My wife and I are in the process of adopting a baby girl, known affectionately as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised.

Here in my weekly column, I am sharing the ins and outs of parenting a newborn and the joys and challenges of adoption.

A Message from Squish’s Birth Mother

For this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’, I want to share with you a beautiful message from Squish’s birth mother. She recently wrote these words as an encouragement to other women who find themselves in the same situation she was in. We have been so blessed in building a relationship with her and now see her as an extension of our family.

As a birth mother, I am so blessed going through the adoption agency I chose to adopt out my beautiful daughter. They reassured me with the fact that they do open adoptions, and the couples and families they have who are looking to adopt are fully on board with the whole concept of open adoption.

The agency helped make sure the birth and hospital stay were as open as I wanted. I was able to hold and bond with my daughter. I even chose to have the adoptive parents hang out in my room during the day so we all could bond over her and with each other. It definitely brought us all together, and now I have a wonderful bonus family.

‘Know that You are Never Alone’

My experiences with my adoptive couple have been perfect since the beginning. I was able to pick them and they accepted my daughter with loving arms and accepted me as part of their family with no hesitation. They are literally the best people and I know for a fact I made the right choice. They are funny and caring and I felt at home with their company, and that’s  how I knew my decision was perfect. I know that my daughter will be loved with everything in them and cared for.

I even had them join me in the hospital room during labour and delivery, and they made the process absolutely wonderful. They eased my mind and we laughed a lot. We were even laughing while I was pushing. Getting to see the looks on their faces when they met their new family member made my whole life. The joy and love they have for her shone very brightly as they first held her. It was a magical experience and I wouldn’t change anything about it.

The couple has made an effort to come visit and let me see the baby and I enjoy every minute of it. I am so thankful to them and always will be.

I hope that by sharing my story as a birth mother that I inspire other women who may be in the same position. It’s a truly blessed experience. Know that you are never alone and that there are always going to be wonderful experiences coming from open adoption. It is definitely worth it.

‘I Will Always Be an Advocate for Adoption’

As an adopted daughter myself and now a birth mother, I will always be an advocate for adoption. If you or someone you know is pregnant and not sure if they are able to raise the baby, please know that there is an option to bless a couple or family who are unable to have kids themselves or want more.

There are many agencies that are amazing and will help you through the process and provide support in every aspect of it. My experience with my agency was and still is phenomenal. My pregnancy support worker stood by my side during the whole process and still gives me support even after my daughter was born. It’s definitely something to think about, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. They are there for you. They will even help if you choose to raise your child yourself.

I just want women to know that there is an option and that they don’t have to feel alone.

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Image via Unsplash.