How Do I Get Started?

If you are considering placing your child for adoption you may be wondering how you get the process started. 

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.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway (HHS) has a good thought provoking government article entitled Are You Pregnant and Thinking About Adoption? that you may find helpful.

For additional information and help in getting started, please visit Adoption Services or contact me, Dr. Berger.  We truly care about you and your baby and about other women in your situation.  We want to do everything possible to help you and your child.  There are many kinds assistance programs available to help you and other pregnant women, birth mothers and children free of charge.  These include financial, medical, nutritional and health assistance programs as well as a variety of support and information groups. If you need help you can click this link to find all kinds of assistance programs. And the following links will help you find pregnancy support groups as well as parenting and adoption support groups.  If you want our help you can call us anytime and from any place in the U.S. (toll free # 1-800-943-0400). You can get our help whether you are pregnant or have already delivered and are raising your child yourself or want to place your child for adoption. We are here to help you and there is never any cost or obligation on your part. 

If you are considering placing your child for adoption we are also here to help.  We would be happy to help find a safe and loving home with a family that has been very carefully and thoroughly screened. We can help you regardless of what state you are in.  Our services to you are free, your medical and legal expenses will be provided for and we will make sure that you receive whatever reimbursement for housing, lost wages and living expenses that state laws allow.  You may reach me, Dr Vince Berger, or my staff by calling our toll free number at 1-800-943-0400 or you can contact me by email.  If there is anything we can do to help you and your baby, please contact me.