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Finding a Family

You can choose the family you want to adopt your baby. With our agency, you have hundreds of families to choose from. Finding the right adoptive family ensures your child will grow up being loved by two parents.

Because you are in control of your adoption, you can choose a brighter future for your child with the perfect family that fits the lifestyle that your child will grow up in. 

When you choose adoption, you are deciding to put the well-being of your baby first. Finding the right adoptive family is the best way to provide your child with a lifetime of love and opportunity. Choosing a family for your baby and determining the type of relationship you wish to have with the family is one of the most important decisions you will ever make -- it is also one of the most exciting.

Here’s how you can find the best family for your baby:

Step 1: Determine What Type of Family You are Looking For

When you think of how you want your child to grow up, what do you envision?

Maybe they live in a beach town, a big city, or somewhere in between?

Do they have siblings?

Same-sex parents? Bi-racial parents?

When you begin your search for an adoptive family, you are in complete control of determining the specific lifestyle you want your baby to grow up in. During the adoption planning stage, you will work with your specialist to determine the specific characteristics that you hope to find in an adoptive family.

This can be as simple as marital status to as in-depth as level of education, career, and more. Determining the type of family you are looking for helps guide you toward a perfect match.

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Step 2: Determine the Type of Relationship You Want with the Family

Adoption is a selfless decision and also a very personal choice. As a pregnant woman, you are in control of the type of relationship you wish to have with the adoptive family. There are essentially three choices for adoption relationships:

Open: The birth mother and adoptive family share identifying information and are in contact during the pregnancy and after. Some open relationships include updates as the child grows older and even in-person visits and meetings. Open adoption allows the birth mother to stay updated on her child’s life and, in some cases, remain a part of their support system as they are growing up.

Semi-open: These relationships vary in the level of openness and are determined throughout the adoption planning. In most situations, identifying information is shared, and updates are agreed upon in a lesser manner than in a fully open adoption. Communication may continue after placement if both parties agree to do so.

Closed: No identifiable information is shared between the pregnant woman and the adoptive family. There is no communication between the two sides during the pregnancy nor after placement has occurred.

While open and semi-open adoptions are not for everyone, choosing to have a relationship with the adoptive family helps you feel confident in your decision to place your baby with that family. It also gives you the opportunity to remain updated or involved in your child's life. 

To learn more about having a relationship with your child's adoptive family, fill out this form to speak with an adoption specialist.

Step 3: View Adoptive Profiles to Find a Family

Once you have determined the type of family you are looking for and the relationship you wish to have with them, you are ready to start viewing adoptive family profiles. Through video profiles, you will get a better feel for a family and their personalities, with the intention of building a personal connection.

You can view as many profiles as needed to find a family or families that you feel may fit what you envision for your child. Based on your adoption planning your specialist will help you identify families based on the preferences you expressed when creating your adoption plan.

To view families who are hoping to adopt, click here.

Step 4: Begin Your Search Today

When you choose adoption, finding the best family for your baby is the top priority. When you choose American Adoptions, the process of finding a loving family who will provide the opportunity for your baby to grow up in the lifestyle you choose has never been easier. Fill out this form or call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with a specialist and begin your search for the best family.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is American Adoptions the right adoption agency choice for many birth mothers?

American Adoptions is one of the largest licensed adoption agencies in the United States. Each year, we work with thousands of women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and offer assistance to these women. Our large, caring staff is able to assist you seven days a week and provide you with one-on-one counseling about your pregnancy and available options.

You should choose an adoption agency where you feel completely comfortable with their services and staff. With American Adoptions, you will work with an Adoption Specialist who is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Adoption Specialist will be your advocate and will provide support and guidance as you create an adoption plan that is right for you.

How will the family tell my child about me and the adoption when my child is older?

Each family has their own style of introducing adoption to the child. When you are matched with an adoptive family, you can ask them this question. If you would like your Adoption Specialist to discuss it for you, just let her know. He or she can share your wishes or provide good ideas from other adoptive families.

You will also be able to share what you want your baby to know about you. You can complete a keepsake booklet to share hobbies, stories, photos of you and your family and a letter to your baby. The adoptive family can provide this to your child as he or she grows older. Be as creative as you like! Some birth mothers have even knitted a special blanket as a gift to their baby or given a similar symbol of their love.

The father of your baby can fill out the birth father's keepsake booklet or write a letter too. You may have other family members who would also like to share photos or a letter to the baby. This is your opportunity to pass on your and your family's love and to share your personality, history and reasons for choosing adoption. The adoptive family will treasure whatever information you provide and will share it with the baby at an appropriate age. In most adoptive homes, the word adoption is in the child's vocabulary early on, and adoption is celebrated in their lives.

Additional Resources

Teen Pregnancy - Information for Young Women

While not every woman who chooses adoption is a young mother, many are. Through adoption, many young women have found an ability to give their babies the best life possible, while finding the opportunity to realize their own dreams, as well. Call American Adoptions today at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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Adoption Glossary

Do adoption terms and phrases leave you feeling confused? Learn the meaning to key adoption words and phrases with our comprehensive adoption glossary.

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