Choosing Adoption as a Mother of Color in Las Vegas
Choosing Adoption as a Mother of Color in Las Vegas
It’s not uncommon for women facing an unexpected pregnancy to consider adoption. Raising children is a huge responsibility that many women struggle to adapt to at first, even with the most thorough preparation. Without that preparation or planning, it can be quite difficult to navigate caring for yourself and a new baby, not to mention if you have other children as well.
It is important to acknowledge each and every type of background that a birth mother can come from. She can be a teenager, married or unmarried, struggling with addiction, etc. There are certainly stereotypes and stigmas of birth mothers, but our evolving society is becoming more diverse and understanding. Still, we have work to do.
That’s why Adoption Choices of Las Vegas is focusing on birth mothers of color who already have children. Their situations are unique in that they may face racial barriers, discrimination, a multitude of stereotypes, and more. Take a look at what choosing adoption as a mother of color in Las Vegas is like:
An Adoption Story in Las Vegas
Ann lives in Las Vegas with her husband and two daughters. She’s African American. She works three jobs to pay the bills, while her husband works as a truck driver and is often out of the state. There are few days at a time when he comes home to help take the parenting pressure off Ann, but soon enough, he is on the road again. It’s during these times that Ann feels like a single parent.
A couple of weeks after Ann’s husband went back to work, she woke up feeling really sick. Brushing it off as a stomach bug, she continued on about her day as best she could. After all, there was no one else to take care of her kids, and the bills won’t pay themselves.
After she dropped her daughters off at school, though, Ann decided to go to the doctor. She hoped she could get some antibiotics or answers for her sudden illness.
Much to her surprise, it wasn’t a stomach bug or another illness — she was pregnant. She felt a lot of emotions, the most prominent one being fear. Not only could she not afford another mouth to feed, but she was really content with her two children. She loved her daughters very much and simply did not desire to have any more kids.
Ann thought about her options and decided that adoption would probably be best, specifically an open adoption. That way, their daughters would still know their brother or sister, but she and her husband would not have to bear the additional parenting stress and financial burden.
She wanted to share her concerns with family or friends, but most people she knew had lots of kids and would never consider such a thing. She wasn’t sure how her husband would feel either. She didn’t want to be just another statistic and considered “toughing it out.” Ann didn’t want to look like a reckless woman who just gave away her child when she had a loving family and a great relationship with her husband. To any outsiders, she knew, this is how she would appear. Despite having adoption as an option, she felt overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do.
Also, there were many stereotypes she faced being an African American woman. She worked hard to prove everyone wrong and that she could be a good wife, mother, and employee. She didn’t want this to be a setback or cause negative tension between friends and family.
She did some more research on adoption, which led her to find a social worker in her area. Before she knew it, she set up a meeting with the social worker to determine if she could go through with this. Of course, she would still have to discuss with her husband, but this was the first step.
The social worker explained Las Vegas laws surrounding adoption and went into detail about open adoption. This was all very appealing to Ann, who then called her husband to explain everything. As it turned out, he also agreed that adoption would be the best option for them.
As the months went by, Ann and her husband worked together to choose the adoptive parents. Of course, it is not necessary for birth mothers to choose the adoptive parents, but this made them feel like they had more control.
They found a loving adoptive family, and the baby – a boy – was born a few months later. It was overwhelming to place her baby in the permanent care of someone else, but she knew she made the right decision.
It’s been five years, and both Ann and the baby she placed for adoption are doing great. Ann ended up getting promoted, a promotion she knows she would not have gotten if she had to begin parenting all over again. The adoptive family keeps an open line of communication with Ann and her family, and they work together to make sure his birth family is a part of his life.
Choosing Adoption as a Mother of Color in Las Vegas
Adoption has many benefits. While it’s not the only option for someone dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, it is a good option to consider.
For Ann, it worked because she didn’t desire to have another child and she could not afford it. Many birth mothers can relate to her story and find comfort in knowing they’re not alone. There may be many obstacles along the way, but you can get through anything with the right resources and support.
Adoption Choices of Las Vegas has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across in Las Vegas since 2012. For information more general to Nevada, please visit our mother site Adoption Choices of Nevada. For information specific to Reno, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Reno. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: CALL OR TEXT 702-474-4673
Meet the Author: Hi! I’m Ashley! I am a senior at Loyola University Chicago pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. My hobbies include: reading, writing, and binge-watching the newest Netflix craze.
I hope to one day be a reporter, but I also have an interest in social work. When I’m not in school or working, you can find me relaxing with friends, shopping or volunteering at a local foster home.