Learning Better Ways to Care For Our Babies

Gift of Life Adoptions is always looking for new ways to educate ourselves on all aspects of adoption.   So we were very excited when our director, Meghan, and myself got the opportunity to attend a presentation regarding infant care and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Our intention was to gather as much information as we could so…

Birth Moms Bring the Conference to Tears

This year, four of our staff were able to travel to beautiful Orlando to be a part of the annual Florida Adoption Council Conference. Gift of Life looks forward to this event every year. It’s a chance to network and reconnect with other adoption professionals.  It’s also a great place to learn new policies, laws,…

HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE: A CASEWORKER STORY

As we talk about the hospital experience and making a hospital plans, I am reminded of one of my favorite birth mom stories. I had worked with a birth mom named Andrea for several months.  Andrea was kind birth mom that struggled with an addiction problem. Although the delivery was sudden, the adoptive couple was…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTION: MAKING A HOSPITAL PLAN

As we mentioned in our last post, the time at the hospital can be physically and emotionally overwhelming.  That’s why we always try to make a hospital plan with our birth parents ahead of time. Creating a hospital plan allows you to talk about what certain things you envisioned for this process, as well as…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTIONS:YOUR HOSPITAL TIME

When we are diacussing the hospital time with a birth mom, this is one of questions we are often asked: If I’m placing my baby for adoption, do I still get to spend time with my baby at the hospital? Of course.  Let’s take a moment to discuss your time with the baby at the…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTIONS: HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

In an adoption, the time at the hospital is a unique and special time. When a birth mom goes to the hospital to deliver her baby, there are a lot of things going on.   She is in a lot of physical pain and can be in a great deal of emotional turmoil.  Sometimes it is…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTIONS: TALKING ABOUT MY ADOPTION PLAN

When you are making an adoption plan, it’s always tricky to figure out how to talk about your plan, and who to discuss it with.  It’s a very personal and emotional decision, and your reasons or feelings might be hard to put into words. Here are some common questions we here on the subject: Will…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTIONS: ADOPTIVE FAMILY RELATIONSHIP

Part of the adoption process is finding the right adoptive family for your child. Every step of the way we want our birth parents to feel like they had as much say in the process as they wanted, and that their questions were answered.  It’s your adoption plan; we are just here to to help…

DIFFICULT ADOPTION QUESTIONS: GETTING STARTED

There are a lot of things to consider when figuring out how to place a baby for adoption.  It’s hard to know where to start.  Many moms might sit at a computer and google “giving baby up for adoption”, “looking for adoptive couples” “Putting my baby up for adoption” or “Florida Adoption Agency”. There are…

5 QUESTIONS YOU CAN EXPECT AT A HOME VISIT

As an Adoptive Parent Coordinator, I am often asked “what should I expect during the home study process.”  The phrase “home study” is an intimidating one to some families, especially after experiencing years of infertility treatments, disappointments, and losses. Although the home study experience entails gathering a lot of information, conducting interviews, and a home…