If you follow our blog, then you may notice sometimes we use phrases like, “Give baby up for adoption in Florida,” or “put baby up for adoption in Florida,” even though they may not be the preferred way of talking about adoption. The reason we use those phrases in our blogs is that they reflect the way that most expectant mothers facing an unplanned pregnancy speak to us about their situation. However, in our offices and in our daily lives, we generally choose to describe adoption with different words. Most importantly, we want to use words the women we work with are most comfortable using.

While some people might use the words “give up for adoption,” when describing adoption, we prefer to use, “place for adoption.” The reason we use “place,” is because it more so reflects the actual adoption experience. When you choose adoption, you’re choosing to place your child with a loving adoptive family. You aren’t “giving up,” your baby and placement is not the end of the story. In fact, many adoptions today are open adoptions which means birth mothers often stay in some sort of contact with the adoptive family and the child for many years after placement.

Another common phrase is “put baby up for adoption.” While we understand why people use this phrase, we prefer to use, “create an adoption plan.” Again, the reason we use this certain phrase is because it better reflects the situation than simply saying “putting baby up for adoption.” When you choose adoption, the first thing you’ll do is create an extensive adoption plan. This is a very detailed description of what you envision for both you and your child’s future. It includes an outline that documents your preferences for things like: the type of adoptive family, pre and post-placement contact with the family, and a hospital plan for when you deliver.

While we may use different phrases than you, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong or politically incorrect for describing adoption in your own words. We simply want to make sure that we’re painting adoption in the correct light, based on our own experiences working in adoption in Florida for many years.