Coping with the Wait of Adoption in KS
There’s no question that waiting for adoption in Kansas can be stressful, even when the adoption itself is joyous for prospective adoptive parents. Adoption wait times can vary widely, and sometimes, it’s understandably difficult to be patient.
The good news is that if you’re working with American Adoptions, we understand the emotional and psychological impact of waiting for an adoption match in Kansas. That’s why we do our best to limit wait times with a variety of strategies.
To learn more about adoption wait times and how American Adoptions minimizes them, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION or complete our online form. For now, read below for info about adoption wait times and some strategies you can use to reduce stress when waiting to adopt a baby in Kansas.
What’s the Adoption Waiting Process?
Once you’ve decided to adopt and choose an agency, your next step will be undergoing an adoption home study to confirm you’re ready to adopt. When the home study is complete, you’ll enter what’s known as the waiting time, a period during which you’re waiting for adoption opportunities with a prospective birth mother.
Throughout the adoption waiting process in Kansas, your adoption specialist will show your adoptive family profile to expectant birth mothers. Expectant birth mothers review those profiles for potential matches with their own adoption plans until your family is selected.
Though American Adoptions specialists will give you an expected wait time, you can never know for sure how long you may be waiting to adopt a baby in Kansas. Many factors may impact your adoption wait time, like:
- Adoption type
- The type of adoption professional you work with
- Your preparedness
- Your flexibility regarding varying adoption situations
- And more
Around 63 percent of hopeful families waiting for adoption in the United States are matched with an adoption opportunity within a year of becoming active. The rest of those waiting for an adoption match in Kansas can wait more than 12 months before a viable opportunity is available.
For those parents who end up waiting for adoption for over a year, adoption wait depression in Kansas is a possibility. The good news is there are ways of coping with the wait of adoption in Kansas that will enable you to remain positive. Read on below to learn more.
What Does American Adoptions Do to Minimize the Adoption Waiting Period in Kansas?
No adoption agency can truly guarantee a brief adoption waiting period. However, there are several steps American Adoptions takes to minimize wait times and the stress of waiting to adopt in Kansas.
What does American Adoption do to minimize the adoption waiting period? Here are a few ways that our specialists work to limit the time hopeful adoptive families spend waiting for adoption in Kansas.
- Advertising: American Adoptions markets our agency to women considering adoption across the U.S. To get the same exposure elsewhere, you’d need to join the waiting list of at least 25 other agencies. We advertise through crisis pregnancy centers, hospitals, social media and other adoption websites. This helps more prospective birth mothers find our agency, creating more adoption opportunities and reducing the average time our families spend waiting for adoption.
- Networking: We network with other adoption professionals throughout the country, and those professionals can contact our agency if they’re working with a birth mother who needs a family, for example.
- National Exposure: Local adoption professionals may work with a few pregnant mothers in their state. National agencies like American Adoptions work with pregnant mothers across the U.S. so that you may get an adoption opportunity more quickly.
- Balance: American Adoptions tracks completed adoptions and the number of adoptive families working with our agency to accurately estimate wait time. Our professionals are licensed, so wait times are confirmed by state authorities. Unlicensed professionals sometimes promise false adoption wait times with no accountability.
- 24/7 Availability: When a woman considering adoption calls our agency, we always answer the phone. American Adoptions specialists are on call 24/7, so a woman won’t receive a voice mail and contact another agency.
What Can You Do While You’re Waiting for Adoption in KS? [Using Your Time Wisely]
It’s natural to feel stress and frustration during the adoption waiting process, especially when it seems unrelenting. You can’t know beforehand if your adoption journey will be long and stressful, but you decide how you use your time and maintain your positivity.
Making the most of your time waiting for adoption is important. You can keep your mind off the wait by preparing for the day you’ll be matched. Below are a few tips for minding the wait.
1. Take a “Babymoon.”
Many first-time parents take a “babymoon” vacation when they’re expecting the birth of their child, and there’s no reason why prospective adoptive parents can’t do the same thing. After all, few events can change the trajectory of your life more than having a child, and you’ll want to enjoy your last days before becoming a parent.
Planning a babymoon can help you keep your mind off of waiting for adoption. It can also fulfill a practical purpose if, for example, you’ve been matched with an expectant birth mother in another state. You can travel to the birth mother’s area and explore in preparation for the time you’ll spend there during the birth of your child.
2. Get Prepared for the Day You Bring Your Child Home
No two prospective adoptive families will process waiting for adoption in Kansas the same way. While some may want to take a vacation, others may be soothed by activity while waiting to adopt a baby in KS.
There’s no right or wrong way of surviving the wait. Adoption in Kansas may take time, but you can use that time to your benefit. Your adoption specialist can help you learn how to get organized for your life as a parent while waiting for adoption in KS. You can do things like:
- Prepare your future child’s nursery in a gender-neutral nursery theme
- Baby-proof your home
- Update your will or life insurance policies
- Research possible pediatricians
- Find babysitters
- Organize your emergency contact information
Making these preparations can help you make progress towards the joyous occasion to come while fighting off adoption wait for depression. Don’t overprepare, but rather take a few steps to ease into parenthood after placement occurs.
3. Take Time for Self-Care and Improvement While Waiting for Adoption in Kansas
Do you have some self-care that you haven’t prioritized in the lead-up to adoption? If so, waiting for adoption can give you the perfect opportunity to take care of yourself and deal with the stress of waiting to adopt in Kansas.
Every parent knows that it’s tough to focus on yourself after having a kid because they become your priority. But developing a healthy routine while waiting for adoption can pave the way for a life of healthy habits during parenthood. Your family needs you to stay healthy and well, so use the time to your advantage.
Below is a list of a few self-care practices to begin while waiting for adoption:
- Eat healthier.
- Work out regularly.
- Preserve your mental wellness by engaging in activities like meditation, yoga, or long walks.
- Enjoy time with friends and family.
- Read those books you haven’t gotten around to reading.
- Learn a new language.
- Take music lessons.
- Explore a new hobby.
When you care for yourself, you’re more likely to be the best you for your future child. It’ll also help you avoid adoption wait depression.
4. Don’t Focus on Waiting for Adoption
Has someone ever told you, “A watched pot never boils?” That wisdom applies to the waiting period for adoption in Kansas because dwelling on the length of the wait time can make it seem longer. Many successful adoptive parents say in retrospect that they wish they’d just lived their lives while waiting to adopt a baby in Kansas instead of worrying about the wait.
If you’ve done everything else on our list, there’s nothing left to do but go on living while coping with the wait of adoption in Kansas. Your opportunity is bound to come, and most of the adoption process is out of your hands. Why obsess over it?
It’s tough to release your need to control the situation. For some, it can even lead to adoption wait depression. But try to remain calm, knowing that eventually, your adoption dreams will come true.
Closing Thoughts on How to Cope with Adoption Wait Times
Fighting off adoption wait depression while waiting for adoption is easier said than done for many. But you can focus on making the most of your wait time by using some of the tips above to focus on the positives of adopting a child.
If you’d like to learn more about adoption wait times and maintaining a positive attitude when waiting for adoption, you can speak with one of our adoption specialists. Just fill out our free online form and we’ll connect you with someone who can answer your questions today.
Disclaimer
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