Information about working with different types of adoption agencies.

Decisions for women who are pregnant and don’t want a baby. Faced with the decision of raising an unwanted baby or giving it up for adoption, birth mothers can feel like they are in a no-win situation. Losing control of their lives is a big concern for women who are pregnant and don’t want a baby. They don’t want to risk giving their baby an unknown future but they realize that they are not ready to be mothers.

Faced with public or private adoption agencies

Public Adoption Agencies: Immediately after taking your baby home, you may become overwhelmed, realize that you cannot care for your baby adequately, and are not ready to be a mother. Rather than abandoning or neglecting your child, you can take advantage of Baby Safe Haven laws in your state. This allows you to leave your baby with an employee on duty at any hospital, emergency medical service provider or child welfare agency. In Texas, the law stipulates that:

• the child must be less than 60 days old
• there can be no signs of abuse
• parents’ names are anonymous, unless you choose to share important information such as birthdate, place of birth, race and medical history
• parents cannot be publicized or prosecuted and no questions can be asked
• all parental rights are relinquished quickly
• the baby will be placed with a caregiver until a foster or adoptive family can be found
• birth parents have no input on the child’s placement

Private adoption agencies: These licensed organizations are staffed with social workers who are trained to work with women who are pregnant and don’t want a baby – or at least are unsure of their decision. They work with you to anticipate your or your baby’s needs before and after it is born.

If you believe that adoption with a private adoption agency will be the best choice for you and your child, then you can choose an:

• open adoption so that you can be involved in the child’s life
• semi-open adoption and work with your counselor to create a plan for pictures, letters and possibly even some visits after placement
• closed adoption without further communication

You can choose the adoptive family’s race, marital status, religion, cultural background and other factors that reflect your hopes for the child’s future. The adoption agency can handle any of the details that you don’t want to or are not equipped to address. In addition, the agency can help you obtain prenatal health care and counseling while you are expecting. They also can help pay for maternity related expenses that may be difficult for you to afford.

There are a lot of decisions to be made by women who are pregnant and don’t want a baby. Contact the caring counselors at Legacy Adoption Services to explore the best options for you and your baby.