With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, are you feeling the luck of the Irish?

I believe there is a good amount of luck involved when you set out to adopt a baby. Being with the right agency at the right time; getting matched with the “right” situation for you and your family, experiencing a smooth adoption; finding the right team to support you; and the list goes on.

I’ve been talking to many adoption professionals lately, many of whom are saying it’s getting tougher to adopt. Maybe because Plan B is more readily accessible, maybe because more family members are stepping in to help parent. We don’t really know the answers.

Whatever the reason, what that tells me is that you can’t just leave your adoption journey purely to luck. While I have heard many people say, “whatever happens, happens,“ leaving things to luck should come only AFTER knowing your options and taking steps that will likely lead you to reaching your dreams quicker yet safely, and that fall within your comfort level.

So don’t let this information discourage you.

Here are 3 steps you can take to put you ahead as you set out on your adoption journey.

  1. Decide on the right path for you. Do you know the pros and cons to international and domestic adoption (if you have your heart set on an infant, domestic is definitely the route for you)? Have you considered independent adoption (where you take steps to finding a birthmother on your own) or foster to adopt? How much are you willing to put the word out that you are trying to adopt?

Once you’ve gotten clear about what you are most comfortable with, then you can set out to find the best agency(ies) for you.

  1. Signing up with multiple agencies vs. just one agency will most often lead to you to a quicker match. I know what you are thinking…I could never afford that! Actually, most likely you’d be paying a lot less money up front by applying to a number of agencies with low application fees (i.e. think $550 per agency instead of $10,000). And you aren’t restricted to just adopting in your state. Did you know that?
  1. Having a great profile that grabs the attention of an expectant mom, showing her how unique you are and what you have to offer her child is super important. Your adoption profile is essentially a storybook of your life through pictures, captions and letters and is crucial to the process. You want yours to stand out. And by stand out, I don’t mean having the fanciest, most beautiful profile. I mean, having an adoption profile that speaks to the expectant mother and one that shows what makes you, well…YOU!

So, don’t just leave your adoption to pure luck. Do your homework, some soul searching, build the right team around you, be smart about your journey, meditate/pray/visualize your baby…and THEN leave the rest to luck!

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Good Luck!

 

 

 

 

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