When you’ve decided on adoption for your unborn baby, you will start making an adoption plan with your adoption specialist. This plan will lay out every step of your adoption process, from finding an adoptive family for your baby to your hospital stay while giving birth.

Something that you’ll need to consider, however, is also building an adoption support team for this process. Adoption can be a journey filled with many ups and downs, and while you will always have your adoption specialist to go to for support, it’s also encouraged that you create a team of people in your life that you can go to whenever you need them.

Because each woman’s circumstances are different, the people that she chooses to involve in her adoption plan will vary. Of course, there will be some necessary professionals and people to involve, but the involvement of others will depend upon your own preferences and comfort levels. Your adoption specialist can always help you determine which people will be positive forces in your adoption process — and whether or not you should include them.

Here are some of the important people that will likely play a role in your adoption plan:

1. You

While there will be many people that you can involve in your adoption plan, the most important person will always be you. This is your decision to make and your adoption plan to create; no one’s thoughts should be as important as your own when it comes to this life-changing process.

Take time to be your own support system; journal your thoughts, practice self-care, and take time to reflect and remind yourself why you are making this decision. You are absolutely the most important person in your adoption plan, and by choosing an agency like American Adoptions, you will always be the one in charge throughout the process.

While adoption is your choice alone to make, the adoption process actually involves many different people, all working together to make sure your adoption plan goes as you’d like. After all, as emotionally challenging as it is, your adoption decision is something you should be proud of — you’re making the best choice for you and your baby.

2. Your Baby

As your pregnancy progresses, you will likely become more and more aware of the little person at the center of your adoption plan: your baby.

In fact, he or she is one of the most important people involved in this process — after all, you are making this selfless decision because you want to give him or her the best future possible. Your baby and the hopes and dreams you have for him or her will be at the center of every decision you make throughout your adoption journey.

Because of your brave choice, your baby can grow up with an amazing, loving family.

“Every day, I realize how important I am to my parents,” Scott Mars, the co-founder of American Adoptions who was adopted by his parents, said. “Because of adoption, my life was filled with love and opportunity.”

3. Your Adoption Specialist

At American Adoptions, we’ll provide all of the support and case management that you’ll need to make the process as smooth as possible, but we also encourage you to reach out to other people in your life to include them in your adoption plan.

From the moment you start your adoption process, your adoption specialist will be by your side to help you. They will serve as your guide throughout, helping you determine your preferences for your adoption plan and serving as your go-to person if you ever have questions about the adoption process or your adoption decision.

The specialists at American Adoptions will always be available to support you 24 hours a day. With many of our staff members being birth and adoptive parents, we understand what you’re going through and can use this perspective to give you the empathetic service you deserve.

4. The Adoptive Family

After your adoption specialist, the people that you will likely interact with the most will be the adoptive family that you choose for your child. It is up to you to decide what type of relationship you want to have with your baby’s adoptive parents.

If you choose, you can develop a close relationship with the adoptive family during your adoption process and as your baby grows up. This family will be supportive of your adoption decision and willing to help you however they can. This means everything from answering whatever questions you have about them to being there during your hospital stay.

5. The Birth Father

Whether or not your baby’s father is directly involved in your adoption plan, he will play a role in how the legal process plays out. Before an adoption can be finalized, his parental rights must be terminated — voluntarily or involuntarily. Your adoption specialist and your adoption lawyer will work with you to determine what path needs to be taken to do this.

On the other hand, if your baby’s birth father wants to be involved in your adoption process, you can involve him in whatever way makes you comfortable; his support throughout your adoption plan will be invaluable. Whatever your relationship with your baby’s father, you should talk to your adoption specialist and attorney early in the process about how his rights should be handled, who should be listed on the baby’s birth certificate, and how he might impact your adoption experience.

6. Your Adoption Attorney

Another person who will play a key role in your adoption plan will be your adoption attorney. Your adoption attorney will help you fully understand the legal process of adoption and your rights throughout, and will help you complete the signing of your adoption consent after you give birth.

You’ll need to be completely honest with your attorney, as they will work with your adoption specialist on everything from your living expenses to your post-adoption contact agreement with the adoptive family. Like your adoption specialist, your attorney will make every effort to ensure your adoption is as close to your preferences as possible.

7. Hospital Staff

It’s important that you receive the proper medical care during your pregnancy and hospital stay, which is why your chosen medical professionals will play a large role in your adoption plan. You will be able to use your own OBGYN for your prenatal care. In addition, your adoption specialist will communicate with your hospital and doctors to let them know what your wishes are for your hospital stay.

During your hospital experience, you will likely have several nurses, doctors and hospital social workers coming in and out of your room and not all of them will be aware of your adoption plan. Your adoption specialist can help you prepare for this and the challenges it may bring so you are as comfortable as possible with your childbirth and placement experience.

Many of the adoption specialists at American Adoptions have gone through the adoption process as adoptive parents, birth parents and even adoptees. This first-hand adoption experience gives us insight into what you’re going through so that we can give you the empathetic support you deserve.

8.  Your Significant Other

If you are in a relationship with someone other than your baby’s father, you will likely want to involve this person in your adoption process, too. As long as your husband, boyfriend or partner is positive and respects your adoption decision, they can be a good source of support for you throughout the adoption process.

Whether it’s offering emotional support, attending doctor’s appointments with you or being present at the hospital, you can involve your significant other in whatever way makes you most comfortable.

9. Your Friends

While the people listed above will usually be a part of your adoption plan, the rest of the people in the list may not be necessary for your adoption process — but are recommended, as long as they are a supportive and positive influence in your life. Our adoption specialists advise that every prospective birth mother has someone who’s directly outside of her adoption plan to turn to for support.

Sometimes, close friends can provide the support you need — whether it’s related to your adoption plan or simply a way to take your mind off of it for a while. Remember, it’s always up to you to decide who you want to involve in your adoption plan.

While many people may want to be involved in your adoption process, it’s important to be selective about who you invite to join you on this journey. Choose close friends that will be positive and supportive of your adoption decision, and consider cutting out any people who don’t respect your wishes.

10. Your Family

When you’re placing a child for adoption, remember that your other family members will also be affected. If you choose to include your family in your adoption plan, you may want to reach out to your parents and siblings first, if you have a good relationship with them.

While some family members may be unsupportive early in your adoption process, if you take the time to explain your adoption decision and how it’s the best for your baby, they may come around. Remember that your family needs to process your adoption decision on their own, and they may grieve this decision in a different way.

Your adoption specialist can help you if you are struggling to involve your parents, siblings or other close family members in your adoption plan.  

If You Have Other Children

If you’re going to place your unborn child for adoption and you already have other children, especially ones that are living with you, it might be hard to keep your adoption secret from them. It’s important to think about how your adoption decision will affect them.

It may help the confusing emotions they have if you include them in your adoption plan; let them help pick out an adoptive family for their brother or sister, let them meet the adoptive parents or even let them meet their baby brother or sister after you give birth. While it can be hard to have other children when you’re placing your unborn baby for adoption, they can also provide the strength and reassurance you need to feel better about your choice.

To learn more about how to talk about your pregnancy and adoption plan with your friends, family and other people, you can always talk to an adoption specialist for free by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or contacting us online to get the support you deserve.

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