When we think of babies being placed for adoption we often picture a teenage girl “in trouble” as they used to say. However this is far from always the case and here is a story to prove it.

Renee Siegfort is the 36 year old mother of three teenagers. When she discovered she was pregnant again she was delighted however her boyfriend of three years was not. Renee could not take on the added expenses of another child by herself; she was barely making ends meet as it was as an office manager in a chiropractic firm.

When Renee’s baby was born she nursed her for six days and then handed her over to her adoptive parents. As difficult a decision as it was, Renee says that she has “never been more at peace in my life…”

According to several large adoption agencies, more women with unplanned pregnancies are choosing adoption for their babies. The owner of a private adoption agency in Kansas says he has seen a 10-12% increase in women inquiring about placing their children for adoption, while there has been a 7-10% increase in actual placements. Often these women are in their twenties and already have a child.

According to Adam Pertman, director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute:

...finances are one of the major reasons women feel compelled to place their children for adoption."

Abortions are also on the rise according to Vicki Saporta of the National Abortion Federation. Calls to the hotline have nearly tripled in the past year particularly from women whose families have lost jobs.

Although Renee is “pro choice” she decided against abortion after finding Meredith and Ryan Sheriff who would become the adoptive parents of her daughter.

And how did her children feel about this? Says her daughter Brittany a junior in High School: "At first the adoption was kind of weird. Why don't we just keep her," she said, but now admits that “it seems like a normal thing."

We all wanted her. Everyone loves a baby," says Calvin, a graduating high school senior, but admitted that family finances made adoption the smart choice.

There is a strong bond between the two families who have an open adoption, now the case in 90% of domestic infant adoptions. This is a "happy ever after story" for these two families. Hopefully the adoptee will feel the same when she is old enough to understand.

Image Credit: flickr