05 Oct Unplanned Pregnancy: My Baby Will Be Born Addicted To Drugs. Will Anyone Adopt My Baby?

Cradle of Hope Adoption Center has many, loving, carefully screened families who would welcome in their homes and hearts a baby born addicted to drugs, even if the baby needed to stay in NICU for several days or weeks while going through drug withdrawal. In our view, expectant mothers who consider adoption and birth mothers who give up their babies for adoption, or more correctly, make an adoption plan, for their babies, are heroes! We know that many women try to quit using drugs when they find out they are pregnant. Some succeed. Some do not. We have a pool of waiting families who have told us a birth mother’s drug use and a baby’s addiction to drugs like Meth and Heroin will not stop them from wanting to adopt and providing the child with whatever special care the baby will need throughout the child’s life.

If a baby is born with drugs in his or her system, hospitals are required to contact the local child protection agency and/or Department of Children Services, which will place the baby in foster care.  If Cradle of Hope Adoption Center gets involved prior to or immediately after the child’s birth, we can keep the baby out of the foster care system. If the hospital knows that the child is being placed for adoption and that the adoptive family has been fully screened and approved, they will not contact authorities about the baby’s drug exposure and upon discharge from the hospital, the baby will go home with his or her new parents.

If you are pregnant and struggling with drug addiction, contact Cradle of Hope at 301-587-4400 or 703-352-4806 or 202-466-0973 during business hours, or text us at 301-905-9999, or email us at cradle@cradlehope.org.  We are ready to help you through the adoption process and beyond.