Your decision to adopt a baby probably didn’t happen overnight. Most couples take weeks, months, or years to move from fertility treatments to adoption. It’s important that you make sure you’re ready to adopt before you start the adoption process.
Today, Lifetime shares three basic requirements you should meet before signing on with an adoption professional:
1. You’ve Moved on from Infertility
So that your adoption can be successful, the decision must be fully embraced by both of you.
People handle stressful situations and grieve differently. So, it’s common for one spouse to be ready to adopt and the other to be uncertain.
Allow your spouse fully grieve failed fertility treatments, and the dream of having a child biologically, so that they can move through the grief and loss process at their own pace. If one of you isn’t fully ready to move to adoption, it might lead to complications during the adoption process down the road. Neither of you should feel pressured into adopting just because the other one is ready.
We encourage you to see an infertility counselor or a marriage and family counselor if you’re struggling to move on from infertility.
2. You Have Similar Adoption Plans
Just as each of you should be ready to adopt, you should also be on the same page as to how you’re going to adopt. Consider if you want to:
- Adopt a newborn or an older child.
- Adopt domestically, internationally or through foster care.
- Adopt a baby of a specific gender.
- Adopt a baby of a particular ethnicity
- Be in contact with the birth parents, and if so, how much.
Speaking with an Adoption Coordinator at Lifetime will help both of you gain a better understanding of all the elements in adoption. Listening to webinars will help you gain more information about all aspects of adoption. Visit AdoptionWebinar.com to get started. Seek input from adoptive families for their experience with the type of adoption you’re interested in.
3. You’re Financially Ready for Adoption
There will be various adoption costs you need to prepare for. Examples include medical, legal and travel expenses.
Begin by carefully researching all of your options. Balance those costs with your budget to decide if you’re financially ready to pursue adoption. If finances are a concern, look into adoption fundraising, grants, and loans.
When you’re deciding whether or not you are ready to adopt, it’s essential to communicate openly with your spouse. Talk about all aspects of adoption, financial security, adoption goals, and your feelings surrounding infertility.
If you’re both ready to adopt or if you have questions about moving on from infertility, call Lifetime Adoption Agency at
1-800-923-6784.
1-800-923-6784.
