It’s completely understandable that the home study is one of the hardest parts of the adoption for a lot of people; it’s not necessarily difficult, but it does require some preparation. The actual home visit is not as invasive as many think, but it does help to take some time to make sure you have everything that the inspector will be looking for. Below are a few tips on how to prepare for your home study.
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As you move forward with the adoption process and begin to envision your first days at home with your child, you may be considering how to start bonding with your child. Traditional families are able to begin bonding with their child before it is even born, so many adoptive families feel at a disadvantage. However, there are several things you can do to help develop a bond with the child you adopt, helping both you and the child establish yourselves as a new family.
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Closed adoptions were the most common adoption type, but in recent years open adoptions have far eclipsed them in number. There’s a reason for that — open adoptions have a number of benefits over their closed counterparts. Adoptees benefit from contact with their birthparents in a number of ways, as we discuss below.
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As the time grows near for a birthmother to deliver her baby, she may in some cases experience some anxiety about the birth. Even with counseling and birthing classes, fear of the unknown is inevitable and can cause undue worry even in a pregnancy that has been otherwise uneventful. An adoption birth plan can help alleviate some of those fears by giving you a plan for you, the hospital staff, and the adoptive parents to adhere to. Below are some things to keep in mind as you create your birth plan.
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It’s no secret that adoption is not cheap; in fact, it is often one of the biggest barriers people face to becoming parents through adoption. Each adoption will vary in cost based on a number of factors, but it’s almost always a pretty penny. But where does the money go? Below, we take a look at what costs so much in an adoption so you can have an idea of exactly what you’re saving up for.
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Adoption facilitators offer an incredibly useful service; they specialize in making the initial connection between a birthmother and an adoptive family, using a number of tools to help ensure you find the right fit. They may use questionnaires, counseling, interviews, and more to help determine which birthmother and adoptive family are likely to make a good fit for each other. However, because facilitators are not licensed or regulated beyond basic business regulations, some states restrict their use.
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Adoptees, birthparents, and adoptive parents often have a lot to say about adoption privacy laws. Some believe one side or the other deserves complete privacy, while others argue that adoptees deserve to know who their birth family is. Adoption laws are currently undergoing quite a few changes, which can make it difficult for those involved to know what their options are. Below are some of the current conditions to keep in mind.
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Many adoptive parents who are doing an infant adoption have a rose-tinted view of how the big day will go. They’ll get the call, be in the room during the birth, and be the first ones to hold their new baby. However, it’s important to remember the one working the hardest during all of this: the birthmother. Here are some tips about how to make your time at the hospital go smoothly for all involved.
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Now that open adoptions are more common, secretive adoptions where the child and the birthmother have no knowledge of each other are, for many, a thing of the past. Instead, adoptive parents often communicate with the birthparents, sharing updates like photos and videos as the child grows. Below are some of the methods of communication you might consider setting up with your child’s birthparents.
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Pregnancy and childbirth can be a difficult time even under in the best of times, but birthparents often have some less than ideal circumstances to deal with during this time in their lives. Even if you feel completely sure that placing your child for adoption is the best choice for both you and the child, you may experience a roller coaster of emotions in the weeks, months, and even years following the placement. Below are some helpful resources you might consider taking advantage of to make this time easier for you.
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