Navigating your feelings: Understanding the emotional process of adoption
After you place your baby with another family, it’s normal to go through all the stages of grief with adoption. The emotional process of adoption can feel like you’re on a swing, moving from elation and relief to sadness and loss, and back again. These feelings may begin as soon as you realize you are pregnant, and they may continue for months or even years after you let your baby go to another loving home.
But our Texas adoption counselors are here to reassure you: All of your feelings during the emotional process of adoption come from a place of love for your child. And, though you may not believe it right away, you will not always feel this way. You will find peace with the decisions that you make during this challenging phase of your life.
The stages of grief with adoption
When your baby is born and leaves the hospital with their adoptive family, a sudden feeling of emptiness is natural and normal. You spent nine months nurturing this child inside you. When your baby finally came into the world, you made the beautiful but heartbreaking decision to allow this child to be raised by someone else. Leaving the hospital without your baby is a big milestone in adoption, and it’s OK to not feel OK.
Feeling conflicting emotions is also perfectly normal. You may feel simultaneously sad and happy, worried and relieved, fearful and optimistic. Some women go through all the stages of grief with adoption: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. All of this is a normal part of the emotional process of adoption.
How to manage the emotional process of adoption
Here’s one positive thing to focus on: Saying goodbye to your baby when you are discharged from the hospital doesn’t have to be a permanent goodbye. When you choose modern adoption with our Texas adoption agency, you will be able to decide ahead of time what your relationship with your child and the adoptive family will be like.
If you choose to, you can still play a role in your baby’s life. With the right adoption planning and support, you can trust in the knowledge that you will see your child again. Watching your child grow up safe and loved will ease your mind over the years, and bring you peace that you made the right choice.
There is peace in knowing that you did what is best for your child, and that they will know you love them and acted in their best interest. If you choose to be a part of your child’s life, you will have the chance to explain to your child why you chose adoption for them. When they are ready, you can make sure that they understand that this was not an easy decision for you, and that you chose to sacrifice your own feelings to give them opportunities that you were unable to provide.
Reach out to us to explore your adoption options
Our Texas adoption counselors continue to support first parents for years after they make the selfless choice to place their baby for adoption. It is helpful to have someone to talk to who understands adoption so well, and who has worked with countless first families and adoptive families through the years. We understand all the emotions you may feel before and after making this difficult decision. And again, we want to reassure you that everything you are feeling is natural, and that it will get better over time.
Our counselors can not only help you choose the adoption plan that gives you the most peace, we will also sit with you through all the stages of grief with adoption that you may experience afterward. We will walk through the emotional process of adoption with you, and you will never be alone. We are here to support you, so please reach out to us when you need us.
