Adoption agencies provide support services to birth mothers throughout the entire adoption process. These include counseling, financial assistance, and legal assistance.
Many birth mothers are looking for a family that will provide a stable and loving home. Sharing photos of your cozy home and neighborhood can help reassure her that you will be a good parent.
Postnatal Health Monitoring
After giving birth, a new mother requires comprehensive medical care to ensure she recovers properly.
This includes regular check-ups, monitoring for postpartum complications like hemorrhage, infection, or deep vein thrombosis, and managing any pre-existing or pregnancy-related health conditions.
Proper medical care helps in early identification and management of physical health issues, ensuring the overall well-being of the birthmother.
Preparing for Adoption
When a birthmother decides to place her child for adoption, she must know that many services are available to her. She will need counseling to work through her emotions, and she will need assistance locating adoptive parents. An adoption agency or an adoption professional can provide these birthmother services.
Once she finds an adoptive family, it is also important that a birthmother knows that she can communicate with them in any way that she wants. This can include letters, emails, telephone calls or face-to-face meetings.
Many states require adoptive parents to complete a home study before bringing a child into their home. This can be time-consuming and requires a lot of paperwork. This is a good time for adoptive parents to take infant CPR and first aid classes to prepare them for an emergency with their adopted child. Adoptive parents should also consider preparing their employer for unexpected time off when the adoptee arrives.
Preparing for the Birth
There is a lot of information about birth preparations, which can be overwhelming. Birth mothers need to understand their options and make informed decisions. But it’s also vital to remember that birth can go in a different direction than expected.
A birth plan can help a woman stay calm and confident during labor and childbirth. She can decide her preferences, such as who she wants to cut the umbilical cord and where she would like to deliver.
She may also want to fill out the hospital paperwork in advance so she’s ready when it’s time to go to the hospital. In addition, she can ask her family or friends to cook or drop off meals and offer emotional support during recovery. This can include everything from spa-related items, such as lotions and bath bombs, to leisure-related things, like chamomile teas and magazines.
Post-Adoption Support
After the adoption process, a birth mother will need time to heal and feel at peace with her decision. She may be lonely without her family nearby and need adoptive parents to rely on. The birth mother may also want to communicate with the adoptive family to learn more about them daily, especially if open communication was agreed upon in her adoption plan.
The birth mother may choose to have a phone call, letter writing exchange, telephone or face-to-face meetings with prospective adoptive families. This will help her decide whether the adoptive family is right for her and her child.
Some states will cover birth mothers’ medical, hospital, nursing, pharmaceutical and travel expenses. Some states also allow adoptive families to give a one-time gift to the birth mother. These gifts should be based on need and are generally in gift cards. These can be extremely helpful for a birthmother during the post-adoption period.
Physical Recovery and Rehabilitation
Childbirth can be a very phsyical and taxing process. A birthmothers recovery might involve working on strengthening her body postpartum.
This can include physical therapy, especially if there were complications during delivery, or exercise programs designed to help strengthen the pelvic floor, improve cardiovascular health, and aid overall physical recovery.
Safe, postnatal exercise programs can also help in mental health by boosting mood and alleviating stress.
After-Adoption Support
Whether a birth mother decides to continue with the adoption or not, some services can help her process her thoughts and feelings about her decision. Many women find comfort in counseling, which is available to them from the adoption agency or professionals she is working with.
Birth mothers are often faced with financial hurdles during pregnancy and afterward. Some may be able to receive assistance for medical and living expenses from the adoptive family, while other costs are covered by Medicaid or the state’s healthcare system. The adoption professional she works with can explain more about what’s available.
After the adoption, birth mothers can also receive support from a group that supports other birth parents.