Will I Feel Guilty if I Place My Baby for Adoption?

By Shannon Reilly

An unplanned or unwanted pregnancy may bring on many emotions as it may be a difficult and stressful time for you. In Arizona, your pregnant adoption options include parenting the child, terminating the pregnancy, or putting a child up for adoption. You might even wonder, “will I feel guilty if I place my baby for adoption?” There are many adoption agencies in Arizona, but Adoption Choices of Arizona is here for you in this hard time, whether you know you would like to move forward with adoption or not.

You may be considering how you will feel once you have decided on adoption and how you will cope with the decision after the birth of the child and after the adoption is finalized. There may be times when you feel guilty for moving on with your life after placing your child up for adoption, but there are ways to cope with these feelings. 

If you need adoption help now, please call us at 480-900-5520, text us at 602-922-0408 or visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona

What Happens When Choosing Adoption in Arizona?

When proceeding with placing a child up for adoption, the process itself is not too difficult, but that is not to say that the emotions of guilt and the feeling that you have abandoned your child do not occur. For purposes of making it clear what will happen within the adoption process if you do choose to move forward, the steps are listed below. 

1. Contacting Adoption Choices of Arizona

 This will be the first step in starting the process of adoption. You will schedule an initial meeting and be assigned an adoption specialist who will work with you through every step of the process. The adoption specialist may come to you, and if that is not a possibility, you may text, call, or video chat with them as well. 

2. Completing Required Adoption Paperwork

During this step, you will decide what kind of adoption you would like to choose (Open, Semi-Open, or Closed). You will also go over any resources that may be available to you in regard to your specific circumstances.

3. Choosing an Adoptive Family

After choosing which type of adoption in Arizona you would like to move forward with, you will go over family profiles and decide on a family that will raise your child. 

4. Adoption After the Hospital

After this is done, you will wait for the birth of the child and for the adoption to be finalized. 

Dealing With Feelings of  Adoption Guilt

Many birth mothers feel a whirlwind of emotions while considering their pregnant adoption options and even after the placement of the baby with their adoptive parents. You may feel guilty, lonely, and even overwhelmed when considering adoption, and these feelings may not go away even after the adoption finalization. The most important thing to remember is that you may not have been ready to take on the role of being a parent, which is okay, and you did what you thought was best for you and your child. Listed below are some ways to try to cope with these feelings. 

Adoption Counseling and Support

This is one of the many resources Adoption Choices of Arizona will offer you during your pregnancy as well as after. It is important to have someone to confide in, whether it be a friend or family that you trust or a counselor who specializes in coping with the emotions of giving a child up for adoption. Your counselor may suggest some coping skills for you to try out, such as writing down your feelings or doing something that makes you genuinely happy such as a hobby.

Practicing Self-Care Throughout Your Adoption Journey

This is the most important thing to work towards when coping with the many emotions that come with the adoption process. Remind yourself why you did this in the first place. You are choosing to give your child a better life even if it causes you pain. That kind of selflessness is something to love yourself for. Reminding yourself of why you made this choice can help you move towards the guilt you may feel for placing the child up for adoption. 

Offering Birth Mother Support Throughout Your Adoption Journey

There are also birth mother support groups that you can search for and become a part of. These types of groups can help you through the feelings you are experiencing with the help of other birth mothers who may be feeling the same way. Having people to talk to who can relate to what you are going through is a great way to cope. 

For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call us at or text us at 602-922-0408. If you are a prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please, instead, visit us here!