Adam Pertman is the Executive Director of the Evan B Donaldson Adoption Institute. He recently spoke with Dateline NBC about adoption suggestions and guidelines. One of his main suggestions is pre-adoptive counseling for everyone, including the birth mother.

"Counseling will help a potential birth mother know if adoption is the right decision for her and may help avoid traumatic changes of heart later on. Also, be wary of a potential birth mother who refuses to meet with a counselor or social worker."

Pertman also urges potential adoptive parents to remember that "the woman who's placing her child with you is going to have feelings of grief and loss… She's making an extraordinarily difficult decision for the sake of her child."