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Amanda's Adoption Story

In January of 2007, I found out I was pregnant. I was very upset and wondering how this could happen, I was on the pill and had a 5 month old and 2 yr old already at home already. I knew I could not properly care for another child, because I was basically on my own with the two I already had, they all shared the same father, but we were on an off period. I hid my pregnancy from everyone and really didn’t seek any prenatal care because I didn’t want to believe that I was really pregnant. I couldn’t abort the baby so I started thinking about adoption. I first contacted another agency but they were really slow with contacting me, and since I hadn’t seen a doctor I couldn’t fully fill out all the information so I put it off for awhile.

 

When I got even closer to when I was due, I started looking again at agencies. By that time the father knew I was pregnant and agreed with me about adoption. I sent in an informational form to American Adoptions and heard back the next day. The day after that I talked to Sarah Anderson and from there everything went great. I finally set up a doctor’s appointment, I started looking more into families to see who was available and who wasn’t out of the one’s I like most. I went into labor unexpectedly only a few weeks after first talking with Sarah so we didn’t have a family picked out or anything. I had my baby girl on Labor Day and she went into the office that day to start looking for a family to get there ASAP. With it being a holiday it was really hard getting a lot done. We had a few failed hopes on families, but Sarah told me to look online at a few different couples the next day, and so I looked and really started getting really good feelings about one particular couple.  So Sarah contacted them and they were ecstatic! They of course left work early and got on the road and to my state as fast as they could. Sarah had a local adoption worker from my state meet me at the hospital to go over the process and made sure I had no questions, and if I wanted to meet the family for lunch with her the next day. Of course I agreed, so when we met the next day I knew that this was all meant to be. They were the sweetest and cutest couple. They were very interested in me, my family, and of course their new daughter. The more we talked during lunch the more I fell in love with them. I am so glad that the other families fell through so that we were connected. After lunch I took them up to meet Lauren, the name they chose for the baby. Seeing them with her that day is indescribable, they had waited so long for a child of their own and now it was here. They also were too cute making sure that they were holding her right, wanting to know how much to feed her, how to swaddle her, and making a list of everything that they would need for her since it was a last minute call and really didn’t have anything ready for a baby.  They were so attached that they didn’t even want to leave her alone at the hospital that night so opted to stay with her instead of at their hotel. That really showed me that they would really care for and raise her right. 

 

Saying goodbye to Lauren was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do in my life, but it really did make me feel so much better that she was going to have a great life with wonderful parents who will be able to give her so much more than I ever could. The family and I still keep in touch a lot, they have a website that they update every so often with new pictures and updates about Lauren, and we also email each other as well as they have sent me some pictures. I can’t say enough how happy I am about how things worked out in the end. I loved Lauren enough to want so much more for her than I would be able to give her, which is why I chose to place her for adoption. Thank you Sarah and American Adoptions for making this process as easy as possible when going down this route.

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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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