Adoption Advice – 5 Tips for Parents Adopting an Infant

Adoption Advice – 5 Tips for Parents Adopting an Infant

Infant adoption is a viable option for prospective parents who are struggling to conceive. If you’re considering adoption, the following five points are among the most important things to consider before you start the process. Adoption advice – 5 tips for parents adopting an infant.

1. Bottle feed correctly 

Infant adoption necessitates bottle-feeding until your child is old enough to switch to solid food. Your doctor or lactation consultant will tell you how much milk your baby needs. Both breastmilk and baby formula can be given at room temperature. If you want to warm the bottle, place it in a bowl of warm water and make sure the cap is sealed. Never microwave baby’s milk.

When feeding your baby, make sure they stay in an upright position, not lying down. This helps to prevent choking, spitting up, and overfeeding. Stop and burp your baby halfway through the feeding to encourage healthy digestion. When the baby is full, they’ll turn away from the bottle.

2. Do your research

Read as many books on the subject as possible and find people with similar stories. You’ll learn valuable lessons when talking to adopted families. Social media groups can be a great place to find advice. If there are local support groups in your area, even better. These often incorporate the entire adoption circle, including birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents. This will enable you to get the perspective of all the parties involved in the process.

3. Baby proof your home

Babies typically start crawling at about six to eight months, so it’s important to baby-proof your house beforehand. Never leave your child unattended, especially if they’re under two or three years. Use plug protectors to cover plug sockets, and corner protectors to cover table corners that are head-height for your baby. Unplug your chargers every day because your baby will try to bite them. The same goes for hair straighteners and hair curlers.

Tiny toys should be kept out of reach. Install stair gates at the bottom and top of stairs. Get a tap cover to cover the tap on your bathtub, so your child doesn’t bump their head against it during bathtime. Store potentially dangerous items like kitchen knives, cleaners, and medicines in higher shelves or cabinets. Safer things can go in the lower cupboards and drawers.

4. Bonding

It’s important to realize that a bond won’t be formed with your adopted baby as soon as it would if it was your biological baby. Still, there are a few things you can do before your baby is born to facilitate a sense of familiarity with the infant.

Get the baby familiar with your voice and your temperament in utero. Read a book to the baby or have the mother play a recording of your voice to the baby in utero. The baby will feel a sense of security and comfort with you when you take it home since your presence will be familiar.

4.   Work with qualified professionals

If you’re working with a voluntary placement agency, make sure they’re licensed through the state. If you’re working with an adoption attorney, make sure they have particularised expertise in the area of adoption.

They should also be members of a recognized association such as the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction. An attorney who’s part of this organization is vetted and required to adhere to a code of ethics.

Remember to educate yourself. Learn what it means to be a parent through adoption, and attend conferences in your area with adoption attorneys, social workers, doctors, adoption agencies, and other relevant parties. This will give you access to the resources you need to help you on this journey. Good luck!