The Adoption Process withMyDream Adoption Agency
Once a pregnant woman or mother decides she wants an open adoption for her child, MyDream will walk with her through the entire process. Our goal is to support her as she makes the best choices for herself and her child.
First, she chooses the adoptive family. The choice of who raises their child is entirely the birth mother’s decision. MyDream Adoption Agency provides online profiles of adoptive families for her to review. The profiles include pictures and information about hopeful adoptive parents. They also include a short video of the adoptive couple so a birth mother can better envision what life would be like for her child with them.
Most women are not 100% certain of their decision because most have never done this before, so they don’t understand what it’s like. They don’t understand this is a decision they have to make over and over; it’s not a one-time decision.
At every point, even when they have their baby and after they have their baby, they’re asking themselves in their mind over again, ‘Am I sure?’ The attorney, their mother, and the birth father may also be asking, ‘Are you sure?’ Choosing the family and getting to know them is part of the decision-making process, not something you do after you’ve decided.
Once the birth mother chooses her top choice of adoptive parents, her coordinator will arrange a phone call so they can meet and get to know each other better. Then, once she’s chosen the adoptive parents and they agree to move forward, a match is made, and they will continue to communicate. They will work together to form a Post Adoption Contact Agreement, which states what type of contact they will maintain once the adoption is complete. This contact can include emails, text messages, phone calls, face-to-face visits, social media updates, video chats, and more.
Next, her Adoption Coordinator works with her to create a hospital plan. She can choose who is with her in the delivery room and who cuts the cord. She will decide if she wants to hold her baby or if the adoptive family will be there to hold the baby right after the birth.

Helping Pregnant Women with Basic Needs
Birth mother education and support are our focus at MyDream. We have many different resources and support for women online, as well as peer counseling, a wide selection of adoptive parents to choose from, licensed third-party counseling, access to adoption attorneys, help via text and phone 24/7, maternity clothes, and so much more. We provide this support before, during, and after the adoption. Birth mothers can also apply for a college scholarship through the MyDream Adoption Foundation.
Modern adoption means meeting each expectant mother where she’s at, at her comfort level, at her pace. She calls the shots throughout the process. Meeting each woman at her pace is important, as we have women call us who are six weeks pregnant, we have women call us six weeks after delivery, and we have women call us seven months along.
A question we often hear is, ‘How far along does someone have to be to make an adoption plan?’ or ‘When do women make adoption plans?’ and there’s no answer. Women can make custom plans at any point in their pregnancy.
Here at MyDream, we understand that calling or texting is a way to learn more, to get answers. It’s not a commitment; no one’s going to force them or pressure them or judge them because the bottom line is, when women reach out, it is reaching out to learn about adoption. It isn’t to ‘start a plan.’ Our entire team knows and understands that women aren’t calling to start, they’re calling to learn, and that’s where we meet them.
Today’s women want to learn about adoption on their own terms, in the way they are comfortable. Women can research without telling anyone the options she’s thinking about — she has privacy. Women don’t always feel comfortable or safe saying out loud, ‘You know what, I’m thinking about adoption.’
On our 24-hour answer line, available both by phone and text, women often ask, ‘How does the adoption process work?’ or ‘Do you offer help with rent?’ Those are things they may be nervous or hesitant to speak out loud, and this gives them the opportunity to research, to ask those hard questions, without saying it face-to-face, without worrying about being judged. She has the ability to text us her questions in private. It gives her a lot more safety. She can get answers from Lifetime anytime, nights and weekends too. We get a lot of calls during those times because sometimes these are the things you’re thinking about when you’re alone, when you can’t sleep…” How am I going to parent this baby?,” or “Should I think about adoption?”
Providing each expectant mother with modern adoption options shows her that we understand her need for choices and privacy.

Support After the Adoption is Finalized
After the adoption, an open adoption plan allows birth mothers the chance to stay in contact with the adoptive family and their child. Whether she connects with her child through emails, texting, or meeting with them face-to-face, she and the adoptive parents decide. She can have a relationship with her child and see them as they grow.
Modern adoption exists on a continuum, and it changes with time. For instance, if the birth mother needs a little bit of space, she may kind of push back a little bit and say, ‘You know what, I’m going to not be in so much contact, I need to work on some things.’ And then, some other times, she may be very much involved.
Many of the women we work with are very proud of that because it may be the first time in their lives that they actually set a goal, made a plan, and completed that plan. So for women to walk through this very challenging choice and be proud of it really speaks to the success and the opportunity modern adoption has in putting that power and control into her hands.