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Jane's Adoption Story

I was 19 years old and 2 months pregnant. I told my boyfriend about the pregnancy and he left me the very next day. I tried to call him but he had his phone turned off. I heard from a friend that he moved out of the state. I was devastated. I couldn’t raise a child. I was working as a server and wasn’t supposed to start college until next year. I knew that my only option was to put this child up for adoption. My sister and I were living together and she was the best support system that anyone could have ever asked for. My sister and I moved to another state when I was 5 months along. We had planned to move for a long and we got the opportunity to do it. I knew in my heart that it was a girl; my sister thought it was a boy. The ultrasound proved me right.

Other than the morning sickness in the beginning and close to the end, the bladder infection, and the anemia, I had a pretty normal pregnancy. My doctor was the best ever and made me feel comfortable about the labor and delivery aspect. I started to have contractions at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 12, 2004. My water broke at 12:30 p.m. and I was at the hospital by 1:30 p.m. I was given an epidural, but I could still feel some pain. I started to have contractions, one right on top of another. The baby wasn’t getting enough oxygen, so they gave me some medicine to slow the contractions down. Then they gave me the second epidural. The nurse came to cheer me on and said to get ready to push. She asked the doctor to wash up because my baby was crowning. After about 6 pushes she was out and I could finally see my toes again. I gained 44 pounds and it felt like I lost about 30 the first time I stood up. I held her after she was born and when she opened her eyes and looked at me; my heart melted. My sister and I were just sitting there looking at her and crying. She was so beautiful. It was amazing how a 7 pound baby came from such a small stomach.

I hate hospitals so I was happy when my doctor said that I could go home the next day. I saw her before I left and held her for about an hour and a half. She had a full head of black hair and was the most precious thing that I had ever seen. The next day she was picked up by her adoptive parents. My sister and I met with them three days later on my actual due date. They are the most wonderful people. After meeting them I knew I had made the right decision. They had only been with the Agency 12 days when they got the call about their new daughter. Seeing her with her parents made my eyes start to water. She fit so perfectly into their family and they couldn’t have been more excited about her. They were already showing pictures of her to everyone.

If I hadn’t found American Adoptions; I never would have met her new parents. They are perfect for her. Some agencies put the baby in a foster home until all of the paperwork is done. One of my biggest concerns was she would be in a foster home and not with her new mother. I was relieved to know that she was picked up from the hospital by her new parents. I made the right decision and I am proud of it. She will now have a life with a mother and a father and be given everything that she will ever need. She will have the life my mother and father gave to me. She deserves the best life and her new parents can give that to her.

I thank American Adoptions for making my decision easy and helping me through the whole process. They are truly God-sent and everyone that works for them.

Jane

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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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