Open Adoption

best option for adoptionOpen adoption is now considered to be the best option for adoptions. It provides so many benefits for the child, the birth family, and the adoptive parents, known collectively as the ‘adoption triad’. Let’s take some time and examine some of those benefits, and how they can affect your choices in adoption.

Open Adoption is Not Goodbye Forever
In years past, a choice of adoption was saying goodbye forever for both the child and the birth parents, especially the birth mother. Open adoption provides the ability to stay in touch in a variety of ways, such as through letters and photos, emails, phone calls, texting, and even getting together for a visit each year.

The birth mother (and birth family if others are involved) can see the child and know that he or she is growing up happy, with the life that they hoped for him or her to have. This provides that reassurance that adoption was the right decision.

For the child, he or she knows who their birth mother is, and perhaps even birth father or birth grandparents. There is an opportunity to ask and get answers to questions as he or she grows into adolescence and wonders about the choice of adoption that was made. It has shown to produce children who are more confident in who they are, because they know the truth from the beginning.

Open Adoption Provides More Medical Information
With changes in medical technology, having access to biological relatives for information or more can be a life or death matter. If a child develops leukemia, a biological connection is possible for consideration of a bone marrow transplant. Similarly, if a birth parent’s future child contracts the same, that connection to the adoptive family may give them the same opportunity.

That connection also gives more advanced medical history that may be needed when complications arise. For instance, if a birth mother develops breast cancer, she can alert the adoptive parents that this is now part of the genetic biological history. Or, if a child is ill and the doctors have questions that extend past the basic medical history, access is available for answers and hopefully a cure.

Open Adoption Provides a Foundation for a Relationship
When an agreement has been made to keep in touch, it provides a foundation for the future relationship. This may be most important in the beginning for the birth mother, but as time goes on, it often becomes increasingly important for the adoptive parents and ultimately the child.

There isn’t that awkward wondering about where a child is, or if he or she will come looking for me. The relationship is established in the beginning. It may change over time, and may be more open at times, less open at others, but the foundation is there. That provides the understanding that all members of the triad intend to stay in touch.

Do you have questions about open adoption? Call or text us anytime at 1.800.923.6784.

We can help you specifically with your situation and find families who are open to the level of contact you are seeking.