Open Adoption Stories

Hi, my name is Lori and I am the proud mom of two beautiful, healthy, fun-loving boys. For my husband and I, the fertility journey was a roller coaster ride, but in comparison, adopting through Lifetime Adoption was a breeze!

We really knew that our goal was to become parents and being pregnant no longer played an important role. We just wanted our own family to love, nurture and adore and we knew adoption was a “sure thing.” Now we have it all!

Before finding Lifetime Adoption, we searched through countless agencies and facilitators. When we came across Lifetime Adoption, we researched every inch of their adoption program and we knew we found the people we wanted to work for us.

We knew this wonderful staff was prepared, experienced and dedicated in helping us make our dream come true.

Our first adoption was quick and we were matched in 7 1/2 months and became parents to a healthy newborn baby boy. We brought him home from the hospital, met the birth family and have a long distance, loving and respectful relationship with them.

Our second adoption was just as quick. Seven months and 10 days is all we waited before going to the hospital again and bringing home another beautiful baby boy. We met the birthparents and shared a few days with them before returning home. This relationship is more private in respect to the birthparents’ wishes.

Will there be a third adoption for us? It’s a dream that I have often and haven’t closed the door on yet. I know for us that Lifetime Adoption will be the only people that I will trust with again in such an important decision.

As they began their adoption journey with Lifetime, Greg and Bethany shared, “We started talking about adopting when we were dating and knew it was a way we wanted to grow our family! Bethany’s family is already touched by adoption thorough three of her siblings.

We love being parents and are excited and ready to adopt a boy or girl of any race!”

Greg and Bethany joyfully welcomed a baby boy, Gus, into their home through a Lifetime adoption! We feel blessed to be able to share their story here. Adoptive mother, Bethany tells us, “When Veronica called me that a birth mother had chosen us, Greg was out of the state. I was so excited, and I couldn’t wait to call him with the good news! Our first phone call with our son’s birth mom went very well, and we immediately knew it was a match on both ends.

Waiting five months until her due date was so hard and there were a lot of ups and downs, times we weren’t sure she was going to follow through with adoption. Trusting in God and praying constantly was the only thing that got us through. We booked our flight to her state and kept praying the whole time that everything would go smoothly. 

We had a few layovers and planned to arrive the night before our son was born. Unexpectedly, a C-section was scheduled, and two hours from the hospital we got a text saying Gregory Anthony III (Gus) had been born! We couldn’t stop smiling and crying happy tears seeing his picture!

The hour drive from the airport to the hospital seemed like an eternity. It was dark, and we weren’t even sure how to get into the hospital and where to go. After talking to a few nurses and finding the maternity ward, Gus’s birth grandmother was there waiting for us to take us back to meet him. When we walked into the room, Gus’s birth mom was there holding him. She handed him to us right away and my heart just melted. He was perfect! Meeting both of them and staying in the hospital for three days was such gift. We were able to talk and bond like I didn’t even know was possible. We have such love and gratefulness for our birth mother!

We stayed in the birth mother’s state for exactly two weeks waiting for ICPC. It ended up being a wonderful time for us to bond as a family and we even were able to visit several times with all the ladies at Lifetime! It was wonderful to be able to put a face to everyone we had talked to during our wait.

We have a wonderful, positive open adoption relationship with Gus’ birth mother and birth grandmother. We send pictures monthly, and text/write on a weekly basis. We know God had His hand all over this adoption and knew Gus was meant for our family. We cannot wait to tell Gus his story when he is older. We are honored that his birth mother chose us and entrusted us with such a precious gift\

We are so thankful to Lifetime for their endless phone conversations with us, encouraging us through the wait. The years of waiting and experiencing a miscarriage were not easy, but if not for our faith in God we would not have gotten through. We know now God used that wait time to draw us closer to Him, to work on ourselves spiritually and physically, to prepare us for our life now.

Listening to webinars was so encouraging, knowing it will one day happen to us… and here we are on the other side, sharing OUR story. We didn’t think it was possible at times, but God is good and faithful!”
We’d love to help you create your own beautiful adoption story!

Call Lifetime Adoption at 1-800-923-6784 to learn how to get started, and fill out our free online application to adopt.

With Colby and Sarah’s adoption story, we’re privileged to hear the adoptive father’s side too! (Usually, we hear from the adoptive moms more!) Colby says

“If you’ve found yourself in the position we were in, you’ve no doubt heard every cliché in the book: Keep the faith, this will work out exactly how it was supposed to, God has a plan for you and your family. Whichever child you’re ultimately matched with is going to be the perfect child for you and your family.

We spent three years hearing those things. And it’s natural to despair at times. We had deep, long talks about it all the time. About why people didn’t like us. About what we lacked as potential parents. About why it took us so long while we knew other people didn’t have to struggle like we did to get matched.

Once you’re matched and you meet your child, it still takes you a little while to process all the things that had to fall into place to make this miracle happen. You had to choose adoption; you had to join up with Lifetime; birth mom had to pick you; then she had to follow through with the paperwork that’s required for private adoption.

And whether you get the call six months or six hours ahead of the match, you’ll never be prepared enough. And that’s okay.

Because all of it—the wait, the worry, the late nights sitting up wondering if your family will ever be whole—will be worth it.

I know this because of the thousand little moments that are ingrained in my memory forever because of this journey.

I’ll never forget the call I got from my wife when we initially got matched. And I know you’re probably worried about your profile and your book and your video, but trust me: the most random thing is going to become the big selling point to your birth mom; ours was happy we had good insurance and dogs. About time those things started earning their keep (the dogs, not the insurance!)

I’ll never forget panicked texts, phone calls and emails I got from work when my wife couldn’t find me to tell me our birth mom was in labor (I was at lunch; it was a humorous moment in hindsight).

I’ll never, ever forget driving all night to meet my wife, who had flown ahead to be with our son, and cradling him in my arms for the first time at 4:30 in the morning. I’ve never been happier at that time in the morning.

Those moments make every single struggle you’ve had to endure on this journey disappear in a blink. I promise.

I promise that you’ll look into your child’s eyes as you’re feeding them one night, or hear them say, ‘I love you’ for the first time and this is all going to make sense.

Right now, as I write this, he’s sleeping on my chest. It’s the most perfect moment I’ve had since the last perfect moment. And that’s all I ever wanted.”

Such sweet, heartfelt, and powerful words! His wife Sarah shares:

“Hearing other families that were successful was one of the most encouraging parts of the wait! We hope our story can be a little inspiration to others waiting, as I know as little as a two months ago we were in that place too! It helps knowing you aren’t alone! We hope our story can bring some comfort to others waiting a longer than expected time!

I appreciate Lifetime’s patience with us over the last few years! I know it was hard when there was no updates and we kept asking! Colby is always so good at putting things into words.

We could not be any happier with our sweet baby boy! If insurance and dogs got us our son, I will hug the dogs extra hard tonight lol. This picture cracks me up when I think about that statement from our son’s birth mother!”

(Here’s a recent photo of Colby, their two dogs, and their son!)

Let Lifetime help you embark upon your own journey of infant adoption!

Call Lifetime Adoption at 1-800-923-6784 to learn about the first steps, and fill out our free online application to adopt.

Alan and Rebekah have been blessed twice through adoption: they adopted their son Eli through Lifetime in 2013, and just brought home baby boy Oliver!

As they started their second adoption journey with Lifetime, they shared, “We are SO excited about starting the adoption process for baby #2!! We adopted our precious baby Eli through Lifetime years ago and we are all ready for another baby and a sibling for Eli to grow with and love on!” 

Read about their journey to adoption, their cherished experiences and inspirations!

A bilingual couple, Alan and Rebekah wrote their adoption profile for birth mothers to learn more about them in both English and Spanish! They shared, “We’re excited about adopting another precious baby! We are a fun-loving family who is passionate about living life to the fullest and enjoying all God has given us. We love to explore new places, discover new things and taste new foods… but the BEST part about life is that we get to be parents!

Together we enjoy playing, laughing, eating, walks to the park, time with family and friends, visiting new places, working in the yard, working on our home, playing games, watching movies, and serving in the ministry. Our son, Eli, is a joy in our life and we were thrilled to adopt him at birth. Daily life in our family is cooking together, going on adventures, exploring the outdoors, and laughing till our tummies hurt. We love discovering new places and making happy memories!”

Through infant adoption, Alan and Rebekah were blessed to adopt a baby boy, Eli, in 2013. Then, just a month ago, they adopted another baby boy, Oliver!

After their first adoption, they emailed us:

“We are SO blessed! We have been praying for Eli’s birth mother every day. At the hospital, we did let her know that if she ever wanted to open up communication to more than annually, that we would be more than happy to give her updates/photos more often or whenever she requested.

God had His hand in our adoption every step of the way, and Lifetime was wonderful (and will be for our next adoption!) Our journey has been such a blessing, and as we continue to stay in contact with our birthmom, we appreciate more and more what an amazing gift she gave to us in little Eli!

Then, just last week, they emailed their Adoption Coordinator at Lifetime:

“We are hoping to finalize Oliver’s adoption within the next several days. Here’s a sweet photo of Oliver with his proud big brother Eli. Thank you so much for everything y’all have done! Praise the Lord for His indescribable gift!”

In one of our adoption webinars, Alan and Rebekah shared about waiting for just the right match with a birth mother. They share tips on how you can have a healthy, positive perspective on open adoption.

Tune in and discover how you can cope with your adoption wait. You can watch this webinar, “Alan & Rebekah’s Story,” at AdoptionWebinar.com

Last year, adoptive couple Casey and Johanna were blessed to adopt a baby boy through Lifetime Adoption. In this family’s story, we hear from Johanna about receiving “the call,” the bond they’ve established with their son Isaiah’s birth mother, and their experience with becoming parents together through an open adoption.

Now a forever family, adoptive mom Johanna shares their beautiful story. We love it when adoptive couples share the happy ending to their adoption story after the wait. It’s a beautiful reminder for Lifetime of why we do what we do and the impact it has on creating families!

She shares, “It’s hard to believe that it has been one year since we received ‘The Call’ and were told by Lifetime that there was a baby waiting for us. It’s hard to believe that one year ago, all of our dreams came true.”

On May 10th, 2018, I had a rough morning. After our failed match the previous January, I was feeling very down in the dumps that Mother’s Day was approaching and I was not a mom yet.

After my husband left for work that morning, I went into the room that we had started setting up as a nursery back in January. I sat down in the rocking chair, and I got a onesie out of the dresser drawer, and I placed it on my chest, and I started to rock. All I could think of was I should have a baby in my arms right now; I should be a mom this Mother’s Day. I left for work and little did I know that Lifetime Adoption would call me in a few short hours and tell me I was going to be a mom and my husband was going to be a dad!

From that moment on, our lives have been filled with more joy and happiness than I could ever explain. After waiting for years to get the call that we were going to be parents and wondering and questioning why was taking so long and maybe there was something wrong with us when I saw that little boy, I understood. Isaiah just wasn’t here yet.
Now that we have had Isaiah for a whole year, I realize that he has always been with us, even before he was born. He is the most amazing human being that I’ve ever met in my entire life and Casey, and I often wonder what we did to deserve him. He’s happy and fun and beautiful, and ours. It’s hard to wrap our heads around it sometimes. We text and FaceTime with Isaiah’s birth mom, and we are so thankful for her. I was not prepared for the emotions that overcame me when we had to leave her. The same thing that was bringing my husband and me so much joy was breaking her heart. I cried uncontrollably saying goodbye. I know how much she loves Isaiah, and I tell him about her all the time. She is part of our family now, and we love her very much!

Isaiah‘s birth mom told us that his birthday coincides with Mother’s Day. In the Mexican culture, Mother’s Day is always celebrated on May 10th. He is without a doubt the best Mother’s Day gift anyone could’ve ever gotten! He is so joyful and funny, and is always on the go! Isaiah has been walking since he was 10 months old. And now, walking is turning into running! Isaiah absolutely loves our dog and two cats, but they are still a little unsure of him, but he’s a loud little thing.

He absolutely loves his dad! Watching Casey with him has made me even more in love with my husband than I ever thought possible. Truly bursting at the seams with joy. It’s just amazing to me that Isaiah was born on his heritage’s Mother’s Day, three days before the Mother’s Day we celebrate. This little boy made me a mom. His adoption was without a doubt part of God’s plan, and we are so grateful!

Lifetime would love to help you adopt! Start your open adoption journey today by completing Lifetime’s free application to adopt.

Each adoptive parent goes through a different journey, mixed with a wide range of emotions, thoughts, and questions. Even though adoptive mother Bethany and her husband Greg waited longer than anticipated to adopt their son, they continued to show faith and perseverance throughout it all. Bethany remained committed to the adoption process, her faith, and focused on the good.

As Bethany shares, “We are beyond thankful to our mighty God who took us through quite the journey to our sweet Gus, but looking back we can see so many times where He had us go through hard moments to prepare us for the blessing that was to come.” Bethany and Greg’s adoption story is a testament to the well-known adoption phrase “worth the wait!”

“From the time I was young, I always had a heart for adoption and knew I was going to adopt someday. While my husband and I were dating, I talked with him about my heart for adoption and he was on board. Basically he said, ‘Whatever you feel God calling you to do.’

Month after month of not seeing a positive reading on a pregnancy test was very hard on me. So after a year of trying, we figured this was God’s way of telling us now is the time to start the adoption process. We got our home study completed in record time and were so close to having our profile active with our adoption center when I decided one day to just take a test. Sure enough, we were pregnant! We were beyond thrilled to say the least. With the help of Lifetime, we decided it would be best to put the adoption on hold while being pregnant and wait until our daughter was over a year old.

Fast forward to a year later, when we made our profile active again on the website. We were praying we would get a call very soon and have a short wait time. We were matched with a birth mother who was due in 10 days. We were thrilled! We packed and waited for the call for her to go into labor. We waited and waited. Then the day after she was due we got the call. She had decided to parent. Our hearts were completely broken.

There were situations we were presented to but not chosen. Very hard knowing you were close to being picked, but not feeling good enough. The next match just felt right, she was having a girl and we seemed to connect on the phone. The next three weeks we texted daily and birth mom even Face-Timed me so I could be in the room while she found out the sex!

Since she was having a girl, we picked out a name and planned her middle name after her birth mom. One spring Sunday evening the phone rang and it was the birth mom. She told me she had bleeding and cramping during the night so she went to the hospital. She miscarried that day. I can’t even explain the amount of heartache I felt in that moment. I felt so heartbroken for what she had to go through, but also realizing the baby girl we so desperately wanted and planned for was no longer going to be.

We received another call five days later. We never received a call this close together so we were shocked. The call came when Greg was out of town for his brother’s graduation from Marine boot camp. I had to call him right away and tell him we got a call that a birth mother wanted to speak with us.

That weekend we spoke on the phone with the birth mother and we thought it went really well. She was sweet and basically said right away she wanted us to adopt her baby! She was early in her pregnancy so she didn’t know what she was having yet. We exchanged phone numbers and began texting.

Later, she called me on her way home from her doctor appointment and told us we were having a BOY! We always threw around the idea that if we had a boy we would name him the third, after Greg. So that’s what we did, but we wanted a nickname as not to confuse him with Greg and his dad. One day while driving to church, Greg said ‘what about Gus?’ I knew immediately that was his name!

Honestly, we were full of so many emotions. We had contact with the birth mom off and on. Waiting until her due date was so hard and there were a lot of ups and downs, and times we weren’t sure she was going to follow through with adoption. Trusting in God and praying constantly was the only thing that got us through.

The whole time we worked with Lifetime and the attorney, and took the advice they were giving. As her due date came closer, her doctors decided they wanted to take the baby early because of her high blood pressure. They scheduled her for a C-section. We still weren’t sure she was still even wanting us to adopt her baby, but we had to move forward in faith and trust God. Surely if He brought us this far, He wouldn’t give up on us.

We booked our flight and moved forward not knowing the outcome. We thought it would be good to arrive early and spend some time with the birth mom. She had been admitted to the hospital. We had a few delays and planned to arrive the night before Gus was born. Unexpectedly, a C-section was scheduled, and two hours from the hospital we got a text saying Gregory Anthony III (Gus) had been born!

We couldn’t stop smiling and crying happy tears seeing his picture for the first time! It didn’t seem real. We still had an hour drive to the hospital and it was the longest of our lives. When we arrived at the hospital, it was 1:00 am. Gus’ birth grandmother walked through the doors, gave me a big hug and said ‘Let’s go meet your baby!’ We walked into her room and there he was. Gus’ birth mom was holding him and handed him right to us. That moment was magic. I wanted to cry, but I wanted to hold it together so they didn’t think I was crazy. We spent the next 24 hours in the room with Gus’ birth mother, and I’m so glad we were able to do that. They didn’t have a room for us so we had to stay. We could have gone to a hotel, but we were not about to leave our baby.

We were moved into our own room after spending 24 hours with Gus’ birth mom. Those hours were so special; we talked and bonded. The conversations flowed like we were good friends. She was able to hold Gus several times and I know that was good for her. I’ll be forever grateful for the time we spent with her and her mom. Gus’s birth-grandmother was so sweet and wonderful. She was there for her daughter when she needed her most. I’m so glad she had someone there for her and to help her make important decisions.

We were discharged four days after his birth. We were amazed at how well he was doing for being born almost four weeks early at five pounds, 14 ounces. We checked into our hotel and needed to remain in California for two weeks [due to ICPC.]

During our time in California, we got the news that the potential birth father wouldn’t sign off his rights even though he didn’t want to parent. It was an emotional roller coaster ride, but there was nothing we could do but pray and wait it out. Thankfully, months after being home, his rights were terminated.

When we received the call for clearance to go home, it was almost as exciting as getting the call about Gus. We couldn’t get home fast enough and introduce Gus to his big sister, Loretta. Let’s just say, just like us, she was instantly in love.

We are beyond thankful to our mighty God who took us through quite the journey to our sweet Gus, but looking back we can see so many times where He had us go through hard moments to prepare us for what was to come. We are honored that his birth mom chose us to be his parents and are grateful each and every day!”

For many Christians, adoption is a virtuous path that heeds God’s call to care for the orphans. As James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

Adoption is a call to love and care for one of God’s children; it’s about more than a desire to build your family. Adoption is an outgrowth of your faith and part of God’s will to help all of His children. Christian adoptive couple Seth and Mary know this firsthand, as they were blessed to adopt a baby girl through Lifetime earlier this year!

Seth and Mary’s Christian Adoption Story

Join Lifetime as we recall Seth and Mary’s Christian adoption story today.

When Seth and Mary began their adoption journey with Lifetime, they shared, “We both have a strong desire to be parents and raise children, however that may come about. We feel that adoption is the path that we are being called to take and we are excited about this new chapter of our lives.”

Seth and Mary shared, “We look forward to sharing our love with our first child. We are a loving active couple who spends a lot of time outdoors, whether that’s hiking in the mountains, going to the ocean, or spending the day working in our garden. We are excited to embark on this journey together with you, building a relationship over the many years to come if you so desire.

We try to live a simple, family-centered life in which we focus on slowing down and spending quality time together. We are Orthodox Christian, and very active in our parish. We are excited to raise your child in faith and help them to walk the path that God has for them. We also look forward to sharing our love of the great outdoors and the ocean with your child as they grow.”

Seth and Mary adopted their daughter earlier this year, and came to see us! The Lifetime staff were delighted to get a visit from Seth, Mary, and newly-born Amilia. Although we all wore masks for safety during the pandemic, everyone is smiling from ear-to-ear!

We enjoyed a quick visit with Seth, Mary, and baby Amilia Rose before they started their journey home as a family of three. You can see the amazing goodness of God weaved through this adoption. We are filled with overwhelming gratefulness and awe! Seth and Mary are overjoyed and so thankful to all of the staff members at Lifetime who helped make their dreams come true.
 
We love these adoption updates that Seth and Mary have sent us over the past few months:

“Hello Veronica,
Amilia turned one-month old yesterday, which is so crazy!!! She now weighs nine pounds, 11 ounces. She is so perfect and healthy!”

And more recently, Mary shared, “She is such a happy baby and loves talking and putting everything in her mouth!

She is almost rolling from her back to her tummy and we will be starting her on a little bit of food in a couple weeks since she will be four months old!!!”

Christian Adoption With Lifetime

Christians seeking adoption answer a higher call to provide a safe, loving home for one of God’s children. So if God is calling you to adoption, jump in. Trust in Him and His plans… He will be there guiding and holding you every step of the way.

At Lifetime Adoption, everyone you work with, from the application process to the final placement, shares your values. Lifetime is more than just a business; it’s a ministry created to prayerfully lead you down the path to adoption. Our faith is a part of every step in the adoption process.

By choosing a Christian adoption agency such as Lifetime, you can make sure your faith is at the center of your adoption journey from the very start, and take comfort in knowing that like-minded Christians surround you called to serve in God’s love.

We’d love to help you create your own
beautiful adoption story! Call Lifetime Adoption to learn how to get started on the path to adoption, and fill out our free online application to adopt.

Lifetime Adoption has helped create many miracles through the blessing of adoption. Today, we are excited to share some of Lifetime’s adoption success stories!

We are full of joy about being able to witness the beautiful moments in adoptive couples’ lives throughout the year. We hope the years to come bring even more beautiful moments!

Here are some adoption success stories, as told by Lifetime Adoptive families:

“We first approached Lifetime in 2016 and everyone was so welcoming and knowledgeable. We were not ready to move forward at that time but we returned to Lifetime three more times before we finally got the nerve to take the leap! Each time we connected with Kim King, she answered every question, made us feel welcomed and assured us that God would reveal to us when the time was right for our adoption.

We signed on in 2019 and we completely loved and cared for by each Lifetime staff person we encountered. When we were matched and placed on six months into our wait (before we even got to do our video!), Christie was right there every step of the way, even when we were really struggling with the tremendous life change. All in all we felt loved and cared for. We weren’t just numbers to Lifetime, we were a family, they knew us by name and took time to be with us in the good and hard times. We cannot express our gratitude for this agency and for this team of professionals.”
-Todd and Anna

Here’s another one of Lifetime’s adoption success stories that we think you’ll enjoy!

“I can’t believe it has been almost eight months since we flew out for the birth of our baby boy Nico. We listened to all the webinars retelling stories of parents who received the call that they had matched and immediately had to fly across the country, but never did we think that we would be one of those people caught up in a whirlwind match and hopping on a plane two days later for the birth.

Nico’s story and ours still feels so incredible. The way little details fell into place at just the right timing (even though it felt like a roller coaster ride at the time) continually confirms to me that a greater hand was/is in play for all of this. We had the opportunity to spend time with his birth parents and their families at the hospital, and for what could have been an awkward situation with people we had just met on the phone turned out to be a huge blessing. It was wonderful to be with people and get to know these kind people who were just as concerned as us about the well-being of this child.

We couldn’t wait to get home, and once we did our new normal began to take shape as we adjusted to having a baby in the home again. The older boys were enamored with their youngest brother from the second we walked through the door. They look to engage him whenever they can, they play around him constantly, and try to help him all the time. As a result, Nico smiles the second he hears their voices and twists and turns until he can see them.

We are so in love with Nico, and he fits into our family like he was made exactly for us and us for him. When working with you guys at Lifetime I was not always sure if this was really going to happen. It seemed too surreal sometimes, but with each phone call or webinar or card in the mail I felt the nice reassurance that we were a part of something real. And when we had questions or needed immediate help, someone was always available. Now, he is here, and you helped shape us into a family of five. Thank you!”
-Sean and Erin

Whether your adoption story is complete or the ending is yet to be written, we at Lifetime will look back on these stories as a continuation of the work we do every day. Serving women who want to explore adoption and the hopeful adoptive parents to the best of our ability, day or night, in every way we are able.
 

Find out how Lifetime Adoption can help you get started on the path toward parenthood! Take the first step today by filling out Lifetime’s free online application to adopt.

We live in uncertain times. This reality hits hardest when a woman finds herself in an unwanted pregnancy. It can be a lonely, scary experience made worse if she can’t afford to raise the child.

Choosing adoption empowers a woman to give life and provide a loving home for her child. So, what if you’re thinking about adoption because you can’t afford to raise another child?

If you’re already a parent and have just found out you’re pregnant again, you might be overwhelmed and scared by the responsibility of raising another child. For some women in this situation, making an adoption plan is the best solution, since it allows her to provide a good, loving home for the child while caring for her other children.

Lifetime is here to help you in your adoption planning, provide support, and help you find just the right adoptive family. We believe that a woman who chooses adoption can have peace, knowing she’s not only given her child life but found a wonderful, loving family.

The Cost of Raising a Child

People often underestimate the financial cost of raising a child. According to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an average family can spend from $12,350 and $13,900 annually per child.  This includes everything needed for a child in one year, such as:

• Housing
• Food
• Education
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Health insurance
• Clothing

The total cost of raising a child from baby until 18 years comes out to around $235,000, not including college costs. That’s a significant investment for women facing an unwanted pregnancy and knowing she can’t afford to raise another child. Under these circumstances, adoption is often the best way for her to provide for her child.

Erin’s Story

Erin was a 33-year-old single mom of a teenager when she found out she was pregnant. With no father in the picture plus raising a teenager and working two jobs, Erin knew she couldn’t afford to raise another child.

She was scared, but she found comfort knowing that adoption was a possibility. To Erin, the choice to give life was right, and choosing adoption allowed her to give her child the best life possible. Her adoption coordinator at Lifetime Adoption that helped her create an adoption plan and find the perfect family for her baby.

Because she wanted an open adoption, she met the family while she was still pregnant, allowing them to experience the baby’s growth and development. After her son was born, she held him, knowing she had made the best possible choice for her child, the adoptive family, and for herself.

Emily’s Story

Emily, the mother of a four-year-old child with special needs, was pregnant with her second child when her husband walked out.

Raising her special needs daughter was a full-time job, and the stress took a toll on her marriage. She knew she couldn’t raise another child by herself. After lots of soul searching, she decided that placing her baby in adoption was the best choice, especially for her four-year-old child.

She worked with a Lifetime Adoption coordinator that provided her the guidance needed to find the perfect family for her baby. She was grateful that she could give her child a loving family while giving her four-year-old the care she needed.

Adoption Myths

Many misinformed people spread adoption myths. There are still some outdated ideas about how or when a woman can place a baby for adoption. These myths spread guilt and put pressure on pregnant women who find themselves unable to afford to raise a child. Let’s clear up these four myths about adoption:

Myth #1: Adoption isn’t a loving choice
A woman in an unwanted pregnancy may feel scared and lonely, but she may also think that placing her baby up for adoption isn’t a loving choice. There could be undue pressure from family or friends for her to keep the child. It’s easy for outsiders to have their opinions about what you should do, especially if they aren’t the ones who will be raising the child.

Adoption is a loving, life-giving choice. It gives you the chance to love your child enough to want a better life for them through adoption and to choose an adoptive family.

Myth #2: Adoption eliminates a birth mother’s control
In open adoption, you make all the decisions. You choose the adoptive family you want to raise your child. It’s also up to you to decide how often you’ll see the child over the years. You can have a wonderful relationship with your adult child.

Adoption gives you as much control as you want. You can focus on taking care of yourself and your other children, knowing your child is growing up in a great family.

Myth #3: Adoption doesn’t allow closure
Today most adoptions are open, allowing birth mothers to meet their children as well as the adoptive family. In an open adoption, the birth mom usually determines what the relationship with her child will look like over the years. She can watch her child grow up in a loving family. Knowing she made the right choice gives her peace and confidence that she made the best choice for her child and for herself.

Adoption is more than giving up a baby for adoption; it’s placing a child in the best possible situation where they can grow and thrive. It allows for more healthy closure than abortion because you will have the knowledge that your child has the life you wanted for them.

Myth #4: Birth mothers won’t have a good relationship with adoptive families
Another common myth that birth mothers often hear is that she won’t be on friendly terms with her child’s adoptive family. This isn’t necessarily true.

While there are some difficult relationships, most birth mothers find that adoptive families are kind and loving. Plus, today, most adoptions are open, allowing the birth mothers and adoptive parents to get together several times before the adoption. This gives the birth mother a chance to learn more about the family, ask questions, and discuss how open the adoption will be. Adoptive families are loving people wanting to give a child a good home and family.

If you’re thinking about adoption because you can’t afford to raise another child, Lifetime can help.  Call or text Lifetime Adoption anytime at 1-800-923-6784.

About the Author
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P. is a nationally recognized authority on adoption. A Certified Open Adoption
Practitioner, Caldwell is the founder of Lifetime Adoption Center, established in 1986. 

Caldwell’s life work has been dedicated to educating and helping birth parents and adoptive parents through teaching, speaking, and resources and as a podcast host. Author of a number of award-winning books, Caldwell has more than 150 media credits to her name, including: Larry King Live, ABC News, NBC’s The Today Show, CNN Headline News, CNN’s The Campbell Brown Show, CBS News, NBC News, KGO Newstalk Radio, CNN’s Black in America II, MSNBC, Fox, PBS, BBC, Dr. Laura, and is widely sought for print articles and speaking engagements.

Today, we’re sharing one woman’s story of choosing adoption for her child. We were able to chat with a birth mother, Ashley, about her experience with open adoption. She gives an honest, intelligent and thought-provoking account of what it was like for her to choose adoption for her son. Ashley expresses the role this choice has played in the lives of everyone involved. And, she optimistically looks toward the future of the unique relationship built by open adoption.

What effect do you think choosing open adoption has had on your life?

“Open adoption has had a very positive effect on my life. Open adoption has allowed me to accomplish a lot of goals I had for myself, which might have been difficult being a single parent. Open adoption gives me the comfort and faith that my birth son will have the love and support in his future, that he deserves.”

Would you have chosen adoption were it not an open adoption?

“I would not choose closed adoption. My mom was adopted at birth. Growing up, she had some unexplained health situations come up, and always needed extra tests to be done. It was really important to me to choose open adoption because of that fact; I wouldn’t want my son to have unanswered questions, especially about his health.”

What was the main reason you chose adoption for your son?

“The main reason I choose adoption was for the fact that I don’t believe in abortion. The pregnancy was unexpected, but I felt that it was only fair, and best, to go through the nine months out of my life so he could have the chance at life that he deserved. He, to this day, is a beautiful, healthy, intelligent boy; a true gift to such a wonderful family.”

How did you come to choose your son’s adoptive family?

“One night my sister gave me the idea to look online for adoptive couples. Within a few days, she came across Chris and Jessica! Their profile was very heartwarming and sweet. The one thing that caught my attention was a picture of Jessica in front of her car, holding a baby car seat. There was a quote underneath that read, ‘I’m ready!’ At that point, I thought, ‘this family is so great,’ and they had a fun sense of humor as well. We also shared some common interests.”

That must have been a hard decision, what was the deciding factor?

“The deciding factor was l was only 19, and I was a student. At that time, I had to be on leave from my job because I had a high-risk pregnancy, I honestly didn’t have the means to offer the life I wanted to my child at that time. I loved him SO much that I wanted the best for him, and a gift for someone else to love.”

Do you ever regret your decision?

“I don’t regret anything. My son has everything I would have ever wanted for him. I feel very blessed to have met Jessica and Chris; I look forward to the day I’m ready to be a mother and a provider for my children.”

What have you been able to do in your life that you might not have been able to do if you had not chosen adoption?

“I have been able to enjoy my life. I have been able to accomplish my hopes and goals. I just graduated from a private college this year, with hopes of advancing my education and career. I have always had love and support from Chris and Jessica, which has made a huge impact on my life. They’re not just my son’s parents; they’re family to me.”

Is there anything you would like to say to families waiting to adopt a child or to birth parents who have placed their children in an adoptive family?

“Just have faith, and an open mind and everything will work out for everyone.”