Looking for advice

Get the book The Adoption Resource Book, 4th edition by Lois Gilman (Author) It is a great place to start.

hi and welcome, I'd start by heading to a large bookstore and buying a few books (you can get recommendations by checking out a few websites like [url]www.pactadopt.org,[/url] [url]www.tapestrybooks.com,[/url] or surfing amazon.com. you might want to contact a few agencies in your area to see when they hold orientations. At these events you can pick up info about the process, investigate domestic/ international adoptions, and get info about the agencies. Don't commit to one just yet, because you'll want to do some research first. The reading is really the best place to start. Allows you a chance to really think about what you want, newborn or older, timeframes, risks, etc. Oh and to answer your question, yes it is possible to get an infant. The timeframes may be different depending on what restrictions you place on the search (boy, girl, don't care, race/ethnicity, age). good luck, LisaCA

Another good resource for California is Adopting In California by Randall B. Hicks. It really talks about the aspects of adoption, especially independent adoption. If you go the independent adoption route let me know as I'm in the home study phase of an independent adoption right now. My daughter Lily is 7 weeks old and asleep in her bassinet as I type. Good Luck! I

Hi Julie Based on my experience, it is certainly not impossible to adopt an newborn or infant. You will need to be specific about your criteria of the situation (Bmom who doesn't smoke, drink or do drugs, are just a few examples etc.). The more you narrow down the criteria, the harder it is to match. Also, be very clear on your motivation for adopting. That will help you in your criteria. My biggest word of caution is this: be VERY sure the agency you choose is the one for you. If you are a detail person, make sure the agency you sign up with for can provide the level of information you expect and will be seeking. Unfortunately you don't learn about some aspects of how the agency operates until you get inot the process. For us it was too late - we'd lose ALL our money that we've paid, but if I can help others not to make the same mistake, all is not lost. If I had it to do over again, I'd never choose the agency we are using. My situation may be unique - I'm sure there are many families thrilled with their agency's that do a great job. Please feel free to send me a personal message and I would be happy to share more information with you - we've been in the process for about one and a half years. I'd love to have someone else benefit from the experiences we've had so far. What area of California are you from? Good Luck!!!