Many adoptions these days are open, which means that the birth parents and the adoptive parents are introduced. In many cases, they will continue communication after the baby is born. There isn’t any single set of guidelines that you must use when you do this. Instead, each situation has to be considered individually.
Some open adoptions allow for the birth parents to visit the child frequently while others allow for the electronic sharing of pictures and other information. When you’re considering open adoption, you have to think carefully about how much interaction you’re willing to have with the child’s other set of parents.
Get a feel for the situation
For some situations, it’s a good idea to start slow and see how everyone is faring during the shared visits with the baby. These must be planned in advance so everyone knows what to expect. Everyone needs to show up on time and be ready to focus on the child.
The terms of communication between parents are important. This is true for communication that involves the child, such as visits, but it also extends to giving and getting updates about the child. When everyone has these guidelines in hand, things might work a lot better.
Modifying an arrangement
It’s sometimes necessary to change the open adoption arrangement. This is usually possible without any intervention from the court, but having a new document drawn up that outlines the new arrangement may be beneficial. If you think that things need to change in order to meet the child’s best interests, discuss your need with your attorney. This enables you to learn about what’s possible and what steps you need to take to make sure that your adoption process and your future interactions are as easy as possible.
