You might be a medical provider, teacher, social worker, volunteer at a pregnancy center, or any other staff person who might encounter someone facing an unplanned pregnancy in the course of your work. Read on! You can help!

What do you do? Your client, patient, or student is pregnant, and she’s looking to you for advice. With just a little preparation you can confidently talk about adoption.

1. Commend her on wanting to make a good decision! She has three choices: have the baby and parent the baby, terminate the pregnancy, or have the baby and place the baby for adoption. Empower her with a strong message that it is her choice, and that her decision should be about what’s right for her.
2. Acknowledge her feelings and emotions, whatever they are. She might be afraid, maybe angry, and probably confused. Listen to her and affirm that whatever she’s feeling is OK. Encourage her to keep talking about it with you or with other people she trusts.
3. Encourage her to take care of herself. She needs prenatal care for her own health, as well as for her baby. Self-care is important too! Help her make healthy lifestyle choices. Suggest ways to lower stress and to choose activities that promote personal wellbeing.
4. Assure her that a trusted and experienced professional will help her with an adoption plan. You don’t need to have all the answers. Call Adoption Partners of Michigan – we are a local adoption agency! If it would help, let’s meet together with her to talk about adoption. We are here to help with Adoption in Michigan.
5. Respect her wishes. It’s not helpful to say things like “I could never….” or “What I would do is….” You’ve done a good job already if you’ve just shown her empathy, are being a listening ear, and can offer some resources. Now trust that she will make the decision that’s right for her.

We’re here to provide support and resources to help expectant parents make the right decision for themselves and their babies. As experienced adoption professionals, we understand the fears and anxieties related to an unplanned pregnancy. We’re here to walk alongside anyone considering making an adoption plan – no pressure, no judgment.

If you or someone you know is wondering, should I ‘put my baby up for adoption’ we can help. Adoption Partners of Michigan is here for you – for a Detroit adoption, as a local adoption agency, and as one of the best adoption agencies in Michigan.