Types of Adoption and the Holidays: Adoption Agencies in Oklahoma

By Staren Henry

As a birth mother, you’re going through a lot when considering adoption. Even more so, if you’re experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you may even feel like you do not have control over the situation. When working with Adoption Choices of Oklahoma, we give you full agency over your adoption plan. One of the benefits of working with a private adoption agency is that you can control every detail of your adoption, including the type of adoption. Deciding your adoption type is vital when thinking of what you want your relationship with your child and their birth parents to be. Furthermore, your adoption type can have a large effect on what holidays will be like for you, your baby, and their adoptive family. Here’s all you need to know about adoption types and how they can affect your holiday planning. 

Open, Closed, and Semi-Closed Adoption Types

When an adoption agency in Oklahoma helps you make your adoption plan, one of the things that you’ll need to decide is your adoption type. There is a lot of misinformation that is spread about giving your baby up for adoption, and contrary to popular belief, not all adoptions are the same. Adoption types describe how much interaction the birth mother will have with her baby and their adoptive family post-placement.

• Open adoptions are for birth parents who want to maintain contact with their child’s adoptive family after placing their baby for adoption. You can share personal information like phone numbers, names, and contact information. This also makes it possible for the birth mother to have in-person visits with her child and adoptive family.  

• Closed Adoptions are the direct opposite of open adoptions in that it ensures that the birth mother will have no contact with her child’s adoptive family post-placement.  

• Semi-open adoptions are a happy medium of the two previous types. Compared to open adoptions, there is less personal information shared between the birth mother and the adoptive family. Typical examples of contact in semi-closed adoptions are emails, letters, and contact facilitated by a third party.  

This is a crucial part of the adoption process and will shape the relationship you have with your child for years to come, so be sure to pick what you feel is best for you. No one at our agency will pressure you to make a decision, and you shouldn’t let other people influence your choice either. You will not be judged for the choice you make, and there is no guilt in whatever you pick. 

Finding the Right Adoptive Family

There is always a loving family ready to adopt your baby. After you decide on the type of adoption you want, we have many pre-screened family profiles for you to choose from at Adoption Choices of Oklahoma. During the matching process, you may want to consider additional factors for selecting your child’s adoptive family. Some of these factors may be even more important to you when considering the holidays, such as the adoptive family’s religious and ethnic background. After all, you may be more comfortable knowing that you share similar customs or celebrate the same holidays. If you wish to visit your child, location and physical distance may be another important factor for you. You will be provided with profiles of adoptive families to choose from during your counseling. 

This is your decision to make, and no one else should make it for you. You’re the one giving the gift of your child to another family, and so it is only right that you have full control over which family that is. No one at our Oklahoma adoption agencies will try to influence your decision or coerce you to pick a certain family. You are in complete control of this process. Depending on the level of openness you choose for your adoption, you may also wish to meet your baby’s adoptive family. 

What Your Adoption Might Mean for the Holidays

When it comes to the holidays, your adoption type has a significant influence on what you can aspect family gatherings (or lack thereof) to look like during the festive season. If you are a person that deeply enjoys family traditions and wishes to share these with your child, then an open adoption may be the best choice for you. There are many enjoyable and memorable traditions that birth mothers can engage in with their child and their adoptive family. This may make you feel more connected to your child and the adoptive parent(s). Traditions can include planning in-person visits, sharing physical gifts and ornaments with your child, or celebrating with them in person after the holiday season. 

If you would be more comfortable limiting contact to festive letters, emails, cards, or calls, then a semi-option adoption may be the right choice for you. This still allows you to create positive memories with your child during the holidays while maintaining a decent amount of privacy. 

And, of course, if you’d rather opt into a closed adoption and not participate in any holiday traditions, that’s fine too! There is no shame in wanting to have a closed adoption, even during the holidays. What’s important is to know that you have many options to choose from. It’s all about what is most comfortable for you. 

Celebrating the Holidays with Adoption Choices of Oklahoma

During the holidays, it’s important that you, your child, and their adoptive family all have the healthiest and happiest times of their life. Look at adoption types as an opportunity to ensure that all involved parties make a bunch of warm, happy memories. Whether that be through in-person visits or some quality alone time, what’s important is that everyone is left with that fuzzy feeling in their heart at the end of the day! If you are in the Tulsa area, please look into our Tulsa adoption agencies.

Adoption Choices of Oklahoma is a private adoption agency licensed by the state of Oklahoma and a 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: 405-201-6643 | Email