Are you pregnant and considering adoption within Northern Ireland ?

"I couldn't go through 9 months of pregnancy and then give my baby away"

This is a natural feeling as for most children the best place to grow up is with their birth parents. Therefore it is not easy to decide to give your baby up for adoption, but it might be right for you and your baby in the long term. It is a choice which takes careful thought and you may want to talk about this with your baby's father, your family and other people you can trust.

"Won't people think that I am unloving or selfish if I say that I'm not in a position to support and care for a child":

Some people may do, but it actually means you're concerned about being a good mother, have thought things through, and recognise that raising a child can be difficult even with the help of family and friends. There's nothing wrong with being realistic and facing facts. It's not selfish to choose what you believe is best for yourself and your baby.

"but what about me? Won't I always wonder about my child?:

No doubt you will think and wonder about your child and feel a sense of loss, especially around your child's birthday. But you can also think of someone happy and secure, in a family that you can help to choose, and about whom you may receive news from time to time.

If I do want to consider adoption, what happens next?:

You may speak to your doctor and/or see someone from a registered adoption agency such as the Family Care Society. They will be able to answer in complete confidence any questions you may have. They will give you positive help and talk through all the alternatives with you. Talking to them does not commit you to anything. It is your decision.

If you decide on adoption, they will work with you to make sure your baby's new parents are the right people, as well as making the legal arrangements. Above all they will have your own and your baby's best interests at heart.