Making Your Adoption Plan as a Birth Mother in Oklahoma
As a young woman or girl facing an unplanned pregnancy, you may not know what to do. You’re considering your unplanned pregnancy options, and you’re drawn towards adoption. However, you don’t know how to get started. You don’t know the details, and you don’t know where to go for help. Allow us to teach you everything you need to know.
Here are five steps to making your adoption plan as a birth mother.
Step 1) Finding an Adoption Agency
As a woman or girl considering adoption, you’ll need some help getting started. Fortunately, adoption agencies like Adoption Choices of Oklahoma are available across the country. Our adoption agency, specifically, helps expectant birth mothers from all backgrounds and walks of life. We currently have two offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The highly-trained individuals working at our adoption agencies are professionals who understand the adoption process. They can answer any questions and address any concerns you have.
Adoption Choices of Oklahoma provides financial assistance to birth mothers on an as-needed basis throughout their pregnancies. If you are found eligible, we can help you cover rent, prenatal care costs, groceries, etc. We can also help you apply for government aid.
Step 2) Choosing a Type of Adoption
There are three different types of adoption: open adoption, semi-open adoption, and closed adoption. Open adoption is when a birth mother and adoptive family stay in touch. The birth mother can receive photographs of her child, and she can attend birthday parties and other events. Closed adoption is when a birth mother has no contact with the adoptive family. Semi-open adoption is when there is contact between the two parties, but it’s often more limited.
You’ll get to decide which type of adoption you prefer. Do you want to continue seeing and/or communicating with your child after the adoption is finalized? How much contact do you want with your child and the adoptive parents? We can help you find adoptive parents who have similar wants and desires.
Step 3) Meeting Your Birth Parent Counselor
You will be assigned a birth parent counselor at the start of the adoption process. Your birth parent counselor is there to provide guidance and support whenever you need it. The two of you will spend time together so you can figure what you want. Once they understand what you’re looking for, your birth parent counselor will provide files and information on the available adoptive families. You can then take all the time you need to review these. After you’ve made a decision, your birth parent counselor is the one who will connect you to the adoptive parents.
Step 4) Picking an Adoptive Family
Selecting an adoptive family for your child is one of the most important parts of the adoption process. Think about what you want for your child, what you believe is best for your child. Envision the kind of life you’d like him or her to have. The opportunities. The area you’d like them to live in. Do the adoptive parents have values and interests that are similar to yours? Would you like to work with LGBT adoptive parents? Would you consider committing to transracial adoptive parents?
Step 5) Establishing a Birth Plan
You should create a birth plan several months in advance. This portion of your adoption plan doesn’t have to be set in stone, but we do recommend you have something in place prior to giving birth. If you change your mind during your hospital experience, that’s okay, but establishing a birth plan ahead of time can help you remain calm when emotions are high and there’s a lot going on.
For your birth plan, you’ll get to decide where you want to give birth and who you want to be present. The adoptive parents can attend your child’s birth if you are comfortable with that. You can also decide if you want to spend time with your child following the delivery. Some birth mothers use this opportunity to say goodbye. Others believe it’s easier to give the child to the adoptive parents immediately after birth and forego the alone time. This is, often, something that expectant mothers change their mind on during the hospital experience, but that’s okay. Your birth parent counselor is prepared for that possibility and will make the necessary adjustments according to your wishes.
How would You Make Your Adoption Plan in Oklahoma?
Now that you know what to expect, you can finally take the first step in your adoption journey. Adoption Choices of Oklahoma has been helping birth mothers and adoptive families for two decades. We’ll be with you during the entire adoption process, ready to answer any lingering questions and address any concerns you have.
If you are interested in learning more about making your adoption plan as a birth mother in Oklahoma, don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to hearing from you.
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.
Toll-free: 800-898-6028 | OKC Local: 405-755-1999 | Tulsa Local: 918-447-7777 | Text: 405-310-8790 | Email
Meet the Author: Heather Valenzano is an up-and-coming content creator with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and a minor in English. After graduating from Iona College in 2019, she got an internship – and then a part-time job – writing blogs and managing social media accounts for Hip New Jersey, a lifestyle website owned by Long Shot Productions. She has also produced website and social media content for CommonPage, an external collaboration platform.
When she isn’t working, Heather enjoys watching crime shows like Forensic Files or posting book reviews to OnlineBookClub.org under the username “LavenderLiterature2.”