Adoption language can be an unknown (and sometimes uncomfortable) terrority if you’re not familiar with it. Luckily, we have created a list of terms and definitions to help clarify some of the terms you will hear frequently throughout your adoption journey!
Continue readingAdopting in Texas: Getting Approved
You’ve decided you’re ready to take the plunge! You’re ready to start the Texas adoption process. But what’s required? Do you meet the qualifications to be approved?
Continue readingMy Teen Daughter is Pregnant
“My teen daughter is pregnant!” What should you do, what options does your daughter have, and how do you make a decision? Read to find out!
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Though you may be scared and overwhelmed, it’s going to be okay. Learn about your options with a pregnancy at 14 years old.
Continue reading10 Teen Pregnancy Quotes
As an expectant mother, you have several options available to you.
In this article, we discuss what your rights are as a pregnant woman. Also, we will also discuss what your options are and how best to decide what to do.
Continue readingDo You Get Paid for Adoption?
Do you get paid for adoption? Find out the answer, as well as other ways adoption agencies support you through the adoption process.
Continue readingUnplanned Pregnancy Options in Texas
If you have an unplanned pregnancy, you are most likely feeling overwhelmed, confused about what to do. Or, even a little scared about the future.
You may even be nervous about telling your family about the unexpected pregnancy. It’s natural to feel this way. After all, you didn’t expect to get pregnant at this time.
You can gain control of your situation!
The first step is to explore your options for unplanned pregnancy and reflect on your true feelings about them. Then, you will be able to come to a solution that is best for you and your baby.
Once you make a decision that you know is best, rest assured that you will be much more at peace with your situation.
We’ve compiled a list of unplanned pregnancy options in Texas for you to consider. Be sure to really think about each option before making a decision. Follow your heart. Only you know what feels right for your situation.
Texas Unplanned Pregnancy Options for You to Consider
Parenting
If you have an unplanned pregnancy, the first thing you need to determine is whether or not you would like to keep your baby. So it’s important to ask yourself, Is parenting right for me?
Parenting can be a wonderful, rewarding experience. However, it also comes with a lot of responsibility.
Parenting a child can be expensive with the cost of hospital bills, diapers, clothes, a crib, toys, and more. Are you financially stable to care for a child? What steps can you take to be financially prepared?
Do you have anyone to support you? Perhaps you have a partner, friends, or family who will help you with finances, babysitting, and more.
What are your hopes, dreams, and plans for the future? How will parenting affect those dreams? If parenting is the appropriate decision for you, you may want to realign your timeline to consider your child.
Many women with unplanned pregnancies take on the adventure of parenting. Even women who are sixteen and pregnant can go to college and get an education when they have support.
However, if you feel you are unequipped to care for a baby, you may consider other options.
Ultimately, whatever option you choose is a personal decision. You must make the choice that is best for you and your child, no matter what choice that is.
Adoption
Your next unplanned pregnancy option is adoption. Adoption can be a beautiful process because you are giving a life-changing gift to a loving family.
However, adoption can also be a challenging process. It can be emotional for a birth mother to place her baby with another family. Ask yourself, is adoption right for me?
When a birth mother chooses adoption, she typically works with an adoption agency. The agency works personally with expectant mothers, helping them choose the adoption plan that works for her.
If you chose adoption, you would choose the family that adopts your baby, then you choose what type of relationship you have with the family. If you want to meet the adoptive family and get to know them, you can do that. However, if you would rather not meet them, that’s okay too.
The point is you are in the driver’s seat. You are in complete control of what happens to you and your baby. The adoption agency will support you every step of the way.
In an adoption, the adoptive family will pay for all your medical bills associated with the pregnancy. Additionally, if you need a safe, comfortable place to live, the adoption agency can help you find housing. If you need financial support, medical care, insurance, transportation assistance, or emotional support, the adoption agency can help with that too.
Abortion
Abortion is often considered a controversial topic in American society. In the end, abortion is a personal decision only you can decide. If this is an option you are interested in, talk to your doctor to learn more about what an abortion would involve.
Talk to a Professional
If you are considering adoption, the first step is to contact an adoption center that can help you.
Texas Adoption Center is a down-to-earth, professional adoption agency that is filled with people that are warm, caring, and dedicated to your well-being.
Their goal is to empower you to make choices that are right for you. When you leave Texas Adoption Center’s program, you will have a solid foundation for moving forward, looking ahead to a bright, productive future. They will be your supporters for the rest of your life.
Additionally, if you need services such as emotional or financial support, housing, transportation assistance, medical care, or health insurance, Texas Adoption Center can help!
For more information, call Texas Adoption Center at 844-893-7943 or text them at 361-461-3742.
Help! Where to Find Housing for Pregnant Women
Pregnancy can be a stressful time in a woman’s life. No woman should feel unsafe or uncomfortable in her current living condition. If you are living in an unstable or toxic environment or experiencing homelessness, it’s important you find housing that makes you feel safe.
In this article, you can find out where to find housing for pregnant women that is right for you.
Where to Find Housing for Pregnant Women
With an Adoption Agency
If you have decided to place your baby for adoption, you have made a courageous decision. This time in your life can be stressful, however, so it may be helpful to enlist the help of an adoption center.
Adoption centers can help you find housing, provide transportation to and from appointments, and even help with medical care and health insurance.
The adoption center may also assist you financially. For example, if you cannot afford utilities, groceries, phone bills, laundry, or personal care items, the adoption center may be able to help you.
To help you find housing, the center may find a hotel or apartment for you to stay in on a long-term basis. They may also place you in a maternity shelter.
In the end, the adoption center will work personally with you to find you a place to stay or live that you will feel comfortable in.
In a Maternity Shelter
Maternity shelters are homes designed specifically for pregnant women. There, you will find all the amenities you will need during your pregnancy.
Additionally, you will be surrounded by other women who are going through similar situations as you are.
Staff members can help you make prenatal appointments or schedule a doctor to visit you onsight. They may even have temporary work available for you during your stay. Many even offer educational programs, job coaching, and other life skills!
All in all, there can be a strong sense of community at maternity shelters.
If you are placing your baby for adoption, the adoption agency you work with can help you find a maternity shelter to stay at. Additionally, they will pay for your stay there.
Before choosing a maternity shelter to stay at, make sure it is a nice one. Many maternity shelters have great amenities and can be a wonderful choice for pregnant women.
However, not all facilities have nice amenities. They could be too restrictive regarding your schedule, curfew, diet, or doctor’s appointments. Additionally, some shelters are affiliated with a certain religion and may pressure you to share their beliefs.
Therefore, it’s important you choose a maternity shelter that you feel comfortable at.
Friends and Family
Do you know anyone who you could stay with? If you would rather live with a friend or family member than by yourself or in your current situation, be sure to reach out to them.
You deserve to stay in a place where you feel safe. If that is with someone you know, just ask them. The worst they can do is say no.
Talk to a Professional
Finding housing for pregnant women can be challenging. However, with the right help, you can find a safe, secure, and comfortable place to stay during this time in your life.
If you have decided to place your baby for adoption, Texas Adoption Center can help! They offer a variety of services for pregnant women.
For example, they can help you with housing, transportation, medical care, health insurance, financial support, and emotional support. They are a professional, down-to-earth adoption agency that wants to help you feel empowered to make decisions that are right for you.
In the end, your happiness and well-being are their number one priority. Texas Adoption Center will help you through the adoption process every step of the way! For more information, give them a call at (512) 893-7943.
Birth Moms Looking for Adoptive Parents: Where to Look
If you’re a birth mom looking for adoptive parents, you’ve come to the right place. Read to learn more about where you can look for adoptive parents!
Continue readingAdoption Process for Birth Mothers: 7 Steps
I think adoption might be right for me. But, what is the adoption process for birth mothers?
If you have an unplanned pregnancy, you are probably feeling a lot of emotions. You may feel scared, nervous, or unsure about what to do.
Know that those feelings are completely natural. Right now, you should feel empowered to make decisions that are right for you and your baby.
First of all, you have options.
As an expectant mother, you have complete rights over what happens to you and your baby. If you are considering adoption, you are probably wondering where you should start and what the process will be like.
The adoption process may seem intimidating, but we are here to help you through the process. So we’ve compiled a list of the seven steps of the adoption process for birth mothers.
The 7 Steps of the Adoption Process for Birth Mothers
[Short on time? Jump to the adoption process for birth mother infographic!]
1. Choose an Adoption Agency
There are several options in the adoption process for birth mothers.
One option is to contact an adoption facilitator, who can provide you with legal advice about the adoption. Adoption facilitators are a good option for expectant mothers who already know who will adopt their baby.
Some expectant mothers may need more support through the adoption process, such as financial and emotional assistance. The right adoption center will give you that support, while a facilitator generally does not offer those services.
Adoption centers walk you through the process, making sure you feel confident and comfortable every step of the way. They will educate you on everything you need to know about the adoption process so you can make the best decisions for you and your baby.
Additionally, many adoption agencies will provide you support even after the adoption takes place, making sure you are emotionally, physically, and financially strong for years to come.
Adoption centers do not cost you any money. Rather, they may offer you financial and medical assistance if you need it. Additionally, they will pay for your doctor appointments and hospital bills associated with pregnancy and delivery.
In the end, make sure the adoption agency you choose has your well-being in mind. They should give you the down-to-earth support you deserve during this time in your life.
2. Select the Type of Adoption
There are three main types of adoption to choose from. Keep in mind that you have the power to choose whatever option works best for you and your circumstances. Additionally, you can customize your plan to suit your needs.
Open Adoption
The first type is open adoption, which has many benefits.
First, you can choose the family that adopts your baby. Additionally, if you want to, you can meet the family you choose to adopt your baby. You can exchange contact information and get to know them.
On the other hand, if you only want to meet them a few times and don’t want a relationship, that’s okay too.
In the end, in an open adoption, the kind of relationship you have with the adoptive family is completely up to you.
Moreover, after you have delivered, you have the option of keeping in contact with the family. You may receive letters, emails, calls, or even visit them if you wish.
Semi-Open Adoption
A semi-open adoption is very similar. You can choose the family, meet them, and develop a relationship with them if you wish to.
However, the biggest difference between the two types of adoption is that in a semi-open adoption, you do not directly contact the family after the adoption takes place.
You may receive letters or pictures of your baby over the years, but no personal contact is permitted.
Closed Adoption
Last but not least is the closed adoption. In a closed adoption, the adoption agency chooses the adoptive family for you.
You do not meet the family or develop a relationship with them. In addition, you most likely won’t spend time with them in the hospital after you deliver, nor will you keep in touch or contact them once the adoption is complete.
In the end, you don’t have as many choices as you would in an open or semi-open adoption.
3. Choose an Adoptive Family
If you chose an open or semi-open adoption, the next step is selecting the adoptive family.
To get started, the adoption agency will show you adoption profiles. These profiles are full of pictures of individuals and couples who want to adopt.
There is also information about where they work, what they do for fun, what their lives are like, and more. These profiles are written and created by the families themselves so you can get to know different families before you choose.
To see examples of families waiting to adopt, you can check out Texas Adoption Center’s family profiles.
4. Meet With the Family
After you’ve chosen a family to adopt your baby, you can choose to meet them in person.
Your adoption agent, who is assigned to you by the adoption center, can come with you to provide support. We know it can be nerve-wracking to meet your baby’s adoptive family, but know that you have all the support in the world. You also have all the power.
You can develop a personal relationship with them, or you can keep your distance. The choice is yours!
5. Plan for the Hospital
Now that you’ve developed your adoption plan with an adoption specialist, it’s time to plan for the hospital.
This step may include arranging transportation to the hospital. Moreover, you may want to pack a bag with comfortable clothes, toiletries, water, a cell phone charger, pillows, a robe, and an outfit to travel home in.
It’s also a good idea to print up a birth plan, which outlines how you want the birth to go before, during, and after delivery. Your adoption agent will help you write this up.
Last but not least, do you want the adoptive family to spend time with you at the hospital after you deliver? It’s important to have a plan for how you would like this interaction to go. Your adoption agent will help you with this too.
In the state of Texas, the law states that you must keep your baby for forty-eight hours after delivery before signing the adoption papers.
During this time, you maintain full parental rights. This ensures you’ve had time to think about your decision truly. After you sign the papers, there’s no going back on your decision. So make sure you plan for this too.
Your adoption agency will help you plan all of this. You aren’t alone!
6. Delivery
The time has come to deliver! After preparing with an adoption specialist, you should feel confident, prepared, and empowered as you head to the hospital.
Placing your baby for adoption is a courageous decision to make. You are allowing a family to grow their family.
7. After the Delivery
As mentioned, immediately after the delivery, you must maintain parental rights for forty-eight hours. You may spend this time at the hospital if you wish. Moreover, if you chose an open or semi-open adoption, you can spend this time with the adoptive family, but only if you want to.
After forty-eight hours, if you still want to place your baby for adoption, you can relinquish your rights as the baby’s guardian and allow the adoptive family to gain guardianship.
Many birth mothers feel a tumult of emotions at this time. She may feel regret or have a period of grief. Your adoption agency can help you through this. Talk to them about finding local support groups, helpful birth mother blogs, or books for birth mothers. These resources can help you see what other birth parents have gone through and how they got through the grieving process.
Partner with the Best Adoption Agency
This is a simple rundown of the adoption process for birth mothers. However, it is a much more nuanced situation than most. That’s why we recommend partnering with the best adoption agency.
Texas Adoption Agency is a professional, down-to-earth adoption agency helping birth moms in Texas through the adoption process. Their team is full of loving people who care about your happiness and well-being. They can provide you with support during this stressful time in your life. Whether you need emotional support, financial support, housing, transportation, medical care, or insurance, Texas Adoption Center can help provide you with the services you need.
Texas Adoption Agency’s goal is to empower you to make choices with confidence, no matter what those choices may be. You should be able to look to the future with full hope, happiness, and stability in mind. And Texas Adoption Agency will help you do just that.
Contact Texas Adoption Agency today to learn more about how they can help you through the adoption process!