'Teen Mom' Catelynn Baltierra regrets not having guidance when she signed papers for an open adoption

• Catelynn Baltierra gave her first child up for adoption in 2009.

• She and her boyfriend Tyler had PTSD after the experience.

• Baltierra is opening up about her adoption experience to help others going through the same.

The "Teen Mom" franchise is celebrating its 16th anniversary with the new season of "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter." The docuseries follows Catelynn Baltierra and costars Amber Portwood, Ashley Jones, Briana DeJesus, Cheyenne Davis, Jade Cline, Leah Messer, Maci McKinney, and Mackenzie McKee.

Some cast members are raising children who are the same age they were when the show began in 2009, with the usual milestones like getting a driver's license and having safe sex conversations. The journey to this landmark season has been anything but predictable for Baltierra ever since she and her husband Tyler placed their eldest daughter Carly for adoption.

Baltierra, who was 16 years old at the time, thought that an "open adoption" meant they would stay in touch with Carly through phone calls and face-to-face visits and be able to send gifts and receive updates about her life.

But that hasn't been the case, especially now that Carly's adoptive parents ceased communication with the couple in 2024. Baltierra sat down with Business Insider to talk about her adoption experience, how she educated herself, and what parents should know about the trauma experienced by adoptees.

Losing contact with Carly and her adoptive parents

"I know for a fact when it all happened, it definitely threw me and Tyler into PTSD for sure," Baltierra said. "I've been diagnosed with PTSD, and I definitely felt a lot of that for a very long time, lots of anxiety, sadness, living in the what-ifs, all of that."

She and Tyler have dealt with this loss by leaning on each other. They've also found comfort in speaking to other birth parents who have been in their shoes.

"Their kids are in their 30s and stuff now, so people way ahead of it than where I'm at," she said. "And then also really diving deep into the adoptee world and learning more about them and what they go through and reaching out for support when I feel like I need it."

How their three younger daughters are coping

"I think Vaeda and Rya are still too young to really even get the concept of what adoption is," Baltierra said. Five-year-old Vaeda understands that Carly is her sister.

"Nova, she's 10, so she really understands it," she said. "And she's just kind of in a space of well, that's kind of dumb, like we should be able to see Carly and talk to her."

Baltierra and Tyler are honest with Nova whenever she asks questions about Carly. They listen to how she feels, try to answer her authentically and help her deal with whatever emotions she's experiencing.

"Nova doesn't really know that the adoption is closed," Baltierra explained. "That hasn't been brought up and I don't think that would be right for me to just drop it in her lap."

What Baltierra wishes she would have known 16 years ago

"I was never told a single thing about what adopted children go through as they get older," she said. Since then, she's learned that adoptees face a range of mental health challenges, from feeling abandoned to dealing with addiction and suicidal ideation.

Her advice for birth parents who are contemplating an open adoption is to educate themselves about adoptees. She recommended speaking with a lawyer and having legal representation throughout the adoption process.

"Have a support system that is going to ask questions and truthfully explain to you what you're signing," she said. As a teenager, Baltierra didn't have adults helping her through this and advising her about the ramifications of agreeing to an open adoption.

Now, as a 32-year-old, she emphasized that she would never let her children sign any paperwork without her knowledge and consent. "So, there's a lot of stuff that I wish I could change, but I try not to live in my what-ifs because that doesn't do anything good for me," she said.

Sharing advice for adoptive parents

"I think the No. 1 thing that all adoptive parents or even prospective adoptive parents need to be is trauma-informed," she said. "It needs to be a regulation, like after every year, you need to take another class to learn about it because adoptees go through a lot mentally."

When adoptive parents are trauma-informed, they're more alert to triggers in their child's life. In addition, they're better equipped to support their child in dealing with difficult emotions and memories.

"Also, it is way better for an adoptee to have a full open adoption," she said. "That way, they can ask any questions they have and get real answers, and it's just healthier for them. I think closed adoption should be totally extinct."

She explained that adoption is supposed to be child-centered. "And if we're going to make it child-centered, then everybody needs to be informed," she added.

Her hopes for Carly and the future of their relationship

When asked about the possibility of reconciliation, Baltierra is clear about her wishes. "Honestly, I just want whatever Carly wants, whether that is a relationship with me or not or whether she only wants to have a relationship with her siblings," she said.

She and Tyler have considered the possibility that Carly may decide not to have a relationship with them in the future. "Whether she wants to have nothing at all and whatever she needs to be a healthy and solid person, that's what I want," she said.

Nandini Maharaj is a freelance writer covering health, wellness, identity, and relationships. She holds a master's degree in counseling and a doctorate in public health.

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