What is an Open Adoption? A Guide for Birth Families

Table of Contents

• Open Adoption Definitions and Rules
• Open Adoption Birth Mother Stories
• Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption
• Considering Adoption?
• How Lifetime Adoption Can Help
• How Do I Start?

Open Adoption Definitions and Rules

In an open adoption, the adoptive parents and birth family share information about themselves with each other. They then remain in contact throughout the adoption process. Additionally, this leads to a much more connected experience in which you have control.

Unlike other types of adoption, open adoption allows birth parents choice throughout the process. You can:

• Choose your child’s adoptive parents
• Decide how you want things to go at the hospital
• Receive counseling and support
• Remain in contact with your child and the adoptive family in the future

Open adoption rules will vary with different states and parents’ wishes. In most open adoptions, birth parents and adoptive families meet prior to placement. They speak to each other through phone calls, emails, and sometimes an in-person visit. After placement, adoptive and birth parents continue to stay in contact.

In addition, these adoptions allow birth parents to choose the adoptive parents. They can speak with and meet them as they decide if adoption is right for them and their baby. Through open or semi-open adoption, birth parents may decide on the amount of contact they wish to have in the future.

Open Adoption Birth Mother Stories

We have so many wonderful adoption stories that share the benefits of this experience. Of course, every adoption is unique, with different levels of openness.

Open adoption arrangements are flexible. Both the birth and the adoptive parents will agree upon the plan prior to the adoption. An adoption contact agreement can help set everything in stone.

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption

Open adoptions are a relatively new advancement in the adoption process. For decades, all adoptions were closed. This means that no contact occurs between the biological parents and those adopting the child. In many cases, there’s also no contact prior to the adoption.

Open Adoption: Questions to Ask

ChildWelfare.gov provides a helpful checklist for women considering open adoption, including:

• Do I want to have a say in who raises my child?
• Would it matter if you didn’t know whether or not your child was safe and healthy?
• Would I prefer to keep tabs on my child through photos, telephone calls, letters, or visits?
• Is it important to be able to tell your child about their family background?

We add: do I want to tell my child about family health history? If you answer yes to any of these questions, this may be the right path for you.

Lifetime Adoption Agency’s Open Adoption Support

Lifetime Adoption can help you create an adoption plan that’s right for you. Our adoption experts are available 24/7. In addition to their own knowledge and years of experience, they have access to the best resources nationwide.

At Lifetime Adoption, we’ve been supporting those making the loving choice of open adoption for many years. We were pioneers in normalizing the process in the United States. Our mission is to help birth families and adoptive parents come together to form loving relationships.

How Do I Start?

If you have any questions about the adoption process, please call or text us anytime at 1-800-923-6784 or fill out the form below. We can answer your questions, and tell you how adoption works. You can also discuss the various types of adoption assistance available with one of our adoption professionals.

Remember: All services are free of charge to birth mothers at Lifetime Adoption.

Get More Information

This form is for pregnant women or women wanting to place their child for adoption.
If you’re looking to adopt a child into your family, please click here. If you live outside of the U.S., please click here.