Open Adoption and Its Advantages for Birth Moms
The decision to give your baby up for adoption is not an easy one. And once you may that decision, you still have some other decisions to make, one of which is whether to pursue an open or closed adoption. Closed adoptions are not nearly as common as they once were, and that's because open adoption offers so many advantages for birth moms. Here's a look at some of those key advantages.
1. Open adoption puts you in control of the terms.
"Open adoption" is a pretty broad term. And this is because every open adoption looks a little different. In some open adoptions, the birth mom gets to visit the child every month. In other open adoptions, the birth mom gets once-a-year photos. The key, though, is that it is up to you to determine what open adoption terms you are comfortable with. You can chat about this with your adoption counselor, and once you've decided the best adoption terms for you, then you can look for adoptive parents who desire the same terms.
2. Open adoption means you do not have to say goodbye forever.
The idea of handing their baby off, never to see them again, makes adoption completely unappealing to some birth moms. With open adoption, you do not have to go through this trauma. Giving your baby up will still be hard. But you'll be doing so with the reassurance that you will see them again and stay updated on their life.
3. Open adoption means your child does not have to grow up confused or wondering about you.
Another concern that birth moms have is that their child will grow up wondering where they came from, why their birth mom gave them up, and what their birth mom looks like. Open adoption alleviates these concerns. Your child will be aware of your identity from day one, and if you desire to have an open adoption that allows you direct contact with them, then you can talk with them about your decision to give them up for adoption as they grow up. They may still have some questions and quandaries, but knowing you'll have an opportunity to address them is comforting.
Open adoption has a lot of advantages for birth moms. If you are thinking of giving your baby up for adoption, this is most likely the best way to go. You can work with an adoption counselor to decide the specific terms you desire for your baby's open adoption.
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