January 24, 2022
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 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions, 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 adoption experience is different for every birth mother. This guide will explain how to put a baby up for adoption and what to expect throughout the process, from how long it takes to if it costs money
How Long Does It Take to Get a Baby Through Adoption?
The timeline of choosing a loving family to provide a future for your child and making the adoption transition can be different for each birthmother. The exact time frame for adoption will vary based on your unique situation and the adoption policies in your state. Some birth mothers find the perfect family for their child right away, while others take more time to decide.
It may take months or years to complete the legal proceedings, but the child is often transferred to their adoptive family much sooner. You can choose to give your child to their adoptive parents right after birth if you prefer. Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions provides an open and honest process that gives you complete control over how the birth and adoption proceedings occur.
How to Place Your Baby Up for Adoption
If you’ve chosen to place your baby up for adoption, a full-service adoption agency can help make the experience as pleasant and stress-free as possible. While every birth mother will have a slightly different experience, the typical adoption process will include these steps:
1. 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 their adoptive parents, the process will be much easier.
2. Complete a Birth Mother Application
If you feel like adoption is a good option for you, you can start the adoption process by filling out a birth mother application. The form is easily accessible online and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The application requests basic information about your background, physical health, adoption preferences and living expenses.
Once your application is complete, our agency will send an information packet with a few more forms for you to fill out and return. It may take a few weeks from when you submit the initial application until we receive your final documents and you’re officially approved.
3. Create Your Adoption Plan
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. Creating an adoption plan will help make the decision more manageable.
The purpose of an adoption plan is to describe your adoptive family preferences and how you want to interact with them throughout the child’s life. Creating an adoption plan that you feel confident about may take several days. Here are some important factors to consider including in your adoption plan:
- Parenting style
- Siblings
- Education preferences
- Lifestyle
- Culture
- Religion
- Post-adoption plans
4. Receive Financial Assistance and Support
The expenses associated with an unexpected pregnancy can add up, but we don’t want money stop you from making the best decision for your child’s future. There is no cost for putting a baby up for adoption, and many birth mothers receive financial support from their adoptive families. Regardless of your financial circumstances, adoption is always an option.
In most states, once you’ve matched with an adoptive family, you can receive financial support to pay for reasonable living expenses, including:
- Rent
- Utilities
- Food
- Maternity clothing
- Transportation
- Counseling
- Legal fees
Our agency will help you find appropriate housing, healthcare and community services to accommodate your needs.
5. Choose the Right Adoptive Family for You and Your Baby
If you are not finding a family from our Waiting Families section that meets your adoption goals, our agency will compile a selection of potential adoptive families based on the criteria in your adoptive plan. If you find any that you’re interested in meeting these families, we’ll organize a conference call where you can get to know them and ask questions.
You can meet with as many potential parents as you want to find the perfect match. Our coordinators will talk with you about your first impressions and help you find the perfect adoptive family for your child. The process may take several weeks or months, but we’ll help you search until you feel confident in your decision. Putting your baby up for adoption will be easier knowing they are going to a family who will cherish them forever.
6. Give Birth to Your Child
In most states, the legal proceedings for adoption must wait a few days until after the child is born. Filling out adoption paperwork after giving birth can be an emotional experience. Creating a birth plan with the adoptive family will help everyone know what to expect after the birth. Here are some key questions to answer in your birth plan:
- 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 adopted family?
- Who will hold your child first?
- How much time do you want to spend with your newborn?
7. Complete the Legal Steps for Adoption
As the birth mother, you can change your mind at any time before the adoption is finalized. The time frame and process to complete the adoption vary for women in each state. The adoption becomes official once you sign consent and terminate your parental rights.
Once the paperwork is signed, the adoption is complete. While the adoptive parents now have parental rights, this isn’t the end of your journey. 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.
Abby’s Is Here to Help
Abby’s One Time Gift Adoptions specializes in helping birthmothers like you find the ideal adoptive family. If you’re considering adoption for your child, we make the process as smooth and accommodating as possible. Our compassionate team is here to support you every step of the way.
For more information about the adoption process, reach out online or contact our 24/7 support line at 866-910-5616.
