What You Need to Know About Open Adoption in Florida

As you prepare to welcome a child to your family through adoption, you might be wondering, “What about open adoption in Florida?” 

Adoption looks different for each family. You’ve probably heard of closed adoption and open adoption in Florida, but you might not know what those differences mean – or how they could impact your adoption experience.

If you’d like to talk with someone now about open adoption in Florida, reach out by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or filling out our contact form online.

You can also scroll down to keep reading more about open adoption in Florida.

What is Open Adoption in Florida?

If you’ve been wondering, “what does open adoption mean in Florida?” then you aren’t alone.

Many adoptive families have questions about the adoption process and what this style of adoption includes.

With this type of adoption, your child will grow up having contact and communication with their birth family. The amount and frequency of contact are up to the birth mother; however, it’s very important that adoptive families respect this. Some birth mothers want more contact than others. The style of contact is something you’ll want to discuss before the adoption takes place.

Adoptive families and birth mothers can communicate through:

• Text messages
• Phone calls
• Letters
• Video chats
• In-person visits
• And more

Remember that a birth mother who chooses adoption is making an incredibly difficult decision. Having the opportunity to connect with her child can help ensure she knows she made the right decision.

What is Closed Adoption?

Keep in mind that not every birth mother wants openness in adoption in Florida. In fact, some birth mothers are hoping to have a closed adoption.

In the past, many adoptions were closed.

With this style of adoption, the birth mother and adoptive family do not talk. Once placement occurs, the adoption records are sealed, and the birth mother and family are not involved in each other’s lives. This also means that adoptees will not have an opportunity to connect with their birth mothers. Some birth mothers choose closed adoption because they want to keep their adoption private, while others choose closed adoption because they want to move forward after their adoption decision.

What is Semi-Open Adoption?

Another adoption choice that includes openness in adoption in Florida is semi-open adoption.

This type of adoption combines open and closed adoption. Adoptive families and birth parents may communicate, but it will be through a mediator or third party, such as their adoption agency.

With semi-open adoption, birth mothers and adoptive families can reach out to each other on a limited basis.

What Do Adoptive Families Say About Open Adoption in Florida?

One of the best ways to decide whether openness in adoption in Florida is right for you is to hear from other adoptive families.

Misty and Mike are an adoptive family who chose openness in their adoption experience. Like many adoptive families, they were nervous about the prospect of building a relationship with their baby’s birth mother because they weren’t sure what to expect. Luckily, Misty and Mike quickly realized that building a relationship with their child’s birth mom is beneficial for everyone – and easier than they anticipated.

“I think sometimes we become afraid, like, ‘it will be so hard to bond with the birth family,’ but sometimes it’s just sitting down with coffee and getting to know people,” Mike said. “It was so easy… it felt like we knew them already.”

Another adoptive family, Lindsey and Michael, had a similar experience when it came to starting a relationship with their baby’s birth mom.

“The birth parent is a person just like you; they’re going through a lot,” Lindsey said. “Open adoption looks different than I thought it would in my head, but that doesn’t mean it won’t look different in the future. He’s only two years old, so it might ebb and flow quite a bit for the rest of our lives. My general advice is to be open and flexible to whatever the birth parent is comfortable with and try to go with the flow as best as you can.”

Remember, when you open adopt in Florida, each family’s communication style and preferences will be different.

Getting Started

There are many benefits to open adoption in Florida for everyone involved.

The birth mother will benefit by knowing that her child is safe, happy and healthy. She won’t have to worry that she made the right decision in choosing adoption for her baby – she’ll know.

The adoptive family will benefit because they’ll be able to develop a relationship with their child’s birth mother. They’ll have the opportunity to get to know their child’s extended family and learn more about their baby’s heritage and history.

The adoptee will benefit by having the chance to grow up knowing all of their parents. They’ll know that they were chosen with love by their adoptive parents, and they’ll know that their birth mother loved them enough to choose adoption.

If you’re ready to start considering open adoption in Florida, reach out to our team at American Adoptions.

We’d love the chance to talk with you about how open adoption in Florida could work for your family.

Our adoption agency offers an assortment of benefits, including:

• 12x more marketing than the average competitor = shorter wait times
• 13,000 families created
• Fully licensed and independently reviewed to maintain the highest standards
• Complete financial protection of your adoption budget
• And more

You can reach us by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or filling out our contact form.

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