There are a lot of birth moms who have not been able to remain clean during their pregnancy. Addiction is a disease and there will not be any judgment passed because your unborn child has been exposed. There will be no referral made to authorities or welfare services. If you are making an adoption plan, there is no reason to file a report.

We have a large percentage of moms taking Methadone, Suboxone, and Subutex. We have moms out here who go to the clinic for their meds and attend NA meetings for support. We have moms on probation, parole, and some who are currently incarcerated. None of these things will be a reason that you aren’t provided adoption services. We have families open and willing to take babies who have been exposed in utero. We always have families willing and able to adopt these babies.

Though this one isn’t as common concern, I have heard it a few times. I will agree, there is a lot of paperwork! But we can help you! If you do not feel like you can complete ALL of the paperwork, Shaylee or I will be happy to help you with it. We can’t sign your name or complete the legal paperwork for you, but we can help with all the rest. If you are truly letting paperwork stop you, call me and I will help you.

Your privacy is one of our top priorities. We will do all in our power and within the scope of the law to protect your privacy. When you relinquish your rights to a child, besides the agency you are working with, and the medical facilities providing care, the only other departments that will know your identity are the Department of Vital Records in the state you deliver in and the Court of Law that the adoption is finalized in. There are very strict privacy laws in place for your protection. Once an adoption is finalized, the records are sealed. If you want a completely closed adoption, we will protect your identity.

It is never too late to make an adoption plan. I have been called when a mom is en route to the hospital in an ambulance. I have also been called when baby is 2, 3, 6, 12 weeks old. There isn’t a correct timeframe to make an adoption plan. If you feel like you can’t parent and wish to relinquish your rights, call me please. I don’t care if you are five months pregnant or 9 months pregnant. I can work with you even if the child is already a year old…. I have encountered a few moms who have felt trapped and didn’t think it was possible to do an adoption because they waited so long to contact someone. They feel they have no options because they waited until the last minute so they simply took the baby to a hospital or fire station. It is never too late to make an adoption plan. Call me anytime!!!

In some cases, I can see why it would be easier to leave your baby with your mom, or your friend, while you get on your feet. As long as you know that the people you are leaving the child with have the resources and stability to care for your child like he or she is their own… I get it. But let’s be honest, is that what they want?

Brighter Adoptions has families who have been waiting years to have a child of their own, and:

• have saved thousands of dollars to adopt.
• have passed background clearances and physicals.
• have been screened to ensure that they have the temperament, intelligence, and physical stamina to parent a child.
• have been interviewed by Mental Health Professionals to verify their emotional fitness.
• have undergone intrusive investigation into their finances.
• have verified with multiple people that they are indeed people of high moral character.

We do not place babies with just anyone.

Applicants are put through a battery of screenings just to become approved to be adoptive parents.

Has the person you are considering leaving your child with been adequately investigated and trained?

You may think it’s easier to let your relative or friend care for your baby, but what happens when things don’t work out? You are ultimately responsible for the welfare of your child. If you want to let someone else care for that child, please do the greater service to your child and consent to their adoption so they can be placed into a forever family who wants nothing more than to be their parent.

It is not uncommon to hear this sentence from potential birth mothers. It is a common misconception to think that adoption is like foster care. IT IS NOT! There is no money, or grants, or funding for adoptive parents. An adoptive parent is considered no different than a biological parent. Once you relinquish your rights, full care, custody, and control is given to the agency. We pass that on to the adoptive parents and we monitor the placement for six months to ensure bonding and proper development. Once the six months is up and we are satisfied that the best interests of the child are being served, we consent to the adoption during an open court hearing. At that time, the Judge says, “This child will now and forever be considered no different than if he or she had been born to the petitioners.” The agency is no longer involved and the adoptive parents are the child’s forever parents.

Nobody gets a check for being a parent. These parents are adopting because they want a child. It costs a lot of money to adopt. There are no financial benefits.

If you wish to have a completely closed adoption, your name will NOT be shared with the adoptive family. If the adoptive family doesn’t know your name, it would be very difficult to track a person down. There are legislators pushing to make a law that allows adoptees the right to access their original birth certificate when they reach adulthood. The laws are different in all states. If this is something that you are concerned about, call me and we can figure out what the laws are in the state you reside, or in the state you will give birth.

This is a normal fear and one that I think may be alleviated by talking to adult adoptees. Many birth moms feel like the grown adult child will be upset with them when or if they find them. This is just not the norm. Most adoptees are curious about their biological family and want to have a relationship during adulthood. Adoptees are normally just looking so they can tell you THANK YOU for making the choice that you did.

I wish I knew what a typical birth mother was….

No two people are exactly the same. It would be irresponsible of us to think that all birth moms are the same and all placing their babies for the same reason. This is just not true!

I have worked with birth moms who have been as young as thirteen and as old as forty-five. I have provided services to college grads with exceptionally high IQs and I have worked with moms that were mentally disabled and just about everything in between. Every person has different needs and requires different services.

I have provided adoption services to moms who were victims of a sexual assault that resulted in a pregnancy. I have worked with moms who were married and had other children and didn’t feel they could provide for one more child.

There is no one size fits all mentality at this agency. Have you ever felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? Hopefully you never feel that way with us. I like to borrow Burger King’s slogan and tell you that you can have it your way at this agency!

We work with every race and ethnicity, every socioeconomic class, every age and ability.

There are many different attitudes and thoughts about adoption and the reasons for placing a baby vary just as greatly as personalities do.