If you are a birth mother deciding on your adoption plan, you have many choices available to you. One of these important decisions determines how much contact to keep with your baby after adoption, if any at all. Which should you choose: an open or closed adoption agency? While this is a big decision, don’t let it overwhelm you! Learn how St. Elizabeth Foundation can help facilitate your adoption process and help you better understand the differences between open and closed adoptions.
How an Open and Closed Adoption Agency Differ
The major difference between an open and closed adoption agency is how private the adoption process is. Mothers who opt for a closed adoption remain fully confidential. They do not meet their baby’s adoptive family or maintain contact during or after adoption. In an open or even semi-open adoption, the birth mother maintains communication with her baby and the birth family after placement.
Depending on the circumstances of the adoption, a closed adoption may be a safe choice for your baby. After the adoption is completed, a closed adoption agency ensures that the baby and birth mother will not be identified or connected. Positive impacts of closed adoption include safe boundaries for the baby and full anonymity for the birth mother. However, closed adoptions can have negative impacts on your baby, including feelings of loss, low self-esteem, and a lack of identity.
Through open adoption, birth mothers can maintain a connection with their babies as they grow up. With both their birth mother and adoptive family, these children have access to a wider support system. And, they can better understand their family history and genetic health. With a greater feeling of belonging, these children often have better senses of self and more positive mental health outcomes.
Which Type of Adoption Is Right for You?
As a birth mother placing your baby for adoption, it is important to ask these questions when determining which type of adoption is right for you.
- Do my circumstances allow me to visit my child after the adoption?
- How much communication am I willing to have with the adoptive parents?
- Do I want to keep my adoption anonymous?
- What kind of adoption has my baby’s best interests in mind?
When thinking through the answers to these questions, consider whether you want to have open communication with your baby after the completed adoption. If the answer is no, a closed adoption may be your best choice. But if you are interested in staying in touch with your child, an open or even semi-open adoption may be right for you.
A closed adoption agency can help birth mothers complete the adoption process while maintaining full privacy. At St. Elizabeth Foundation, we specialize in open adoptions as well as in the facilitation of closed adoptions. We help birth mothers develop a birth plan and connect them to adopting families nationwide. Throughout the process, we provide counseling, financial support, and emotional care as they prepare for birth and adoption.
If you opted for open or semi-open adoption, our experts help to facilitate your post-placement terms. This includes scheduling meetings, mediating conversations, and helping birth mothers and adoptive parents get the most out of their visits.
Partner With Our Adoption Agency
Are you deciding between an open or closed adoption agency? St. Elizabeth Foundation would love to support you on your journey by sharing more about our adoption process. If you are considering placing your baby for adoption, we can help you determine your best birth and adoption plan. And, we also offer counseling services before and after placement.
Give us a call at 225-769-8888 or send us a message to see how we can provide help during an unplanned pregnancy. From start to finish, we are here to encourage and empower you to make the decisions you want. Reach out to us today to learn more.