Where to get started?
FabulousMrs.P
member
DH and I are strongly considering pursuing adoption. Right now we are pursuing IF treatments. However, if we don't see any results (DH's count getting higher) within about 6-7 months then we want to move onto adoption. (We aren't interested in IVF...we would rather adopt.) We're saving money like mad in order to be able to afford adoption. Even if we end up having our 1st child biologically, we will more than likely adopt a second. That has always been our plan.
The thing is...I don't even know where to start with looking into adoption. I know that we want to do a domestic adoption of an infant. I have no idea how much that usually costs or where you would go to get started.
Could you point me in the direction of some resources on how to get started with adoption and how much it usually costs to do a domestic adoption of an infant?
7lbs 13oz 20 inches long
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Re: Where to get started?
Hi, and welcome to the group!
I'm sorry you are dealing with IF. Many of the women here have gone through similar difficulties, and will be able to point you towards resources and information to help you manage some of the emotions that come with that struggle.
For adoption in general, I usually suggest that people check out an introductory book on the subject, because there are so many different kinds of adoption, each with its own process. I think books like "Adoption for Dummies" or "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Adoption" (which I used) are a great place to get started. They provide lots of basic information on adoption, the different types, the processes, and how to research an agency. Another good book is "The Complete Adoption Book." Any of these will help you decide which type of adoption best ?fits? your family. (One of the things they will address is how and why adoption fees vary so widely, and which types of adoptions are generally less expensive.)
If you then decide that domestic adoption is right for your family, you?ll need to find a good agency. I highly recommend researching any agency you are considering to make sure it abides by ethical standards. For domestic agencies, a great place to look them up is on the yahoo group called "AARD" (Adoption Agency Research ? Domestic). That group is dedicated to giving honest feedback on agencies. You can ask about the agencies you are interested in directly, and also search their archives and files.
If you choose international, you?ll then need to pick from which country. The US Department of State's website lists the requirements to adopt from each country (https://snipurl.com/2patx). Once you've made your country choice, you'll need to find an agency that has a program specializing in adoptions from that country. The yahoo group "Adoption Agency Research" is a phenomenal resource for vetting agencies, and works the same way as ?AARD.?
Good luck!
7lbs 13oz 20 inches long
Welcome.
Scroll through a page or 2 of posts, and you'll see a lot of new people have asked a similar question lately. You should be able to get good advice as to where to start.
I started with Adoption for Dummies and took it from there.
Domestic infant adoption has a range of fees depending on how you pursue it (facilitator vs lawyer vs agency). The book and online resources can help you narrow it down. We saw an agency fee range from $17-34K.
Welcome, my hubby and I stopped IF treatments last year to pursue adoption.
I started on the internet and went from there. We ended up having a bad run in with an agency and switched to private adoption with attorney's last month.
GL!! This board is an awesome one for information!