Why Choose Adoption?
There are a number of reasons for which a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy considers adoption. Most commonly, women who choose to go through with the adoption process do so because they wish to give their child a better life than they could provide. Adoptive parents often have more financial and emotional resources than a women dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.
For instance, adoptive parents may have a stable home, solid relationship, established careers, and more life experience. Lacking one or all of these things may make a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy feel she is incapable of providing a child the home he or she deserves. There is nothing selfish about this decision. Wanting your child to have a better life than you can provide is in fact selfless.
There are a number of other reason for which a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy may choose to go through with the adoption process. She may not be finished with school and may feel a child would interfere with her future plans. She may fear the social stigma that she will face from her family or community should she decide to raise a child out of wedlock. Or, she may just lack the ability to raise a child for a variety of reasons, sometimes mentally, medically, or financially.
There are a number of things that you need to consider when you are deciding whether or not to choose adoption. First and foremost, consider your own feelings, ultimately, you have to live with the choice you make, so the choice to go through with the adoption process should be your own. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are you ready to be a mother?
Can you handle giving your baby up?
How does the father of your baby feel?
Will the father of your baby be involved?
Where will you live if you keep your baby?
How will you financially support yourself and your baby?
What level of support will you be able to receive from your family and community?
If you choose adoption, there are also some things you need to consider. After all, the adoption process is no longer one-size-fits-all. Women facing unplanned pregnancy now have more options to make the adoption process meet their needs than ever before. For instance, a woman that wants to choose adoption can still have contact with her baby. Through open adoption a birth mother can arrange for updates by way of photos, letters, e-mails, phone calls, and in some cases even visits. Likewise, women who wish to remain anonymous can choose a closed adoption.
Before you choose adoption, it is important to discuss your options with a non-biased third party. Whether this is a trusted friend or family member or a counselor, it is important to not go the process alone. The decisions you make will alter your life and the life of your baby. So, all of your available options should be considered and carefully evaluated before reaching your final decision.
