An unplanned or unwanted pregnancy can put you in tenuous emotional territory, fraught with difficult decisions. Giving up your baby for adoption may be the right thing to do for both you and the child. When birth mothers don't make a final decision about adoption until the eleventh hour, cradle care for infants steps in and provides a temporary home until your baby finds a permanent one.
Other Terms
"Cradle care" is an informal term used to describe interim placement of infants pending adoption. Other terms that may be used instead include "pre-adoption foster care" and "transitional foster care." "Cradle care" pertains to the placement of infants with suitable foster families--usually newborns and young babies.
Reasons for Cradle Care
Adoption organizations such as Bethany Christian Services and Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska cite a birth mother's last-minute decision to give her child up for adoption as a primary reason for which cradle care may be needed. However, according to FosterParenting.com, cradle care for infants may be appropriate when a court terminates the mother's parental rights, when there's no adoptive family lined up for the child, or when the birth mother or birth parents are still going through the decision-making process.
Cradle Care Families
According to Lutheran Family Services, families who agree to provide cradle care for infants have experience and training in the care of babies. Private adoption agencies may pay "cradle families" a small daily stipend to help defray the expense of caring for the child.
Care of the Infant
Your baby may remain with a cradle family for mere days or a few months before an adoption takes place. FosterParenting.com indicates that newborn, healthy babies are placed sooner than those with suspected physical difficulties or mental-health concerns. It can take much longer to find a special family to adopt a child in the latter instance.
Contemplating Adoption
Giving your infant up for adoption is one of the most important decisions you'll make. If you're leaning toward adoption, contact a private adoption agency or private adoption attorney to discuss your options, says the American Pregnancy Association. Ask what special services the agency or attorney provides and if cradle care is offered should it become necessary.
