Life is full of difficult choices. There are several different reasons that a woman would decide to place her child for adoption. Who are these women? Making the decision to place your child for adoption is a difficult one to master. You are not alone. Countless women just like you have made the choice in the past, and more will make it in the future.
Because of all the myths about birth mothers out there, Adoption Choices of Oklahoma wants to further define who the women are by making the hard decision of adoption for you and show you who are, have been and will be in your shoes.
Young Women
At age sixteen, you call your best friend in a panic. She takes you to the store and you get the dreaded item — a pregnancy test. After a stressful time in the bathroom, you see your results. Positive. You are pregnant. It’s your junior year of high school. You are worried. How can this be happening? At first, you believe that this is the end of every plan you made and that your dreams for the future are slipping out of reach. Others encourage you, telling you that this is not the case. You have options, one of them being adoption.
About three in ten American teen girls get pregnant every year. Pregnancy at a young age can be scary — parenting is a huge responsibility, after all — but it is still possible. There are many factors to consider, though. Your current family and financial situation, for example. Or, if you are a student and want to continue school, you will need to weigh your realistic options. Who will take care of your child? How will you get enough money to afford taking care of a baby?
Adoption becomes a viable option for young mothers who want the best for their child. If this is a similar situation to yours, Adoption Choices of Oklahoma wants to help you make the hard decision of adoption to ensure your child’s future care.
Career
You are in your late twenties, early thirties and your career is finally taking off. The job opportunity you have been waiting/working for has placed itself into your path and you’re qualified.Then it happens. A positive pregnancy test. Everything you have worked for seems to be slipping from your grasp. Does everything have to change?
Entering into a career is a hard transition in life. Many people work their whole lives to get to a place where they feel content with the job that they spend most of their energy in. When a career goal or opportunity is reached, changing that routine can be challenging. Many women in this position struggle to leave after they have reached such a goal. Pregnancy may end up seeming like a dent in the plan. Raising a child is hard work and takes a lot of time and energy. While it is possible to do both, it may not be the ideal situation for some women and many end up having to choose one over the other.
If this sounds like you, and you want to make the hard decision of adoption, Adoption Choices of Oklahoma wants to encourage you to seek out options that align with your lifestyle and what is important to you.
Motherhood
All your life, your friends and siblings have dreamed of having babies and starting a family. This dream was never one that you had. Yet, all the sudden, it’s a reality that has found you. You are pregnant. Children never seemed like part of your future. Now, you are not so sure.
Motherhood isn’t something that all women desire. It is a perfectly adequate response to say, “I don’t want children” when this is questioned or brought up in conversation. Being faced with an unplanned pregnancy when this is something you didn’t see for your future can be shocking. Through making the hard decision of adoption, Adoption Choices of Oklahoma wants to help ensure that you are keeping the future that you want for yourself.
Relationships
Your long-term relationship isn’t in the healthiest of places. You both have threatened ending it. Then you find out — you’re pregnant. Another wild card on top of everything else. Now what? You might experience feeling stuck, misplaced, overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.
Every relationship has its ups and downs. Pregnancy and the possibility of parenthood during a rough patch only adds to the stress. More pain erupts. You now wonder if leaving is the best decision for the child — even if you are in an unhealthy situation. We understand. We want to provide you with an option that can help ease your stress and hardship during this time..
The Hard Decision to Adopt
Pregnancy is scary — especially when it’s unplanned. Being unsure how to handle everything is understandable and can be stressful.
Adoption Choices of Oklahoma values your choice. Deciding what is best for you is hard enough. The addition of a baby can make everything else harder to grasp. We want to make the option of adoption easier for you to explore. Remember that other women have gone through the same experiences or have been in your position. You are not alone. Deep breath, and let’s get started. A hard decision of adoption may be in your future; but ultimately, it’s your choice.
Adoption Choices of Oklahoma
Adoption Choices of Oklahoma is a private adoption agency, licensed by the state of Oklahoma and leader in the adoption community. We have been assisting birth parents, children, and adoptive families in Oklahoma for over 19 years. Our staff members are committed to providing an ethical, empowering, and personalized adoption experience to all involved in the adoption process. If you are currently in the process of adopting a baby and have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. You may visit our website here or call 405-794-7500 (Oklahoma City) or 918-982-6220 (Tulsa).
Support Adoption Choices
Adoption Choices, Inc. is partnering with Crowdrise, a fundraising website for nonprofits, to help our adoptive parents and birth parents with much needed financial assistance. We understand that expenses keep clients from fulfilling their dreams. Both with birth parents making a plan for adoption, and with adoptive parents growing their family. It is our mission to provide financial assistance through grants and scholarships, awarded annually in November, in honor of National Adoption Month. Funds assist adoptive parents with matching and placements, adoption finalization and helping birth mothers improve their lives through higher education — and much more.
However, we can’t do it alone. Please read up on our programs and donate money where you are able. Your donation will make a huge impact.
About the Author
Jadzia Miller is currently in the final stretches of pursuing an English degree at Colorado Christian University. She has lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for the 22 years she has been on this earth, and loves exploring the beauty that is constantly surrounding her.
She aspires to pursue a career in publishing or library science; either way, Jadzia wants to be encompassed by books and stories. Living near Denver, she is surrounded by artistic pursuits and wants to continue exploring these as often as possible. Jadzia has a passion for encouraging people to read and finding joy in reading books.
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Sources:
Adoptions Together, www.adoptionstogether.org/pregnant/why-do-women-give-baby-up-for-adoption/.
American Adoptions, Inc. “‘What Does Adoption Mean to a Child?”.” American Adoptions – Why Women in Their 30s Choose to Place Baby for Adoption, www.americanadoptions.com/pregnant/give-baby-up-for-adoption-in-30s.
“Teen Pregnancy Rate Comparison, 2013: Power to Decide.” Power to Decide, the Campaign to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancy, powertodecide.org/what-we-do/information/national-state-data/teen-pregnancy-rate?gclid=CjwKCAjwguzzBRBiEiwAgU0FT8UChsZ5Lt8Z9FBpanmQZxViBOis7FJPYFffr2fs-X0GU86ewJh-ehoCNAQQAvD_BwE.
