What to Look for in an Adoptive Family [VIDEO]

by | Aug 19, 2016 | Birth Parent Blog

Are you thinking about adoption, but wondering “how will I ever choose adoptive parents for my baby?!” There are lots of things to keep in mind as you look at adoptive family profiles. Discover our top 7 tips for what to think about as you look at adoptive families. In this video, birth moms Nicole and Tammy talk about what they were looking for in an adoptive family:

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you choose an adoptive family:

  1. pregnant woman looking at adoption profilesHow much contact do I want with the adoptive couple and my child? You can choose an open adoption and decide what level of openness you’d like. When you get in touch with an Adoption Coordinator at Lifetime, she’ll send you profiles of adoptive families who will keep up with the level of contact you desire after the adoption happens. Just call Lifetime at 1-800-923-6784 to get your personalized & confidential mailing of adoptive parent profiles.
  2. Do I want my child raised in a two-parent family? Some women’s reason for choosing adoption is because they want their child to grow up with a stable father. Other women are open to a single adoptive mother who has the support to provide completely for their child.
  3. Would I like my child to have a stay-at-home parent? Since this is something that birth mothers may not be able to provide for their child, it’s important to them. They may have dreamed about a stay-at-home mom when they were growing up, and want their child to have one. For other women, it’s not really important.
  4. Do I want my child to have siblings? Some women want to choose an adoptive family who doesn’t have any children, since they were the firstborn and want their child to be the eldest too. Others may have had older brothers or sisters growing up (or wanted siblings) and choose from adoptive families who already have children.
  5. Am I looking for adoptive families of a certain religion? For birth moms who were raised in a deeply Christian household, it’s important to them that their child be raised in a family that’s also of their Christian faith. They’ve shared that they want their child to grow up with the same traditions and customs they had as a child. Other birth moms have said that a loving and open environment is more important than religion.
  6. Where do I want my child to grow up? Many birth mothers have chosen adoptive families from a certain state or region in the U.S. If they’re choosing very open adoption, it’s smart to pick an adoptive family in the same area to make future visits easier. One birth mother always wanted to live in California near the coast, and Lifetime Adoption sent her profiles of adoptive families that filled that preference.
  7. Is the race of the adoptive family important to me? As Nicole shares in the video above, finding a bi-racial adoptive couple was her top criteria. Many birth mothers have chosen an adoptive family of the same race so that their child could grow up with the same traditions as they were.

Lifetime Adoption is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you with questions you have about adoption…just call us at 1-800-923-6784. You can browse profiles of hopeful adoptive families now by clicking here.

Heather Featherston

Written by Heather Featherston

As Vice President of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.

Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.

As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.

Read more about Heather Featherston

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