Giving Baby Up for Adoption in Hinduism
If you are unexpectedly pregnant, it’s understandable that this may be a stressful time in your life. If you aren’t sure that you’re ready to be a parent, it’s likely that this stress is even greater. Whatever you choose to do now will affect both you and your child for the rest of your lives, and it can be hard to know what the right decision is. Many women with strong religious backgrounds incorporate those beliefs into the decision-making process, and Hinduism is no different.
If you are a Hindu woman wondering if you can pursue adoption with American Adoptions, the answer is a simple yes. While we cannot tell you what the right decision for you is, we have two pieces of advice.
The first is to speak with trusted leaders in your religious community to learn more about Hinduism’s take on adoption. Of course, you can also speak with friends and family members, but because adoption can be an emotional subject, we recommend speaking with a religious leader who will be able to remain neutral and teach you about adoption in Hinduism.
The second is to learn as much as you can about how the process would potentially go. This way, armed with more information, you can decide if adoption is something you’re comfortable with or not.
While everyone’s adoption situation is different, and the process can certainly be tailored to meet your religious needs, the following is an outline of the general steps to pursue adoption:
1. Decide on adoption.
The first step, of course, in pursuing an adoption plan is to choose adoption for your child. For some women, this will be easier than for others. While family and friends may mean well, it’s important that you make the decision for yourself. No one else can tell you what to do with your unplanned pregnancy. We do, however, recommend speaking with religious leaders to understand what pursuing adoption could mean for a Hindu woman. To receive free, unbiased information, you are always more than welcome to call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with a licensed social worker.
2. Work with your adoption specialist to create an adoption plan.
Once you have decided to pursue adoption and contacted American Adoptions, you’ll be assigned to your own individual adoption specialist. She will help you to understand what to expect from the process and tailor it to fit your needs and requirements. Remember, with American Adoptions, you are in the driver’s seat.
3. Find a Hindu adoptive family for your child.
If finding parents for your child that share your religious beliefs is important to you, we can absolutely work with you to find a Hindu adoptive family for your baby. You can use this tool to search through our active families by religion, but please know that we are always working with many families at various stages of the adoption process; not all of our adoptive families are currently live and listed on our website. Please speak with an adoption specialist to learn more about how to find a Hindu adoptive family for your child.
Helpful Information
4. Get to know your child’s adoptive family.
If you wish, you can choose to participate in one of the best aspects of modern-day adoptions, which is openness. This involves the adoptive parents and the birth parents of a child sharing contact, whether that happens through emails, phone calls, in-person meetings or more. An open adoption will allow you to always know that your child is happy, safe and healthy.
5. Work with your adoption specialist to create a plan for the day of the birth.
Of course, like any pregnant woman, you’ll want to come up with a birthing plan. However, as a woman pursuing adoption, there will be a few additional details to consider. Do you want your child’s adoptive parents to be present? Do you want time alone with your baby? Do you want to nurse your baby? Your adoption specialist will help you to consider each detail of the day so that it goes exactly according to your preferences.
6. Continue to develop your relationship with your child and their adoptive family.
If you choose an open adoption, you’ll be able to continue to work on your relationship with your child’s adoptive family long after placement. Some women find that they need space to grieve in the weeks and months immediately following birth before sharing more regular contact, while others want frequent contact from the beginning. Whatever your preferences are, American Adoptions can work with you to make sure they become a reality.
If you would like to discuss the realities of giving a baby up for adoption in Hinduism, or if you are ready to begin the process, please call American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION.
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