 Frequently
Asked Questions From Pregnant Women
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1. What is open adoption?
At Cradle of Hope, birthmothers can
choose the adoptive family for the baby
and decide whether they would like
contact with the baby and the adoptive
family after the baby is born. Some
women would like to see pictures of the
baby and get letters from the adoptive
family. Other women would like the
chance to visit with the adoptive family
and the baby. An adoptive placement
where there is contact between the
birthmother and the adopting family is
called an open adoption. The counselors
at Cradle of Hope can help you to decide
what type of adoption is best for you
and your child.
2. I’m not sure where to start. What
do I do first?
You’ve already started, by reading
about adoption on the Internet. It’s
important for you to learn about your
options so that you can make the best
possible decisions for you and your
baby. A counselor at Cradle of Hope can
provide you with support, counseling and
information. If you decide that adoption
is the best plan for you and your baby,
we can help you through each step of the
process. Call us at 301-587-4400.
3. I don’t have any medical
insurance. How will I pay my medical
bills?
A counselor at Cradle of Hope can
assist you in getting the medical
coverage that you are entitled to. If
you don’t qualify for medical insurance
and you decide that adoption is the best
choice for you and your baby, the
medical bills for your pregnancy and
your delivery can be covered by the
adopting family.
4. Will I get to choose the adoptive
family?
Yes you can. We believe that you
should be able to select the adoptive
family for your baby. You can see
profiles of prospective adoptive
families who have already been approved
as adoptive parents. We do not
pre-select families or limit the number
of family profiles that you can
view. The counselors at Cradle of Hope
want to be sure that you have all the
options in your situation so that you
can make the best decision possible.
Also, it’s important to know that you do
not have to select the adoptive family
if you would prefer not to. Your
counselor can discuss your preferences
about the type of adoptive family you’d
like and the counselor will then select
a family based upon your requests.
5. Will my baby go into foster care?
No. Many women strongly prefer that
their baby goes directly home to their
new family. We believe that babies
should be placed directly with the
adoptive parents that you have selected.
6. Do I have to pick the family?
You aren’t required to select a
family for the baby. Some woman ask
their counselor to select a family based
on what they feel is important in a
family. For instance, some women would
like a family with a stay at home
parent, others feel that the religious
background of the family is important to
them, while other women may want the
adoptive family to share some of their
hobbies and interests. If you’re not
comfortable choosing the adoptive
family, we can help. It’s up to you.
7. Can I stay in touch?
Absolutely! You should consider what
kind of contact you would like to have
with the adoptive family after the baby
is placed with them. You can exchange
letters and photos, emails or even
visit. A Cradle of Hope counselor can
help you to find a family that looks
forward to the continued contact that
you are most comfortable with.
8. What if I don’t want to meet the
adoptive family?
You don’t have to. You can decide if
you are comfortable meeting the adoptive
family or not. For some women, meeting
seems scary at first. That’s why is so
important to know that your Cradle of
Hope counselor will help you to decide
what makes the most sense for you.
9. What do I have to do?
You will need to provide information
about your medical background for the
baby. And, if you decide that adoption
is the right plan for you there is
paperwork that must be completed. But
everything else in the adoption plan is
flexible – you can decide if you would
like to select the family, if you would
like to meet them before the baby is
born, if you want to keep in touch after
the baby is placed, and so many other
things. That’s why it’s important to
connect with one of our counselors. She
will help you through each decision and
be there to support you. |