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"Giving a Baby Up" for Adoption Isn't Giving Up - It's Giving More

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What If Adoption Is the Right Choice for Your Child?

Adoption is a deeply selfless act of love and strength, and it can give your baby more than you may be able to provide right now: stability, security, and a future full of opportunity. We understand this choice is difficult, and we’ll be here to guide and support you through it all.

Need Immediate Help? Call 1-800-ADOPTION (236-7846).

Take it from Adoptees

If you're unsure what adoption could mean for your child, hear directly from those who've lived it:

"From very little, I was the centerpiece of their life. They helped me believe in myself and supported me through college, instilling in me the belief and means to pursue my dreams."

- Adoptee Scott,
 See His Story

"I know my birth parents love me, and I know they wanted the best for me, and this [adoption] is how they could achieve that, and I’m grateful that’s what they did…they loved me enough to do this for me."

- Adoptee Diana,
 Read Her Story

These adoptees show how your decision today can lead to a life full of love, happiness, and gratitude tomorrow. Click here to take the first step.

 

Why Adopted Children Thrive

You're providing your child with an opportunity for an enriched life. Adopted children often thrive in nurturing environments because they experience:

  • A Life Surrounded by Love

    Your child will be raised in a stable, two-parent home—deeply loved, nurtured, and cared for by parents who are ready and excited for this journey.

  • A Family That Puts Them First

    Adoptive parents often wait years for the chance to become parents. That means your child will be the center of their world, receiving devoted attention, care, and encouragement every single day.

  • A Future Full of Possibilities

    With financial stability, strong support systems, and loving guidance, your child will be empowered to chase their dreams—whatever they may be. By choosing adoption, you're actively shaping a positive future for your child. 

The Science-Proven Benefits

Research consistently demonstrates that adopted children experience lasting positive outcomes, including:

  • Educational Success: Adopted children typically excel academically due to increased stability and resources.
  • Higher IQ Scores: Studies show adopted children often have higher IQ scores compared to peers from less stable environments, reflecting the benefits of nurturing homes.
  • Emotional Stability and Love: Adoptees report feeling deeply secure, loved, and emotionally fulfilled, overcoming common misconceptions about adoption. Take it from Adoptee Jenn:

 

"[My birth mother] made a very hard decision, and I am so thankful she was able to think of what would be best for me as I grew up. My parents have been wonderful. I have always felt like they loved me and provided me with so many opportunities."

- Adoptee Jenn,
 Read Her Story

 

Your decision to choose adoption creates tangible and lifelong benefits for your child. 

Not sure what to do next?  We're here to listen and help—no pressure, just support as you explore what’s best for you and your baby.

Get Support

You Can Choose the Ideal Life for Your Child

One of the most empowering aspects of adoption is the ability to make meaningful decisions about your child's future. You can:

  • Select the adoptive family you envision for your child

    Whether you picture them growing up with siblings, pets, or in a particular family lifestyle, your vision guides your choice.

  • Decide the type of environment (city, suburban, rural)

    Whether you envision your child experiencing the diversity of a city neighborhood, the community feel of suburban life, or the peaceful setting of rural living, you choose the environment that feels right.

  • Choose parents based on shared values, beliefs, or interests

    You might choose adoptive parents who share your religious beliefs, cultural background, or who have hobbies and values important to you.

  • Choose the level of communication and relationship after adoption

    From receiving occasional updates to maintaining close, ongoing contact, you control the relationship. 

    Your vision and choices directly shape your child's life. 

Start envisioning your child’s future today.

Browse Waiting Families

You Are in Control of Your Adoption Journey

We know this journey is uniquely yours, and we’re here to offer compassionate, personalized support. American Adoptions has decades of experience guiding birth mothers just like you. With us, you will:

  • Create a customized adoption plan that respects your needs

  • Receive personalized support from experienced adoption specialists

  • Get assistance with living expenses (housing, utilities, groceries, etc.)

  • Receive medical care and emotional counseling

  • Choose the perfect adoptive family based on your values and wishes

  • Decide how much contact you want after the adoption

You're empowered every step of the way—we’re here to support your vision for you and your child.

Create My Adoption Plan

"I'm happy— very, very happy and grateful that I get to watch [my baby] grow in this amazing family. I get to see everything that they provide for her that I would not have been able to, and it just reassures me every day that I made the best decision."

- Birth Mother Colleen,
 Watch Her Story

Frequently Asked Adoption Questions

Here are some of the most common concerns women considering adoption have about placing their baby. For immediate assistance with unanswered questions, please call us at 1-800-ADOPTION (236-7846).

No. Filling out the form is just a way to get information—you are not committing to anything. Our adoption specialists will provide answers, not pressure. 

 

Yes! You get to:  

- Select a family based on values, lifestyle, and location 

- Decide how much contact you want before and after placement

- Review detailed family profiles to find the perfect match

 

No. Most adoptees grow up feeling grateful for the opportunities adoption gave them. Many have strong relationships with their birth mothers through open adoption. 

 

This is your decision—you know what is best for you and your baby.  Adoption is an act of love—many birth mothers find support from unexpected places. Our specialists can help you navigate these conversations if and when you choose to share. 

 

We can guide you in explaining adoption in a way that is age-appropriate, loving, and reassuring.  

 

Yes! You can create an open adoption plan that describes your future contact with the family and your baby.

 

Get Free Adoption Information and Support

If you have questions, our adoption specialists are here to provide you with answers and guidance. American Adoptions has supported thousands of women through this journey—you don't have to navigate it alone. Even if you're simply considering adoption as an option, we can help.

Simply fill out our short form and you'll get:

  • Access to free, confidential support from an adoption specialist (zero commitments necessary)
  • Answers to common questions about adoption
  • Access to waiting families based on your individual preferences

You deserve to feel empowered knowing you are making the right decision for you and your baby.

Get Free Information

 
 
 
 
 

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is American Adoptions the right adoption agency choice for many birth mothers?

American Adoptions is one of the largest licensed adoption agencies in the United States. Each year, we work with thousands of women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and offer assistance to these women. Our large, caring staff is able to assist you seven days a week and provide you with one-on-one counseling about your pregnancy and available options.

You should choose an adoption agency where you feel completely comfortable with their services and staff. With American Adoptions, you will work with an Adoption Specialist who is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Adoption Specialist will be your advocate and will provide support and guidance as you create an adoption plan that is right for you.

How will the family tell my child about me and the adoption when my child is older?

Each family has their own style of introducing adoption to the child. When you are matched with an adoptive family, you can ask them this question. If you would like your Adoption Specialist to discuss it for you, just let her know. He or she can share your wishes or provide good ideas from other adoptive families.

You will also be able to share what you want your baby to know about you. You can complete a keepsake booklet to share hobbies, stories, photos of you and your family and a letter to your baby. The adoptive family can provide this to your child as he or she grows older. Be as creative as you like! Some birth mothers have even knitted a special blanket as a gift to their baby or given a similar symbol of their love.

The father of your baby can fill out the birth father's keepsake booklet or write a letter too. You may have other family members who would also like to share photos or a letter to the baby. This is your opportunity to pass on your and your family's love and to share your personality, history and reasons for choosing adoption. The adoptive family will treasure whatever information you provide and will share it with the baby at an appropriate age. In most adoptive homes, the word adoption is in the child's vocabulary early on, and adoption is celebrated in their lives.

Additional Resources

Teen Pregnancy - Information for Young Women

While not every woman who chooses adoption is a young mother, many are. Through adoption, many young women have found an ability to give their babies the best life possible, while finding the opportunity to realize their own dreams, as well. Call American Adoptions today at 1-800-ADOPTION.

Read More

Adoption Glossary

Do adoption terms and phrases leave you feeling confused? Learn the meaning to key adoption words and phrases with our comprehensive adoption glossary.

Read More

The Best for Her Babies - Why One Birth Mother Doesn't Regret Her Decision

Lindsey was already the mother to one baby with special needs when she found herself pregnant again. A single mom in the midst of a divorce, she knew adoption was the way to give both her daughters what they deserved.

Read the Story