26 Aug How Long Does It Take to Give a Baby Up for Adoption?
When facing an unplanned pregnancy in challenging circumstances, you may feel pressured to make life-changing decisions when your mind is full of uncertainty. While some women feel at peace with adoption right away, other women can take months to make this decision. Whether you’re in the early stages of pregnancy, days away from birth or recently brought your child home, you can choose adoption.
With Cradle of Hope Adoption Center, you’re in control of the situation and the decisions that you make for yourself and your baby. If you decide that adoption is best for your child, our team of compassionate caseworkers will guide you through every step along the way.
The timeline for choosing a loving family to provide a future for your child and making the adoption transition can be different for each birthmother. Some birth mothers find the perfect family for their child right away, while others take more time to decide. While every birth mother will have a slightly different experience, a typical adoption process will include these steps:
- Decide if Adoption Is Right for You: Weighing your options carefully before making a final decision is important when considering adoption. Take time to learn more about adoption to help you decide if it’s the right option for you. It may seem hard to put a baby up for adoption, but if you feel confident with your decision and know your child will have an amazing life with his or her adoptive parents, the process will be much easier.
- Complete a Background Form: If you feel that adoption is the best option for you, you can start the adoption process by filling out a background form, providing basic information about your background, physical health, adoption preferences and living expenses.
- Selecting an Adoptive Home: Choosing an adoptive family for your child is a decision made with courage and love. Finding the perfect match allows you to choose the lifestyle and care that you want for your baby. There are many factors to consider when choosing a family for your baby – which are most important to you? Parenting style, siblings, education preferences, religion, level of openness, etc. If you are not finding a family from our Waiting Families section that meets your adoption goals, we will compile a selection of potential adoptive families based on the criteria you give us. We’ll organize a conference call where you can get to know them and ask questions.
- Receive Financial Assistance and Support: There is no cost for putting a baby up for adoption, and some birthmothers need financial support from their adoptive families. You will need a letter from your doctor, indicating you are unable to work due to the pregnancy and/or delivery, then you can receive assistance with rent, utilities, food, transportation for medical care, etc.
- Give Birth to Your Child: We will help you create a hospital plan, so the hospital is aware of your wishes when the baby arrives. Your hospital plan will address:
- Do you want pain medication?
- Who is allowed in the delivery room?
- Will you notify the adoptive parents that you’re in labor?
- When will the child be placed with the adoptive family?
- Who will hold the child first?
- How much time do you want to spend with your newborn?
- Complete the Legal Steps for Adoption: Signing your consent to the adoption after the baby is born can be very emotional. Once its completed, your role in the adoption is done. As the birth mother, you have the right to change your mind for a specified time period. In VA, the revocation period is 10 days, in DC it’s 14 days and in MD it’s 30 days. Cradle of Hope Adoption Center will be the baby’s guardian until the adoption is finalized. If you choose an open adoption, you can participate in your child’s life to form the type of relationship that you want. You can work with the adoptive family to create a system that works best for everyone.