At LifeLong Adoptions, we know that waiting can be the most difficult part of the adoption process. But try not to stress. A longer wait time isn’t a bad thing - it merely means you are waiting for the baby that was meant for you. During this time, it’s important for adoptive parents to stay busy and maintain a positive attitude. The more you stress about being connected, the longer the wait will seem to be! We know it’s hard, but we’d like to offer a few tips on how to stay busy and upbeat during your adoption process.

Be Normal:

Be normal? What does that mean? This simply means to just be yourself. Continue your normal routine as you always would. Of course you have some planning to do (that nursery won’t decorate itself!) but don’t let it get in the way of your everyday life. Continue going out with friends, taking that vacation you’ve been planning for months and sleeping in on the weekends. Not only will the familiar routine help time fly by and keep stress at a minimum, it also gives you the opportunity to enjoy all the things that may be less frequent after you have a baby to care for.

Try Something New:

Have you always wanted to take a painting class? Learn to cook? Join a book club? We know you have a baby on the way but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something you’ve always wanted to. Having a child is a huge milestone and it’s only natural that you are overjoyed - but whether your birthmother is 8 months pregnant, 2 months pregnant, or you haven’t found her yet, the adoption process cannot be magically finalized. Don’t worry - after your baby is home, you’re gonna need a break from time to time. You will be glad to have this new activity to escape to.

Prepare for the Baby’s Arrival:

OK.

We know we told you earlier not to stress over baby plans - and we are sticking to it. But building a nursery or making a recipe book for future family recipes are great ways to stay busy while still being excited about your bundle of joy. Waiting to connect with a birthmother or for the birthing to take place is hard, but once you’re connected those remaining months are going to SOAR! It’s better to be over prepared than not prepared enough, right? Preparing for a baby takes time, and who knows, you might paint the nursery 4 different colors before finally finding the one that’s just right.

Whether waiting for your baby, for the bus or for water to boil, waiting is never fun. As fellow adoptive parents, LifeLong Adoptions totally gets it. That is why we are here to guide you through the entire adoption process. These are some of our tips on how to make it through the Adoption Process with a smile, but feel free to share your own strategies.