The first thing you need to do, whether you decide to place your child for adoption or raise your child yourself, is to take good care of yourself and your baby. Contact a health provider and start prenatal care as soon as possible. If you need help finding a he lath care provider or getting an appointment for prenatal care, let us know and we will help you.

Try to avoid all medications and drugs, including non-prescription drugs, alcohol and smoking. Check with your doctor before continuing to take prescription medication.

Move ahead with collecting information about the adoption process at your own pace and establish the adoption in a way in which you are comfortable. Remember, it is your baby and you have all the choices, so take your time! If anyone ever pressures you or wants to immediately send you profiles of families, just end your conversation with them and move on. Don't worry about them and take your time. Your only concerns should be about your needs and your baby's needs and not about the needs of the agency or the adopting family.

I advise you not to answer newspaper ads, adopting family internet ads, deal directly with the adopting family, or the adopting family's attorney. These are all called private adoptions and these can be very risky. So risky that in several states private adoptions are not legal.

Finally, contact us or another non-profit, fully licensed adoption agency to help you. Whether it is our agency or some other program, the agency can help you and protect you and your child. You will still be in charge but the agency can help you avoid the problems you can face by contacting an adopting family directly.

If you need additional information or assistance about how to get started, please feel free contact Adoption Services or to contact Dr Vince Berger who is a licensed psychologist who has been helping birth mothers, birth fathers, and adopting families for 40 years.