Selfless Decisions
Many of you have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. How many of you remember the joy surrounding the birth of each child? A new life is something to be celebrated and cherished.
Imagine being pregnant and knowing you do not have the ability to care for the child. The decision may involve a variety of painful yet very real reasons. Loving a child does not put food on the table.
Many birth parents in this position decide to place their baby for adoption. Not because they don’t love or want the child, but precisely because they do love the child. In fact, they love them enough to make the sacrifice to place the baby into the arms of a loving family. People they may never see again. Can you imagine how that would make you feel? We all experience loss in our lives, this type of loss is truly selfless.
How can you help comfort a birth mother in this position? By helping First Coast Adoption Professionals. We like to bring gift bags to each birth mother after the delivery. They may need a camera to take pictures before leaving the hospital, a soft blanket to make their hospital stay a little more comfortable; necessities the hospital doesn’t provide such as shampoo and personal items. The list is endless and changes depending on the needs of the birth mother.
If you would like to help, donations small and large are greatly appreciated. If you have questions about our program, feel free to email me at kstevens@jfcsjax.org.
By Kathleen Stevens, LCSW
Director of Adoptions
