Placing a child for adoption is not a decision anyone makes quickly. It requires a lot of thinking, and talking, and praying, and thinking some more. But at the end of it all, giving a baby up for adoption (or more appropriately, placing a child for adoption), is three major things:
Giving a Baby Up for Adoption is LOVING. Women who place their children with adoptive parents aren’t just looking for a quick fix to an unexpected pregnancy. They’re also not just looking to get rid of their child. Birth mothers, as they’re often called, love their baby so much that they would spend the time and energy of carrying their baby to term, giving birth, and selecting a loving family to raise them. As Sandra, a birth grandmother put it, “Adoption is a compassionate, generous, and loving choice. It will hurt because you’re experiencing a painful loss-but what a generous gift-LIFE!!”
Giving a Baby Up for Adoption is RESPONSIBLE. If you talk to women who have placed a baby for adoption, you will find they all have one thing in common: hardship. Birth mothers are usually women who recognize that they aren’t able to afford caring for all their baby’s needs. Instead of running from this problem, they acknowledge it for what it is, and place their baby with a family that does have the means to take care of them. Tabitha, a birth mother, placed her baby with an adoptive family, and this is how she feels about the adoption plan she made for her baby, “I was given the chance to give my daughter a better life. It made me see a whole new light to caring for your child, especially in a difficulty. I thank God for helping me choose adoption.”
Giving a Baby Up for Adoption is BRAVE. Just like adoption is never a quick decision, it’s never an easy choice either. Giving a baby up for adoption can involve a lot of sacrifice–both physical and emotional. Birth mothers face ridicule and criticism, oftentimes from the people they love most. But birth mothers are courageous women, who are willing to make the sacrifice in order to do what’s best for their baby. Brandon, a husband to a birth mother, has this advice for women considering adoption, “Don’t be afraid. Every child deserves to have a life. Everyone won’t agree with you, but there’s a bigger group of people that understand you.”
If you’re still unsure about whether or not adoption is the right choice for you, we at Gladney highly recommend talking to someone. If you don’t have anyone in your life you can talk to, feel free to text or call one of our options counselors at 800-452-3639. Even if adoption isn’t the right choice for you, they care about you and want to help you find the best option for your baby.