How Closed Adoption Works [Your Complete Guide]
If you’ve been exploring your unplanned pregnancy options and you’re considering adoption, you’ve probably noticed that there is both open and closed adoption. But, what even is closed adoption, exactly? That’s why we’re here to help you out!
To get free adoption information now, you can fill out our online contact form at any time. In the meantime, though, we have put together this informative guide that explains everything that you need to know about closed adoptions. We’ll explain what it is, how it works and much more.
In other words, if you’re looking to learn more about closed adoption, you’re in the right place.
What Is a Closed Adoption? [How It Works]
When it comes to closed infant adoption, there is little to no contact shared between the birth parents and the adoptive family. Although many prospective birth mothers want to stay in touch with their child and the adoptive parents long after placement, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of open adoption. That’s why closed adoption exists.
The vast majority of adoptions today are open, but closed adoptions used to be the most common type of adoption. It is much rarer now, especially in private domestic adoption.
But, you may find that, after weighing closed adoption pros and cons, that it is the right path for you. In that case, we’ve outlined the general process for a closed adoption below.
Step 1: Find the Right Adoptive Family
Your first step in your closed adoption process will be finding an adoptive family that is also interested in pursuing closed infant adoption.
First, you’ll find a reputable adoption agency that can help you complete your adoption from start to finish. Your adoption professional can show you profiles of hopeful adoptive families that prefer closed adoption. You can browse these profiles alongside your professional and select the perfect adoptive parents for your baby.
But, there is one important thing that you’ll need to be mindful of. Because you are interested in a closed adoption, your adoption professional will not share your identifying information or the hopeful adoptive parents’ identifying information.
Step 2: Prepare for Your Hospital Stay
After you choose an adoptive family, you’ll create your hospital plan with the help of your trusted adoption professional. You’ll choose where you want to deliver the baby, who you want to be in the room to support you and more.
If this were an open adoption, then this is the point during which you’d begin getting to know your child’s adoptive family a bit better. But, because this is a closed infant adoption, you will focus on your hospital stay. Your adoption professional will keep you and the adoptive parents updated throughout this waiting period.
In a closed adoption, the adoptive family will likely have their own room at the hospital. If that isn’t the case, then they will visit the baby in the nursery or another guest room.
After you give birth, you will wait 48-72 hours, depending on what state you give birth in, before signing any official adoption paperwork. This is to ensure that you are in a stable frame of mind before you sign something this permanent.
Once you sign the paperwork, you will officially become a birth parent.
Step 3: Adjust to Your New Life as a Birth Parent
Although closed adoptions limit contact as much as possible between birth parents and adoptive families, access to one another is still important. For instance, you may find out about a severe medical condition later in life that’s hereditary. In this scenario, you can reach out to your adoption professional, who will then inform the adoptive family of this potentially life-saving discovery.
Now that you’re a birth parent, you may also find that you’re experiencing some complex emotions of adoption, such as grief, doubt or sadness. You can reach out to your adoption professional for free, 24/7 counseling. When you are dealing with these complicated feelings, you should never deal with them alone. You can reach an adoption hotline anytime, like 1-800-ADOPTION.
Open vs. Closed Adoption [What You Need to Know]
As we mentioned earlier, closed infant adoption keeps both parties’ identifying information private. This option may offer the privacy that you’re searching for, but there are plenty of benefits of open adoption, too.
To help you make the most informed decision possible, we have outlined a handful of benefits of open adoption for prospective birth parents like you:
- Your child can get answers to all their questions about adoption. In a closed adoption, your child won’t be able to contact you. They won’t know who you are, so they will have no method of reaching out to you. With open adoption, though, you will be just a phone call away if your child has any questions about their family background.
- Your child will understand their adoption story. By choosing open adoption, your child will have a deep, thorough understanding of their adoption story. In other words, they’ll know why they were placed for adoption in the first place and who their birth family is.
- Your child will be less likely to have issues with identity. Closed adoptions can have a significant effect on an adoptee’s self-esteem and identity, and it can lead them to question many things about their adoption. But, open adoption can ensure that your child is likely to deal with these problems.
- You can update your child’s medical history. Although all families receive medical records at the outset of the adoption, neither party can access updated medical records in closed infant adoption. In an open adoption, though, you can continue getting updated, possibly life-saving medical information about your child.
- You can stay in touch with your child and their adoptive family. When you choose an open adoption, you have the chance to build a lasting, meaningful bond with both your child and their adoptive parents. You can all visit over the holidays, during birthdays and more. Adoption doesn’t have to be “goodbye.” Rather, it can be “see you later,” if that’s what you would prefer.
Ultimately, this decision is up to you and no one else. You can do whatever you think is best, whether that is choosing open or closed adoption. Remember, you can get more adoption information now by filling out our online contact form.