How to Give Your Baby for Adoption in Wyoming

Adoption is Not Giving Up

If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy in Wyoming and you are not yet ready to be a parent, you may be wondering how to “give baby up for adoption in Wyoming.” The first thing to know is that adoption is anything but “giving up.” Making an adoption plan for your child is a brave, selfless, and loving act. It takes forethought and consideration. You are thinking about making a painful and emotional life decision that will benefit your child in the best way possible. You are placing your child’s needs over your own wants. You are already a wonderful mother, and you can get support throughout this life-changing journey.

Why Birth Parents “Give Baby Up for Adoption” in Wyoming

There are many benefits in choosing adoption in Wyoming. With the help and support of a Wyoming adoption agency, you can get the financial and supportive services you need throughout your pregnancy and beyond adoption.

Many expectant/birth parents worry about saying goodbye to their children after birth. This is a difficult part of the process. Thanks to open adoption, however, making an adoption plan no longer means “goodbye forever.” Most adoptions today are open, meaning there is ongoing communication between birth and adoptive families. Your adoption specialist can help you determine the form and frequency of contact that makes you feel most comfortable. You can also choose to select the adoptive family for your child, as well.

Many other birth parents have experienced the joys of open adoption. Madison from Colorado, for example, made an adoption plan with Adoptions With Love and her child was placed with a lovely family from Massachusetts. She shared her experience and how her relationship with her child’s adoptive family is going.

“Our relationship with [the adoptive parents,] Laura-Marie and Chris, and the baby, is amazing,” Madison gushed.

“We are one big family. We speak at least once a week via text, but generally a lot more than that! We communicate with one another about what is comfortable for us, as well as the baby. We take it day by day.”

How to Give My Baby Up for Adoption in Wyoming

1. Learn about all your options and discuss them with an adoption counselor.

Meeting with an adoption counselor does not mean you have to choose adoption. They can offer you education, unbiased information about each of your options in Wyoming:

• Parenthood
• Adoption
• Termination

Weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide which is best for you and your baby. If you wish to pursue adoption…

2. Choose and adoption agency in Wyoming

The first – and most important – step in making an adoption plan in Wyoming is to find an adoption agency. Never plan an adoption through a third-party site or social media. It is important to find a full-service, fully licensed, private adoption agency that can help you with every step of the adoption journey.

An experienced, reputable adoption agency like Adoptions With Love can offer you the supportive services you need. These services – such as legal services and adoption planning – ensure that your adoption goes through safely and legally. There are never any costs for adoption for expectant/birth mothers. In fact, you can get financial assistance through this process. Some of the free services for birth mothers who choose adoption include:

• Compassionate counselors can offer you emotional support throughout the pregnancy and up to a year following the adoption.
• Medical care. We can find you a midwife or doctor and cover all uninsured medical costs related to your pregnancy, birth, and recovery.
• Legal services. Our trained Wyoming adoption attorneys are experienced and know the ins-and-outs of Wyoming adoption laws.
• Living costs. We can provide a deposit and several months of rent, if needed.
• Other living expenses. We can assist you with utilities, phone bills, food and maternity clothes.
• Adoption planning. We can help you custom design an adoption plan that meets your needs.

3. Learn about the different adoption plans offered in Wyoming

If you think you want to “give baby up for adoption” in Wyoming, consider the type of adoption plan that may work best for you. There are three basic types of adoption plans:

• Open adoption
• Closed adoption
• Semi-closed adoption

Open adoption plans can look different for every adoptive family. There is no right or wrong way to make an adoption plan. If you think you want to contact the adoptive family via email or text messaging, that is fine. If you would rather have phone calls or in-person visits, that is okay, too.

If you want a closed adoption, that can be arranged, as well. Adoptions With Love keeps photos and letters on file for every adoption, in case a birth mother decides to open the adoption later.

4. Understand Wyoming’s adoption laws.

Adoption laws can be complicated, and they vary by state. In Wyoming, a birth mother may sign consent to the adoption – giving up parental rights – any time after birth. At Adoptions With Love, we encourage expectant/birth mothers to take all the time they need before signing consent forms. It is never too late to make an adoption plan. You can take as much time as you need in the hospital, meet your baby, and consider one last time if adoption is best for you and your child.

You can also meet with your adoption agency’s attorneys, who specialize in Wyoming adoption laws. They can meet you anywhere it is most convenient – including the hospital or your home. They will answer any questions you may have about the adoption process and ensure you understand your rights.

5. Create a hospital plan.

In addition to the type of adoption plan you would like, you can also determine your hospital plan. A hospital plan typically includes details on how you would like you experience in the delivery and recovery rooms to go. Would you like the adoptive parents to be in the delivery room? Who will hold the baby first? Would you like your own recovery room, separate from the adoptive parents? Do you want some time alone with the baby before the adoptive parents come to the hospital? These are just a few examples of what requests can be made in the hospital plan.

6. Create a post-adoption plan.

Another plan to consider is your post-adoption contract agreement (PACA). This outlines the type of adoption plan you would like to maintain with your child’s adoptive family. If you want an open adoption, you can specify the form and frequency of communication. If you would like to keep all communication through the adoption agency, that can be arranged. If you would like to meet the adoptive family before birth, but then stop communication after the adoption is final – a semi-open adoption – that is okay. If you do not want any communication with the adoptive family at any point of the adoption process – a closed adoption may be the right choice for you. Your adoption specialist can help guide you and work with you to create the perfect plan that best meets your needs. Most adoptions today are open, with birth and adoptive families forming lifelong relationships. Whichever path you choose, your adoption specialist will support you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Adoption in Wyoming

• Will the process of adoption for my baby cost me anything?

There are never any adoption fees for expectant/birth mothers who choose adoption. In fact, you can receive financial support during this challenging time in your life.

• What are the types of adoption I can choose from when giving my baby up for adoption?

You can choose between an open, semi-open, and closed adoption. Your adoption specialist can help guide you as you make your decisions.

• What if I am in labor or have already had my baby? Is it too late to give up my baby for adoption?

It is never too late to make an adoption plan. At Adoptions With Love, we can meet you when and where it is most convenient for you. We can visit you in the hospital or at home if you have already brought your baby home.

• How and when can birth parents consent to adoption in Wyoming?

Birth parents can consent to adoption any time after giving birth. Consult with an adoption attorney for the latest and most up-to-date information regarding adoption laws in Wyoming.

Finding Support for Your Wyoming adoption

As you consider your decision to “give baby up for adoption” in Wyoming, just remember that adoption is anything but “giving up.” You are placing your child’s needs before your own and considering how to give this baby the best life possible. You may not be able to parent your child right now, but you can still offer them a wonderful life, full of happiness, and opportunity. Birth parents who choose open adoption get to build a relationship with their child’s adoptive family, and – eventually – their child, as well. This gives you the best of both worlds. You can continue to pursue your own personal and professional goals, all while knowing your child is safe, cared for, and loved.

There are many resources for Wyoming birth mothers. Adoptions With Love is one of them. We can help you make your adoption plan, all while giving you the supportive services and assistance you deserve.

Contact Adoptions With Love at any time to learn more about adoption. Call us at 800-722-7731, text us confidentially at 617-777-0072, or contact us online. We can help walk you through this journey every step of the way.

This is our State-by-State Adoption blog series.  To learn about the different areas we service, or to find the specific steps of adoption in your state, please visit adoptionswithlove.org/areas-we-service.