Another myth that is often believed by people is that they think that it takes a number of years before you are able to adopt a newborn baby in America. In truth there is a very wide range in the amount of time it takes to adopt a baby and much of it has to do with the agency you choose. Some agency’s average waiting times are about nine months while another agency the average time may take two – three years, maybe longer.
One must also take in consideration that these are average times for people who are looking to adopt a healthy Caucasian baby. As Anna will certainly agree there are many older and special needs children who are in need of loving homes now.
However, if you are looking to adopt a Caucasian baby many factors need to be considered when looking at waiting times.
• In general the more you pay for the adoption the shorter the waiting time. This is primarily due to the fact that those agencies that cost more are spending a majority of their money on advertising, marketing, and outreach to birthmothers. They may also offer more counseling and services for birthmothers making it a more attractive option for a birthmother. For example they may offer scholarships for school for birthmothers. The more birthmothers that an agency is able to help then the lower the ratio of birthmother to families looking to adopt. Some agencies actually have a 1:1 ratio of birthmothers to adoptive families. When this is the case the lower the waiting times.
• It also makes a difference if you choose an agency that allows the birthmother to pick the match to the prospective adoptive family, or if you choose an agency that puts you on a waiting list. A couple may end up on a waiting list for years depending on how many families the agency has a member and how many birthmothers are signing on with the agency.
• Also, some agencies are going to ask you to complete a questionnaire about what you feel is acceptable in terms of a mother’s cigarette, drug, and alcohol use during pregnancy. They may also ask you what you will accept in terms of the mental and physical health history of the birthparent and the birthparent’s family. To give you a better understanding of this in terms of waiting times I will give you an example. About 60% – 70% of birthmother’s smoke. If you decide that you do not want to have the birthmother smoking during pregnancy who will be making your waiting times longer since the majority does smoke.
The above examples are just some of the primary factors when looking at waiting times to adopt an infant or newborn. There are a number of other factors as well. Always research the agency well and consider what your options are. Not everyone can afford to spend a large sum of money when adopting a baby so deciding on a longer waiting time could be better for some couples. When adopting you must always do what is right for your family now and then for your baby and family in the future.