Benefits Of An Open Adoption
Unplanned pregnancies can be incredibly stressful for women. Making a decision about what to do after learning of an unplanned pregnancy is often very difficult. There are many women who decide that giving her baby up for adoption is the best option. If you are pregnant and have decided to put your baby up for adoption, you will need to decide if you want to proceed with an open adoption or a closed adoption. With a closed adoption, the birth mother does not have any contact with the child or his parents after the adoption is finalized. An open adoption allows for the birth mother to communicate with the adoptive parents and the child, based on an agreed-upon plan. Some of the benefits of choosing an open adoption include:
Peace of Mind for the Birth Mother
A woman may know that giving her baby up for adoption is the best decision to make, but that doesn't mean that it isn't incredibly hard to hand over the baby and sign all of the legal paperwork after giving birth. With an open adoption, a birth mother will know that she will not hand over her newborn to his or her adoptive parents and never see or hear from him again. An open adoption will allow the birth mother to receive updates and photos over the years. In some cases of open adoption, the birth mother is able to see the child in person. For many birth mothers, an open adoption provides peace of mind.
Understanding of the Child's Family History
Adoption is a beautiful thing, but closed adoptions can come with some challenges. For example, when all communication is halted after the adoption is finalized, the adoptive parents may have no way to learn important family history information, such as any medical conditions that the child may be at risk for due. Additionally, it is not uncommon for a child to want to learn more about their background as they grow older. When there is an open adoption, the birth mother can provide any information that the adoptive parents may need about their child's family history.
Children Will Have a Connection to Their Biological Family
Most children who are adopted grow up with great adoptive parents who love them and do everything possible to raise them well. But, that doesn't mean that adopted children don't wonder about their birth parents and biological family. In the event of a closed adoption, adopted children typically can't gain access to their adoption records until they are adults, and if they want to find their birth parents, it can be very hard to find them. An open adoption gives a child a chance to learn about his or her biological family if he or she is interested. Reach out for help if you have asked, "how can I give my baby up for adoption".