The Emotional Side Of Placing Your Baby Up For Adoption
When placing your baby up for adoption, it is easy to just focus and think about your baby's needs. However, it is vitally important that you also think about and take care of your own emotional needs as you go through the process of placing your child up for adoption. Here are some of the common emotions that you may experience and go through during the adoption process.
Doubt
It is natural to feel doubt throughout your pregnancy as you make the decision to put your child up for adoption. This is a very natural feeling, even if you know that adoption is the best option for your child.
When you place your child up for adoption, you are not just giving up the chance to raise your child and see them grow up, you are giving up the chance to become the mother this child would have made you into. That is a lot to give up, and it is natural to doubt yourself throughout the process. Doubt is not a reason to go through with the adoption; it is a natural part of the emotional process for birth mothers.
Denial
Going through labor and actually giving your child to their adoptive parents can be an emotionally trying time. It is natural to feel numb and to be in denial about what just happened. However, your feelings of denial are just your body's way of protecting you and helping you deal with the huge physical task you just undertook, as well as the emotional one. Denial can help you start to get back to the day to day task of living your life.
Onset Of Emotions
Don't be shocked if you suddenly feel a rush of emotions at some point. Try to find an outlet to express all of the emotions that you are feeling. You may want to go through counseling to help you deal with all the emotions that you are going through. Failing to acknowledge your emotions can have negative consequences on your physical and mental well being, which is why it is important to work through them.
Acceptance
Eventually, you are going to come to accept your decision. You will accept how this decision has changed your life and the life of your child forever. In order to move on and go forward with your life, you need to accept that you made the best decision possible at the time for you and your baby.
Be prepared to go through the following emotional stages before and after you give your child to their adoptive parents. Adoption is an emotional process that doesn't end when your child is placed with their adoptive parents. Make sure that you have a support system to get you through the post-adoption process. Your child's adoption will always be a part of your life, which is why it is vital that you work through it and process the emotional side of it as well.
Use this link to learn more about placing a baby up for adoption.