[September4]

Don't know if this is the right place to post, but thought i'd try. We have 2 adopted children. My daughter is 4 and our son is 8 months. We're thinking about adopting number 3 but I can not do the whole newborn "thing" again. We would like to start the process soon. But I don't even know where to begin. I'm thinking no younger than 6-8 months, no older than 3-4 years. We do not want to go through the foster care system.
Has anyone ever tried to find a birthfamily that wanted to place their child?
Other than word of mouth, how can we go about this? I have already emailed our attorney who helped in our childrens adoptions, but I haven't been able to chat to her about it.
We can't afford to go through an agency. (the only one around us, that i am aware of, places only newborns)
What other options would there be?
If any one could help me get started I would appreciative.
Thanks so much

[Fran27]

I think it's very rare... International adoption would work though.

[goastros]

We wanted a toddler and in less than a year were presented with 3 situations (one was twins). We did end up adopting a toddler. I was told it is rare but it didn't seem that way to me. You can PM me if you want more info.

[September4]

I should've mentioned we are not interested in international adoptions either...don't have the time or money for that.

[mom2handq]

If you don't want to go through an agency, international adoption, or foster care, then I think it will be difficult to find a toddler available for private adoption.

It's far less common for a toddler to be willingly placed for adoption then for a newborn, and when it does happen, the mother is likely to either place the child with someone she knows or go through an agency.

You may also want to research and consider the challenges of adopting outside of the birthorder and "artificial twining", since the child would likely be older or very close in age to your son.

[Rightboysmom]

It is very possible to adopt a toddler, we adopted a 11 month old in Oct, very happy well adjusted child. Around the same time we were presented 4 other situations, one set of twins, all around the same age, one younger. I think the fees are lower with toddlers because the birthmom expecies are less and fewer families will consider a toddler. Our son has been a dream child, we used online facilators to contact his agency. If you would like the names just email me.

Kristi

[tstjohn]

Hello:

I saw your posting and would love to have the name of the agency you used for toddler adoption.

Thanks!

Tammie