Are you Ready?

You may be ready to consider adoption if you answer yes to the following questions:

Have you …
• become exhausted with infertility treatments?

• eliminated all viable medical alternatives?

• been advised by your doctor to forego further infertility treatment?

• considering giving up on treatment?

• become resentful of the demands of infertility treatment?

• explored all aspects of your desires to be biological parents?

• considered whether a child-free life is for you?

• determined what your most important life goals are?

• resolved that being a parent is more important than biological parenting to you?

• grieved the loss of your biological children sufficiently to go forward? (you do not have to be 100 percent certain to start the process)

• changed your focus from “could/should we adopt?” to “how do we adopt?”

You may be ready to move forward towards adoption as the means of becoming parents if you have…
• given up the myths, i.e. “Once you adopt, you'll get pregnant.”

• informed yourself regarding the legal aspects, types of adoptions and sources for adoptions.

• talked, and talked, and talked to your partner about his/her feelings.

• talked to family about your thoughts regarding adoption.

• sought out adoptive families to talk to.

• addressed your fears.

• fully explored the time, energy and financial commitment involved in the process.

• informed yourself of what adoption won't do.

Adoption will not allow you to pass on your genetic traits, positive or negative, your genealogy or your physical characteristics. But adoption will allow you to experience all the joys and sorrows of being a parent, and perhaps a few more.