How to Give Your Baby Up for Adoption in Massachusetts*

Are you living in Massachusetts and facing an unplanned pregnancy? Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be emotional and overwhelming. Like many women in this situation, you may be thinking about adoption but unsure of where to go for help. You may be exploring your options and searching online for advice on “how to give a baby up for adoption in Massachusetts.”*

While you may feel like you are in complete crisis right now, know that there is help available to you. Working with a caring adoption agency in MA can ease the process of placing a baby for adoption. They can assist you with things like medical care, finding a family, and making a hospital plan. The right adoption agency will also provide you with free counseling services and financial assistance as you make an adoption plan.

*Giving Your Baby Up for Adoption is an Act of Love

Adoption is not the same as “giving up,” which is why we recommend saying, “making an adoption plan.” It is a loving and thoughtful decision.  Making an adoption plan for your baby requires a lot of consideration and sacrifice. It is not a decision made lightly, and is one of the most loving decisions you can make for your child. At times, the adoption process will be difficult, but remember that it will provide a wonderful, stable life for your baby if you are not ready to parent. Placing a baby for adoption means putting their needs above your own. This is an incredible act of love.

AWL Can Help You Place Your Baby for Adoption in MA

You do not have to face this pregnancy alone. The best adoption agencies will offer you guidance, teach you about your options, and support you throughout the adoption journey.

As a full-service adoption agency in Massachusetts, Adoptions With Love can help you custom design an adoption plan that meets your needs, help you find someone to adopt your baby, and offer you emotional, legal, and financial support along the way.

Adoption in Massachusetts: FAQs for Expectant/Birth Mothers

Is Adoption the Right Choice for Me?

Adoption is a life-changing experience. It can evoke many emotions for expectant/birth parents. However, there are many benefits of choosing adoption for your baby.

Choosing adoption offers the possibility of a bright future for both you and your baby. An adopted child is more likely to be read to, sung to, and told stories daily. They are given many opportunities in life and enjoy a lot of love and happiness. Children in open adoption arrangements report having positive feelings about their adoption, and feel the love of two families instead of one.

Adoption is not the right path for every person. Only you can decide whether adoption is the right choice for you. Through a supportive adoption agency, like Adoptions With Love, you can gain the information and support you need, without any pressure to commit to the adoption before you are ready.

What Happens if I Place My Baby for Adoption in MA?

Many expectant/birth parents spend a lot of time thinking about how to give their baby up for adoption, how their lives will be throughout the rest of the pregnancy, and what they can expect after the adoption is complete. As you progress in your own pregnancy, you should focus on your health, your prenatal appointments, and birthing experience. Your adoption agency will support you to consider the adoption plan carefully. This support will continue throughout the pregnancy and even after your baby is born. You can look forward to the future. If you choose to have an open or semi-open adoption, you can build a relationship with your child’s adoptive family before and after the adoption is complete. Placing your baby for adoption in Massachusetts will forge a lifelong bond with the adoptive parent(s).

How to File for Adoption in Massachusetts

The first step to placing a baby for adoption in MA is to contact a licensed adoption agency. This professional can walk you through the legal process (and paperwork) of adoption. It is important to find an adoption agency that is familiar with the adoption laws and procedures in your state. Adoptions With Love, for example, is licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is familiar with the steps required to complete an adoption safely and legally.

*Is Adoption Giving Up?

As you consider all your options, it is important to remember that adoption is not the same as “giving up” your baby. Adoption is a brave, caring, and selfless decision that comes from a place of love. By considering adoption, you are putting your child’s needs before your own to provide them with the best possible life.

Instead of saying “give baby up for adoption in Massachusetts,” we recommend saying “make an adoption plan.” “Making an adoption plan” is more appropriate, as it speaks to the loving and thoughtful plan being made to place your child in a safe, stable, and loving home. This phrase is important for expectant/birth mothers and for the children being placed for adoption.

Will I Get Paid to Place my Baby for Adoption in Massachusetts?

While you will not be paid a lump sum of money for giving a baby up for adoption in MA, you may be supported financially during the adoption process. Adoptions With Love offers expectant/birth mothers financial assistance with:

• Some living expenses
• Utilities
• Maternity clothes
• Groceries
• Transportation
• Medical coverage

 

Can I Place my Baby for Adoption in MA if He/She is Already Born?

Yes. It is never too late to make an adoption plan for your baby. You can make the decision to “give baby up for adoption” in Massachusetts during your pregnancy, at the hospital, or even after you have brought baby home with you.

How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption in Massachusetts

Placing a baby for adoption can feel overwhelming. It is important to remember that you do not have to go through this process on your own. An adoption agency’s main purpose is to help women like you feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout the adoption journey.

In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, expectant/birth mothers must always work with a Massachusetts licensed adoption agency. This will ensure your adoption is carried out safely and legally, and that your child is placed in a permanent, loving home.

Here are some of the key steps to placing your baby for adoption in Massachusetts.

1. Choose a Massachusetts Adoption Agency

Choosing the right adoption agency in Massachusetts is an important first step of the adoption process. In fact, it is required. In order to make a legal, secure adoption plan in Massachusetts, you must work with a non-profit adoption agency that is licensed by the Commonwealth.

When looking for adoption agencies in Massachusetts, try to find one that is licensed, reputable, and compassionate. Make sure they can offer you personalized, caring services at every step of the way. The right adoption agency will be by your side throughout the entire adoption experience—as you prepare for the adoption, after placement, and throughout your life. Your agency professionals should always listen to your wishes, respect your choices, and use those to help you design the perfect adoption plan. You should never feel pressured by your adoption agency. You should always feel supported and be able to reach your adoption agency 24/7 if you ever need help.

2. Understand the Adoption Laws in Massachusetts

Adoption laws and regulations differ depending on the state. It is important to find an adoption agency trained in and knowledgeable of the adoption laws in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, no parent can sign legal adoption documents until four days after the baby’s birth. This ensures that birth parents are confident in their decision. Once the legal documents are signed, the birth parents cannot change their minds. That is why, at Adoptions With Love, we want you to be completely certain that you are making the best possible decision for your child.

At Adoptions With Love, we have highly trained attorneys who are experienced with Massachusetts adoptions. They will help you understand the adoption laws and ensure that your rights as an expectant/birth mother are protected. These compassionate legal services are offered free-of-charge through Adoptions With Love. You can rest assured your adoption will be legal and safe, without the stress of costs.

3. Discuss an Adoption Plan

With a Massachusetts open adoption agency, you will have the option to design the type of adoption plan you want:

• An open adoption, meaning you will have contact with the adoptive family
• A semi-open adoption, meaning you might have mediated contact with the family
• A closed adoption plan, no identifying information will be shared with the adoptive family

The type of adoption plan you choose is a very personal decision. While your adoption agency can help guide you through your options (and discuss different methods of communication you may have with an adoptive family), only you know what is best for you and your child. Some common forms of communication between birth/adoptive families include:

• Email updates
• Letters and pictures through the agency
• Phone calls
• Text messages
• Shared photo accounts
• In-person visits

 

Most adoptions today are open to some degree. This has proven beneficial for both child and birth mother. In fact, 90 percent of adopted children over age five say they are happy with their open adoption circumstances.

If you decide to have a closed adoption, your adoption agency will fully support and respect your decision. Open adoption is not right for everyone. At Adoptions With Love, we always keep photos and letters on file throughout the years, should you change your mind down the road and wish to receive updates of your child as he or she grows.

Through an open adoption arrangement, you can also select the family of your child and meet them, if you wish.

4. Choose an Adoptive Family

If you would like to choose an adoptive family for your baby, your adoption agency can show you various approved waiting families in Massachusetts who may be a match for your child. Adoptions With Love has carefully screened each family that we approve for adoption. You can take as much time as you need in choosing the perfect adoptive family for your baby. You can also meet them in person.

Some of the steps you will take in finding an adoptive family for your child include:

• Talking with your adoption agency about what qualities you are looking for in an adoptive family
• Browsing through profiles of prospective adoptive families
• Asking questions to learn more about these families
• Contacting the prospective adoptive family you have chosen
• Create your adoption plan and discuss the future with family
• Plan your hospital stay and how they will be involved

In Massachusetts, it is required that all potential adoptive families be thoroughly screened and evaluated by a licensed adoption agency. We go to their homes to ensure the environment is safe and secure. They have gone through an extensive home study process as well as a series of background checks and interviews, to ensure their stability. We want to make sure your baby is placed in a loving and stable home.

5. Create a Post Adoption Agreement

An Open Adoption Agreement is a legal and binding agreement that is part of the Massachusetts adoption regulations. This agreement is signed by the birth parents and adoptive parents. It is entered into court at the time of finalization. In this plan, you can determine if you want contact with your child and his or her adoptive family, as well as how much contact you would like. You can choose to have ongoing face-to-face meetings with your adoptive family, communicate with them through email or phone, solely maintain contact through the agency, or have no contact at all. The choices are yours.

Just as every woman is unique, every adoption plan is unique. When you work with Adoptions With Love, know that your post-adoption plan will be completely tailored to meet the needs of you, your child, and your child’s adoptive family.

6. Pursue Ongoing Adoption Support

After your baby’s adoption, it is important to seek ongoing support. Through a reputable Massachusetts adoption agency, you can participate in support groups or meet one-on-one with a licensed counselor. At Adoptions With Love, we promise you will have our support and ongoing counseling after the adoption.

Adoptions With Love is a full-service adoption agency. We provide the following free services to expectant/birth mothers considering adoption in Massachusetts:

• Complete counseling
• Help designing your adoption plan
• Assistance finding quality medical care
• Housing assistance
• Financial assistance
• Legal assistance
• Ongoing Contact

Massachusetts Adoption Information for Expectant/Birth Mothers

For expectant/birth mothers, adoption is all about choices. You can choose the type of adoption plan you would like to have, you can choose your child’s adoptive family, and you can choose to design a hospital plan that makes you feel comfortable. These decisions are all yours, and you can be guided through this process with the constant support of a licensed adoption agency – all at no cost to you.

Types of Adoption

There are many different types of adoption to choose from in Massachusetts. If you are considering making an adoption plan, you may choose between the following types of adoptions:

• Open
• Semi-open
• Closed

While most adoptions today are open, you may choose the type of adoption that fits your needs. At Adoptions With Love, every adoptive family agrees to at least a semi-open adoption, meaning there is some limited communication and information sharing between the birth and adoptive families.

What Are the Birth Father’s Rights in Massachusetts Adoption?

When it comes to adoption in Massachusetts, the rights of both parents must be terminated before any legal proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary. Only an adoption professional can advise a birth mother on parental rights in Massachusetts, including whether those rights can be involuntarily terminated in a court of law. While an expectant/birth mother may not always need the father’s consent – particularly if he is unknown or uninvolved – this can only be confirmed by your adoption agency’s professionals and attorneys.

 

Choosing a Massachusetts Adoption Agency

Choosing to give baby up for adoption in Massachusetts is a monumental decision. It can be made easier with the support and guidance of a licensed adoption agency that you trust.

Those who find an adoption agency can enjoy the many benefits of choosing adoption. Not only are you given the peace of mind of knowing that your child is happy, healthy, loved, and safe with their adoptive family, but you also can have a relationship with your child in the future.

Birth mothers who choose to work with a private adoption agency also have the opportunity to use the free services and financial support they need. Whether you need counseling services after giving birth or help paying your bills during the pregnancy, your adoption agency can help you every step of the way.

Learn more about the options you have with adoption in Massachusetts by contacting Adoptions With Love today. We are here to help support you and guide you through this journey.