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Adoption in Ohio is a positive choice. It gives expectant/birth mothers facing an unplanned pregnancy a way to continue pursuing their personal and professional goals, while giving their child a loving family and stable life. Expectant/birth parents choose adoption for various reasons, often because they are not ready to raise a child.
If you are considering adoption for your child, you likely have many questions surrounding adoption in Ohio:
- How does it work?
- What do I need to know about adoption in Ohio?
- Is adoption the right choice for me?
- Where do I start the process?
And more.
One way to help you decide if adoption might be right for you is to review credible Ohio adoption FAQ guides—like this one. You can also contact a reputable and experienced adoption agency serving Ohio, such as Adoptions With Love.
AWL has put together this guide to educate you more about adoption in Ohio—and help you feel more prepared about this choice.
How Do I “Put My Baby Up” for Adoption in Ohio?
When you are ready to begin the adoption process, you will want to start with an adoption agency. Look for an organization that can offer full support services and prioritizes your needs, health, and well-being. A private, full-service agency like Adoptions With Love has been working with expectant/birth mothers in Ohio since 1986. We can walk you through the Ohio adoption process from start to finish and stay connected with you for years to come.
Do Birth Mothers Get Paid for Adoption in Ohio?
You will not be paid for placing your child for adoption. However, you can receive financial support during this challenging time. According to Ohio adoption laws, expectant/birth mothers cannot receive money in exchange for adoption, but they can receive reasonable financial support during the pregnancy and for a period of time after birth.
At Adoptions With Love, you can receive financial support for the following:
- Living expenses – including utilities, cell phone bills, food, and maternity clothes
- Medical coverage – from uninsured prenatal care to delivery to postpartum appointments
- Housing assistance – we can cover a deposit and several months of rent
Adoptions With Love provides compassionate counseling services (before and after birth), legal services, adoption planning, and post-adoption contact assistance free of charge.
How Do I Find Someone to Adopt My Baby?
An Ohio adoption agency can help you find the right adoptive parent(s) for your child. One of the benefits of using a full-service adoption agency is having access to prospective adoptive family profiles. These profiles include photos, background information, stories, and letters from families hoping to adopt. These profiles will give you plenty of information, but you can also ask your adoption specialist for more information, if you need it. You can also speak with – or meet – the family before making your decision.
Another benefit of using an adoption agency in Ohio is the comfort in knowing that your child will be raised in a safe, stable, loving, and healthy home. Each prospective adoptive family that works with Adoptions With Love must complete the Home Study. This process takes several months to complete and includes background checks, multiple home visits and interviews, and the examination of professional, medical, and financial documents.
When Do I Have to Finalize a Decision about Adoption?
An adoption plan can be made at any time. According to Ohio adoption laws, the birth mother cannot consent to the adoption until at least 72 hours (3 days) after giving birth. This gives you a chance to meet and get to know your baby before finalizing your decision. Adoptions With Love encourages all birth mothers to take as much time as they need before making their decision. It is never too late to make an adoption plan.
How Do I Know Adoption is Right for Me?
Adoption is a deeply personal decision that every expectant/birth mother must make for herself. No one should ever pressure you into any decision regarding your pregnancy. You may not have planned to be pregnant, but you are in charge of the pregnancy.
If you are not yet ready to parent, or you know that you cannot raise a child right now, and you do not want to have an abortion, then adoption might be the right choice for you. Speaking with a professional Ohio adoption agency can help.
This is your decision. Depending upon your religious beliefs, you may choose to pray about it, meditate on it, or just spend some time thinking about your choices. Only you will know what is best for you.
What Will My Child Think of Me?
Many expectant/birth mothers worry about what their child will think of them when they are older. This is a common concern. You want to make sure your child knows how loved they are – it is the reason for choosing adoption in the first place! You can write your child a letter and send pictures and a gift to tell them about your choice of adoption. You are considering your child’s needs and facing one of the hardest decisions to ensure they have a safe, happy, and loving home with security and opportunities. It is understandable that you may worry your child will have an unfavorable opinion of you.
Consider this: Most adoptions today are open adoptions, and most adopted children report having positive feelings about their adoption. This means it is likely that your child will have positive, loving feelings about you. When there is ongoing communication between birth and adoptive families, the adoptive families have direct access to the child’s family history. When children learn about their adoption story, they typically have better feelings about it and a better understanding of who they are and why their birth mother was so strong.
What Happens After the Adoption is Finalized?
Once the adoption is complete, you can focus on yourself. You will have spent much of your pregnancy and the days following the birth focused on your child and the adoption plan. Once the adoption is complete, you will want to focus on healing – both physically and emotionally. This takes time. At Adoptions With Love, birth parents can – and should – continue counseling services. Adoptions With Love will help pay for counseling for the first year after you place your baby for adoption. We will keep in contact with you for as long as you want. You can join our birth mother support group.
You can also begin to focus on your own personal and/or professional goals. You may have other children to care for and want to get back to work. Whether you are a student who wants to complete a diploma or degree, or a working professional who wants to advance your career, you can start to work toward these goals. You can do so all while knowing your child is safe and loved.
If you choose to pursue an open adoption in Ohio, you can also work on building your relationship with your child’s adoptive family. This is a lifelong bond that you can forge as soon as you decide to place your child with this family. Your adoption specialist can help you determine the exact type of open adoption plan that works for you.
Learn More About Adoption in Ohio
Still have questions about adoption in Ohio? Adoptions With Love can help. Call us 24/7 with questions – commitment-free – at 800-722-7731, 617-777-0072, or contact us online.