens and women who make an adoption plan are more likely to finish schooling, have better jobs and overall report a high level of satisfaction with their decision for adoption.
Each year thousands of women in America make this choice. This loving decision is often made by women who first thought abortion was their only way out.
- Myths & Facts about Adoption
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- You decide your baby’s future
- You can select the parents
- You are always in control of your decision
- You can choose to remain involved in your baby’s life or you can not be involved
Let us help you sort through the information you need to make the right decision about your baby.
Here are some MYTHS and FACTS to consider:
MYTH: Birth parents who care about their child would never consider adoption.
FACT: Birth parents who make adoption plans are really loving and caring people.MYTH: A birth parent will never know anything about her child and his or her adoptive parents in the following years.
FACT: As a birth parent, you can help to develop an adoption plan that has the level of openness you want to have.MYTH: Adoption is an irresponsible solution to an unplanned pregnancy
FACT: Just because you got pregnant doesn’t mean you are ready to be a parent. It takes courage to place the needs of your child ahead of your own.MYTH: A birth parent will eventually forget about the child she/he relinquished for adoption.
FACT: If you make an adoption plan for your child, you will never forget and will never want to forget your child.MYTH: All adopted children will grow up to have serious psychological problems.
FACT: When children are placed with adoptive families who are knowledgable and sensitive, with the agency continuing to support them, the risk of psychological problems is no greater for adopted children than for biological children.MYTH: A child does not really need a father.
FACT: Two-parent families where fathers take their responsibilities seriously and parents support each other are important for a healthy childhood.MYTH: No one can love a child as much as the birth mother can.
FACT: Adoptive parents can love their children as fully and selflessly as biological parents, as much as if they had given birth to them. - Questions to Ask When Choosing an Adoption Agency
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- Is the agency licensed according to your local state laws?
- Does the agency counsel about all options – single parenting, marriage and adoption?
- Does the agency require thorough and careful screening, education and family assessment (home study) of prospective adoptive parents and families before a child is placed in the home?
- Do you have separate counselors for birth parents and prospective parents? It is good to have an agency representative advocating for and representing what is in the best interest for each party.
- Is both pre-release and post-release counseling provided for the birth parent(s) and adoptive parents?
- If I incur expenses related to my pregnancy that I need help to cover, does the agency provide that help?
- What types of adoption does the agency handle? Click here for a comparison list.
Usually a caseworker from an adoption agency will come to where you are. You shouldn’t need to travel to their location if it is too far away.
Visit the links to the right to view two Adoption Agencies that we recommend.
Contact one of our three center locations if you would like us to help you in your search for an Adoption Agency. - Facts about Adoption
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Adoption commonly leaves all three parties – child, birth mother and adoptive parents, with far richer possibilities for the future.
- You may talk to an Adoption Agency under no obligation
- Legal rights to your child as her parent will not be signed over before the birth of your baby
- Prospective adoptive parents must be properly approved before they are eligible to adopt your baby
- Home supervision is conducted for months following adoption to insure that your baby is being well cared for. Adoption becomes final after the period of supervision is satisfactorily completed.
- Should there be a reason the adoptive parents are not able to provide good parenting for your child, the child would be placed with another adoptive couple.
- Adoption Plans
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Many types of adoption plans are available.
- OPEN ADOPTION: A plan where there is open sharing of identifying information about birth parents and adoptive families. There is continued contact after placement of the baby.
- MEDIATED OPEN ADOPTION: Planned communication, spelled out in a written agreement, takes place between birth and adoptive parents while the child is growing up. The agreement is mediated by someone who understands the range of possibilities and is sensitive to the issues for both sides.
- SEMI-OPEN ADOPTION: Birth and adoptive families stay in contact by means of an intermediary as opposed to direct contact. They may or may not have exchanged identifying information.
- INDEPENDENT ADOPTION: These are carried out without counseling provided for anyone. The child is simply placed with the adoptive couple.
- CLOSED OR TRADITIONAL ADOPTION: With this plan, the birth parents and adoptive parents do not meet, do not share identifying information and do not keep in contact.
- DESIGNATED, PARENT INITIATED, or PRIVATELY ARRANGED ADOPTION: Adoptive parents locate a pregnant woman who is considering adoption for her child.
- We hope this information has helped you understand your role if you choose adoption for your baby. You can choose the type of adoption and remain in control throughout the process.
- We have client advocates who will help you with information and to put you in contact with the area's adoption agencies. Choose a location near you and we will help you get answers.
- If you would like to investigate adoption agencies on your own, check out "Questions to Ask When Choosing an Adoption Agency".
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