Once you have chosen adoption, one of the next steps you will take is to make a number of decisions with regards to the day of your delivery. This decision comprises some of the final choices you need to make, after you have selected the prospective parents of the baby and made plans to move forward with an adoption plan. It can be beneficial to plan how your delivery will go – there are a lot of unforeseeable things that can happen. You really do not know when you will go into labor.

However, if you have made some decisions beforehand, it can help make things go smoothly during the delivery day. Making the choices well in advance can also help you feel in control of the situation and that you can make the effort to have the kind of delivery you want. Having a birth plan also reminds you that the delivery is about you and the baby.

Here are some choices with regards to the delivery you can make in advance:
– The kind of delivery you want.  Do you want to have a water birth, a hypno-birth or give birth with a doula helping you? Do you want to give birth in a hospital or in a birthing clinic? Are you open to an epidural or other pain medications? Are you open to an induction if the baby still has not arrived after the expected date of delivery? Even as you make these plans, remember that things can change and you are free to change your mind about your delivery choices. You also need to consider the advice of the medical professional who will help you during the delivery.
– The people present during the delivery. Do you have people who you want as your birth coaches or who will be present during the birth? These are people who can help you focus and provide some measure of encouragement and comfort during your delivery. These are people who will hold your hand and remind you to take deep breaths, as well as time your contractions. These are people you trust, people who you know will support you at this very physically and emotionally challenging time. You can choose who you want at the delivery. You can also invite the prospective parents to witness the delivery. And because this is an adoption, there may be social workers or adoption professionals from A Act of Love Adoptions who may be there for support. Of course, this is optional on your part.
– Who will cut the cord and hold the baby first. You can offer this momentous task to a family member or the prospective parents. With regards to holding the baby first, you may have your hesitations, especially if it is your first time to hold a newborn infant. You may also hesitate about holding the baby lest you get too attached with the baby and are scared about changing your mind about adoption and parenting. You may opt to have the hospital staff take care of the baby until he is placed with the waiting parents.
– How much time you want to spend with the baby. Do you want to breastfeed him and hold him? Do you want to have some time alone with the baby to be able to say hello & goodbye? One option is to room in with the baby. However, some birthmothers may find it less painful to let the baby go home with the waiting parents, so that they can start the bonding process right away. Generally, adoption counselors will advice you to spend some time with the baby, as part of the healing process you will be going through.
– Where you will be recovering after the birth. For some mothers who have relinquished the baby right after delivery, staying at the maternity floor can be difficult. They would much prefer to stay at a part of the hospital that is more generic and provides fewer reminders about childbirth. You can also request to have someone from A Act of Love to be with you at this time to provide support and advice.