How to Choose between Open Adoption And Closed Adoption
When you choose adoption, you simply want to give your child a chance at the best life possible. As you’ve been researching how adoption works, you may have noticed that there are several types of adoption. How do you know what type of adoption is right for you, exactly? That’s where we come in.
You can contact us online today to learn more about open vs. closed adoption in Maryland. If you want some more details, though, then you can continue reading to learn more about adoption and see which type best suits your situation. In this guide, we will explain how open adoption, closed adoption and semi-open adoption work.
What Is Open Adoption in Maryland?
If you are considering adoption, then you may be asking yourself, “What is an open adoption in Maryland?” Open adoption is when a prospective birth parent and the child’s adoptive family exchange identifying information and maintain open communication before, during and after the adoption process.
The vast majority of adoptions today are open in Maryland and every other state. There are several benefits of open adoption worth exploring, so we’ll go into greater detail about those below:
- You can watch your child thrive in a loving home. One of the open adoption benefits for many prospective birth parents is that they can watch their child grow up happy and healthy firsthand. Through open adoption in Maryland, you’ll receive updates about your child in the form of phone calls, in-person visits, pictures or whatever you feel comfortable with. As the prospective birth mother, you are in charge of your adoption journey, which means you get to choose the form of communication with your child’s adoptive family.
- You can forge a lifelong bond with your child and their adoptive parents. Another one of the benefits of open adoption in Maryland is that you can develop a relationship with both your child and their adoptive family. Open adoption is never “goodbye.” Instead, it is “see you later,” and that can give you peace if you were worried about not seeing your child again.
- You can send your child’s medical history to the adoptive family. When you choose open adoption in Maryland, you can send your child’s updated medical history to their adoptive family. This could come in handy later down the road, as it’s always important to stay on top of your child’s health and general well-being.
- Your child will understand their story. At the end of the day, open adoption in Maryland is about the child. When it comes to open adoption benefits, one of the most significant is that your child will understand their story. They will know why they were placed for adoption, and they’ll know who their birth parents are. This can help fill a void in your child’s life, and they can grow up without having to wonder why you chose adoption for them.
- Your child will have two loving families. When you pursue an open adoption in Maryland, your child will grow up with two families that love them deeply. Both you and your child’s adoptive family can shower and spoil them with care. It’s one of the many benefits of open adoption because your child can receive twice the amount of love with two affectionate sets of families.
If you want to get started with your adoption journey, then you can begin searching for open adoption agencies in Maryland whenever you feel ready. Here are some agencies to get you started:
- American Adoptions
- Alliance for Children
- Bethany Christian Services
- Gladney Center for Adoption
- Lifetime Adoption
Choosing an experienced open adoption agency in Maryland can be an important part of a successful open adoption because there’s a lot of education involved for both the adoptive family and birth parents. Keep this in mind as you mull over your options.
What Is Closed Adoption in Maryland?
The exact opposite of open adoption is a closed adoption. This is when the birth parents and the adoptive family don’t exchange any identifying information or contact one another. Closed adoptions in Maryland used to be the standard until open adoption took hold around the 1980s.
This is often how adoption is portrayed in pop culture. A birth mother leaves her baby on the doorstep of a fire station or orphanage, and the child grows up wondering who their birth parents are and why they were placed for adoption in the first place. Research has shown, though, that open adoption in Maryland tends to be more beneficial because of the void it fills in a child’s life.
Although a closed adoption in Maryland can leave a child with many questions, it’s your choice to decide what kind of adoption is best for you and your child. This is your decision and no one else’s, and you need to do what is best for your circumstances.
What Is Semi-Open Adoption in Maryland?
As you may have guessed from its name, semi-open adoption is the middle ground between open vs. closed adoption in Maryland. This is when birth parents and adoptive families don’t share their identities or contact information, but an adoption professional mediates all communication between the two parties.
When it comes to open adoption vs. closed adoption in Maryland, you may want to receive updates about your child, but you don’t want to share your identifying information with the adoptive family. If this describes your situation, then semi-open adoption could be the right path for you.
An adoption professional can mediate contact between you and your child’s adoptive parents to protect your privacy. This could be a solid option if you have chosen adoption but don’t want an open relationship with your child or their adoptive parents.
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We understand if this is a lot of information to soak in at once. Adoption may not be a simple journey, but it is rewarding. If you have any questions about open adoption in Maryland, then you can contact us online at any time to get the answers you’ve been looking for.