Hannah’s Story – Choosing Adoption for My Daughter
“When I found myself in an unplanned pregnancy at 18, I was pretty overwhelmed at first. As a Christian, I knew God would help me get through, but I never expected to be in this situation.
Growing up, I knew adopted kids. Knowing their experience helped me realize that getting an abortion wasn’t for me. When I told my boyfriend that I was pregnant, he immediately broke up with me, which meant I would be a single mom.
At first, I wasn’t sure what I should do besides having the baby. I somehow found the courage to get through the first few months of feeling awful. My faith in God, plus the support from friends at church, kept me strong on the most challenging days.
Before the pregnancy, I planned to do so many things with my life, like working in missions, going to college, and eventually becoming a teacher. As I considered where I was now, it became clear that placing my child for adoption was the best choice for my child and me. I talked to my friends and my pastor about my decision; they encouraged me to reach out to an adoption agency to learn more about adoption and what it would involve.
Lifetime Christian Adoption
I contacted Lifetime, and everyone I spoke to was really friendly and nice. I was assigned my own adoption coordinator, who answered all my questions and gave me information to read. We talked for a long time about why I was choosing adoption. It made me more confident that my decision to place my child for adoption was the right one.
I knew that it gave me the chance to give my baby a good home with a loving couple who wanted to be parents. I felt like God was leading me and going to take good care of my baby.
Choosing Adoptive Parents for My Baby
After reading everything I could about adoption, I decided to place my baby in an open adoption. I wanted to be able to stay in contact with my child throughout their life. The open adoption also allowed me to choose the adoptive family. I wanted a loving home for my child with parents who were strong Christians who could provide all the things my baby would need throughout their life.
I looked through profiles of different adoptive families. After I picked a family, I met with them over the phone. I was nervous at first, but they were so nice and excited to talk to me about adopting my baby. After we met a couple of times, we both agreed that God led them to adopt my baby. Like me, they were eager to have an open adoption, and I felt comfortable knowing I could stay connected with them and my child for years to come.
Open Adoption
The open adoption allowed me to choose what would happen at the hospital when my baby was born. I could decide how much I wanted the adoptive family to be involved in the delivery. In the end, I decided I wanted a close friend with me during the delivery. I held my little girl for a few minutes, and then the adoptive couple had her in another room. That way, I had some time alone to say goodbye to her. It was pretty emotional, but I still knew I was making the right choice.
Open adoption was also important to me because it meant that my child would know their relatives. She would know who her birth grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were. The adoptive parents could learn about any medical issues she might have. For example, my sister had febrile seizures when she was little. These seizures happen when a child quickly spikes a high fever. They’re harmless but terrifying for a parent. My baby’s adoptive family needed to know about this.
Adoption Was the Right Choice
I know adoption was the right choice for my baby and me. It allowed me the chance to do the things I planned, knowing that my child had the life I could never have provided for her. I now send letters and visit with my little girl whenever I can. I attend her birthday parties, and we get together over the holidays.
The adoptive family is like my second family. They are very encouraging and tell me how grateful they are that I chose them. Looking back over the past few years, I see how God led me every step of the way. Adoption was the right choice for me, and I’m so glad I chose it. I encourage anyone who finds themselves in an unwanted pregnancy to consider adoption an option for themselves and their baby.”
If you’re thinking about adoption, call or text 1-800-923-6784 to find out about all of the options available to you.
Let Lifetime Adoption’s supportive, knowledgeable, and caring Adoption Coordinators assist you in creating a bright future for your baby and yourself.
Let Lifetime Adoption’s supportive, knowledgeable, and caring Adoption Coordinators assist you in creating a bright future for your baby and yourself.
As the Vice President (VP) of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.
Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.
As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.
