Adoption 101: Making an Adoption Plan in Texas
If you are a pregnant woman in Texas considering adoption, you probably have a number of questions about the adoption process. While the adoption process in Texas can often be confusing, especially if you are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Adoption Choices of Texas is here for you and your child throughout your adoption journey. The hardest part of making an adoption plan in Texas is often knowing where to start. However, at Adoption Choices of Texas, our adoption counselors and caseworkers will help you throughout the adoption process to create an adoption plan that works for you and your child.
If you need help with adoption now, you can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here.
- Choosing an Adoption Agency
Choosing your adoption agency is one of the most important decisions of your adoption plan. Your adoption agency will work with you throughout the adoption process to prepare for your child’s birth, so you should choose an agency that fits your needs. While some pregnant women choose to make their adoption plans without help, in working with an adoption agency like Adoption Choices of Texas, you can receive valuable assistance throughout your adoption process.
By choosing to work with our Texas Adoption Center, you will have access to an adoption caseworker who can help you make many of the decisions involved in your adoption plan. Your adoption caseworker will also have a wealth of knowledge on the adoption process, and they will be able to advise you throughout your pregnancy and preparations for your child’s birth. Adoption Choices of Texas is additionally proud to offer pre-approved financial assistance for rent, groceries, transportation, phone service, and maternity clothing to our birth mothers in need.
- Finding an Adoptive Family
Searching for an adoptive family for your child can be a stressful process, but Adoption Choices of Texas is here to help. One of the many perks of working with our adoption agency is that you will be able to work with an adoption caseworker who will help you find the adoptive family that is right for you and your child.
The first step to finding an adoptive family is to consider what kind of family you want your child to grow up with. Your adoptive family preferences are entirely up to you, so you should think about whether or not you want your child to be raised in an environment that is similar to yours. After discussing your adoption preferences with your adoption caseworker, you can then look at some potential adoptive parent profiles. As the birth mother, you will be free to choose whichever adoptive parent you think is right for you and your child. Once you have chosen an adoptive parent, you can even choose to meet them in person and build a relationship, depending on whether your child’s adoption is open or closed.
- Choosing an Open or Closed Adoption
Another important part of your adoption plan is to determine how much contact you wish to remain between you and your child’s adoptive family after your child’s placement. If you want to be a part of your child’s life, you can choose to make an open or semi-open adoption plan, where you and the adoptive family can share messages and updates with each other. You will additionally be able to choose the form of contact as the birth mother, whether it is simply sharing pictures or even arranging in-person meetings.
While it is becoming more common for birth mothers to choose an open adoption, there are still many reasons you may want to place your child in a closed adoption or an adoption arrangement where there is no contact between birth mother and child. Common reasons for choosing a closed adoption include wanting a greater sense of closure from your pregnancy or any difficult circumstances surrounding your pregnancy. Whatever your reasons may be, a closed adoption can provide you and your child with an important sense of security.
- Making a Hospital Plan
Having a hospital plan, or birth plan, in place is very important for when it is time for your child to be born. It is very easy for you and those you love to forget simple things while you are in labor, so you should think about what might make your hospital stay more comfortable ahead of time. While your child’s delivery is likely to be an emotional process, your support group will also be there to support you, whether they are family, friends, or even your adoption team.
While you are planning your hospital stay, you should think about the people you want beside you during your labor. This could be your family or your child’s father, close friends, or even your child’s adoptive family. You may also want to consider whether or not you would like to spend time with your child before their adoption placement, as this decision may be difficult to make in the moment.
How Will You Make Your Texas Adoption Plan?
As a birth mother in Texas, there are a number of important considerations that go into making an adoption plan. At Adoption Choices of Texas, we understand that adoption can be a difficult process, and we are here to support you no matter what, as no mother should navigate her adoption process alone. Our adoption counselors and caseworkers are here to help you create the best adoption plan for you and your child.
As an expectant woman or birth parent, to learn more about adoption, contact Adoption Choices of Texas. You can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here. If you are hoping to adopt, please visit us here. We look forward to helping you through your adoption journey!
Meet the Author: Jennie Knuppel is a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying English Literature. She is currently enrolled in the English Honors Program, for which she is writing a thesis in comparative literature prior to graduating in the spring of 2022. Jennie has previously taken courses in literature and both creative and technical writing, and she spent four years working in her high school’s journalism department.
Jennie is also currently working as a barista, and, in her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family and pets.
