226 profiles of hopeful adoptive couples
For Birthparents
Article Topics
Profile Search
Profile Id Search
Success Story
Mike & Laura
We received 7 contacts by birth mothers or social workers within 5 months of having our profile on ParentProfiles.com. At first we got our hopes with each contact until, after getting our hearts broken a couple of times, we realized that not everyone who contacts us on such a visible site was ready to really place their child. The adoption that we are now waiting on has a much higher chance for success more ...
Unplanned Pregnancy, Adoption Options, Putative Father Registry, Parental Rights
When someone experiences an unplanned pregnancy, more people than just that one person are usually involved or affected. The most common are fathers, family members, and friends. If you're numbered in one of these groups, chances are you have some questions and concerns relating to how to help, how to seek your own support, or what to do next.
We are a young, loving, childless, happily married couple hoping to adopt. We speak Spanish & English, we love to travel, garden, cook, read, listen to & see music, & spend time with friends & family. We can't wait to share our lives & love with a child.
Fathers: As the father, you have a role to play in the decision-making process. You and the mother have many options to consider. The three main options are to parent, abort, or place for adoption. However, before you begin exploring your options, it's important to know about establishing paternity and the Putative Father Registry.
There are a few ways to establish paternity or implied paternity. The first way is to have a DNA test to confirm and identify paternity. The definition of implied paternity varies with each state. There are several situations in which paternity is implied. If the pregnancy occurs during marriage, the husband is the implied father. If a man takes in a child under the age of eighteen into his home, there isn't a father on record, and the man declares the child to be his child, implied paternity can take affect. If the birth takes place before a marriage is finalized, the man must write a letter declaring the parentage to the courts, and then his paternity is implied. Lastly, if a child is born 300 days or less after the marriage ends, the ex-husband is the implied father, unless a DNA test is conducted and proves otherwise.
The Putative Father Registry is used when a man believes that he is a potential father. This registry means that the father claims financial responsibility if a child is born after an intimate relationship. Keep in mind that not all states have a Putative Father Registry, and the requirements change often. The main purpose of the Putative Father Registry is to show that the father wants to assert parental rights if the mother decides to place the child for adoption. Some states won't allow the father to assert rights unless he has provided his personal information--name, address, phone number, and social security number--on the registry.
When it comes to adoption, you have to consent to relinquish your parental rights in order for the process to move forward. Without your and the mother's relinquishment of parental rights, adoption will not work. However, keep in mind that if the mother severs parental rights, you can choose to parent. Or, on the other side, if you decide to sever your rights, the mother can decide to keep her rights intact and be a single parent.
Family: As the family of the person experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you may feel stressed, confused, or hurt by decisions made. While you are involved because you're family, it's important to remember that you can't pressure or coerce her into making a decision she doesn't want to make. However, you can help her along the path of making an informed decision.
If you feel you need help with your feelings, consider actively participating in a support group. You'll find others who are in a similar situation or have moved on from your situation. In a support group setting you'll create friendships that can last for many years.
If the unplanned pregnancy is creating tension between family members, it might be a good idea to see a family counselor. A counselor can guide your family to constructive conversations, which can help strengthen familial bonds and help everyone be more forgiving, understanding, and supportive.
Friends: As a friend, you have the ability to voice your opinion about the unplanned pregnancy and available options. But your friend also has the ability and right to disregard your advice. The important thing is that you help her understand her options and how each option will affect her life. Be supportive and allow her to make her own decision. This is a decision she'll have to live with for the rest of her life, so it's important that it's a decision with which she feels comfortable and confident. You don't have to agree with her actions or her decisions, but you can still be a friend. Let her know you love her and you want what's best for her.
If she needs help studying and understanding her options, make it a point to help her along her way. Study her options with her. Be unified in the knowledge that the best decision she could ever make is an informed decision. An informed decision will help bring peace of mind and may make the healing process easier.
Whether you're the father, family, or friend of someone experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you have an important role to play. You can be an important support or you can step in and assert your parental rights as a father. Even though this experience can be difficult and stressful, remember that you're not alone.
More Articles: