As you consider how to adopt a baby, remember that there are many options. The level of contact between birth parents and adoptive parents ranges from completely closed to very open adoption.

Closed adoptions are rare and usually are chosen when privacy is desired. In closed adoptions, the birth mother and the adoptive parents do not meet or know each other before or after the adoption and no information is exchanged.

Semi-open adoptions are extremely popular and are chosen when both the birth parents and the adoptive parent(s) want to get to know each other so they can all actively be involved in the pregnancy and birth of the baby. In a semi-open American adoption, the birth mother gets to know the adoptive couple and sees them in action so she can go forward knowing that the baby is in great hands and that she made a good decision.

In semi-open adoptions, the adoptive parents get to know the birth mother and learn about important family history, who the birth parents are and why they are giving the baby for adoption. They also get to be involved in doctor’s appointments and the labor and delivery of the baby.

Children of semi-open adoption get to have their own baby book with pictures of their birth parents and adoptive parents together celebrating the event. In semi-open adoptions, birth parents and adoptive parents usually say goodbye at the hospital and future contact is limited to a picture and letter exchange just so that everyone knows that all are doing well. Many experts believe that hearing a beautiful adoption story in which everyone came together out of love for the baby helps boost an adopted child’s self esteem.

Fully open adoptions, while far less common, are similar to semi-open adoptions except the open relationship extends beyond the birth. Indeed, in a fully open adoption, birth parents and adoptive parents consider themselves linked by their relationship with the child. It is common for all to come together a few times a year at holidays and birthdays like extended family.

In American adoption, the level of contact between birth parents and adoptive parents greatly varies because there are birth parents and adoptive parents throughout the country looking for different levels of contact. The job of AdoptHelp or any other adoption professional is to help people understand the options for how to adopt a baby and then create an adoption plan in which people seeking the same type of adoption plans can find each other.

Remember, there is no single “right way” to go about adoption. In the end, the comfort and happiness of the birth mother, the adoptive parents and the child should be the deciding factor.

American Adoption

An American adoption is a domestic adoption whereby the baby to be adopted is born in the United States and is adopted by a resident of the United States. (In an international adoption, the baby is born in a foreign country and the adoption takes place in the country where the child is born before the child enters the United States.) No matter which state you live in, the vast majority of adoptive parents will need to obtain a home study and hire an attorney to both clear the child for adoption and to finalize the adoption in court.

If you are interested in learning how to adopt a baby, we congratulate and welcome you. At AdoptHelp, we are here to assist you in every aspect of your adoption journey. We pride ourselves on our dedication, experience and success rate.