What Happens After I Put my Baby up for Adoption?
By Isabelle Sitchon
If you are a birth mother considering adoption, it’s absolutely important for you to be informed of what happens during an adoption. There are many resources and articles, especially those written by Adoption Choices of Arizona, that will help you understand the adoption process. However, one important part of your experience that you might miss when researching: what happens to the birth mother after the adoption?
The adoption journey can be a long process with difficult, life-changing decisions. Knowing this, it can be tough for the birth mother to resume her life after their baby is placed with their adoptive family. She may feel grief, sadness, guilt, and other waves of emotions post-placement. However, it’s important that she receives support, love, and care during this time. Below, we’ll share a few ways a birth mother can cope with the aftermath of an adoption.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 1-480-900-5520 or visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona.
Making a Post-placement Plan During the Adoption Process
One of the earliest steps you can take to get support post-adoption starts when you’re creating an adoption plan. In this part of the process, you’ll be able to decide on the type of adoption for your baby, preferences for the adoptive family, and other goals for your journey. The level of post-placement communication between the family and the birth mother will vary according to your adoption type. It will determine the kind of relationship you will have with them. If you would still like to keep in touch with the adoptive family and know how your child is growing up, an open/semi-open adoption will allow you to do so. A closed adoption is more uninvolved, meaning there will be little to no communication between the adoptive family and the birth mother post-placement.
When making this decision, remember that there is no wrong choice. Birth mothers are completely in control of the adoption plan she creates. Our adoption agencies in Arizona encourage you to go forward in the process of choosing a plan that you believe is best for you and your baby.
Attending Counseling After Adoption
The birth mother goes through great stress during her adoption journey. Dealing with both the adoption process and pregnancy, it may not be easy for her to go back to how her life was before. She’ll need time to heal, both physically and mentally. Opting into counseling can provide her an outlet to communicate her deep feelings and help her find ways to manage stressful emotions after adoption. As a birth mother, you can also choose whether you would like to attend counseling services after adoption. Adoption Choices of Arizona offers free counseling services to birth mothers during their journey and for a short period of time post-placement. Our counselors will provide a listening ear to you and help you process your feelings healthily.
Finding a Support System
In addition to counseling, we also recommend our birth mothers establish an adoption support system from an early stage. These members can be your close family, friends–anyone who you can trust will be there for you when you need it. While every mother deals with grief in her way, it can be comforting to know that you have close companions surrounding you. Let them know how you feel, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help if they’re willing to. These individuals deeply care about you and would hope only the best for you. Your support system can keep your physical health in check as you recover from pregnancy. Additionally, they can help you sort out your important duties, such as work or school. Most importantly, these people in your life will be there when you need them.
Recovering From Your Adoption Journey, Both Physically and Mentally
After putting your child up for adoption, the healing process can take anywhere from a few days to months, possibly years. Each birth mother is different in her adoption experience, but it’s important that all birth mothers take the time they need to recover. After that, your baby will be in their adoptive parents’ safe, loving arms. Choosing adoption doesn’t mean that you have given up as a mother. Instead, you are making a brave choice for your baby. After adoption, our adoption agencies in Arizona are here to support you. Even after your adoption journey has ended, we would love to hear from you and provide counseling if necessary.
Our specialists will provide free consultation for pregnant moms and birth mothers considering adoption for their baby. For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are a prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please, instead, visit us here!
