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Facing an unplanned pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences a woman can face. If you have just given birth and realized you are not ready to become a parent, you may be feeling especially overwhelmed. You may have delivered a perfect baby into this world, but are now seeing that your situation is not perfect for a baby right now. You may want to give your baby a more stable, secure life than you can offer, but are scared that it’s too late.
Is it too late to give my baby up for adoption after birth? If you want the answer to be yes, then it should say can I still give my baby up for adoption after birth.
The short answer is NO. You can choose adoption after birth, right from your hospital room. You may also choose adoption several weeks or months after your baby’s birth, if you realized that you cannot provide the life you had hoped for your child. It is never too late.
Whether you are in your third trimester, have just given birth, or have brought baby home and are now considering adoption – it is not too late. You can place your baby for adoption after giving birth. In fact, every state requires birth mothers to wait until after birth before signing any adoption papers. This gives you time to rest, meet baby (if you choose to do so), and to think about your adoption decision before terminating your parental rights. No adoption decisions you make before birth are binding in any way.
Of course, adoption laws vary by state. Some states allow birth mothers to sign surrender forms for adoption immediately following the baby’s birth. Others require a certain number of hours or days before any papers may be signed. In Massachusetts, for example, a birth mother must wait at least four days before signing papers to consent to the adoption. A competent and trustworthy adoption agency, such as Adoptions With Love, will offer adoption legal services for free. Adoption attorneys are familiar with these varying laws between states and can guide you through the process.
When you are ready to make an adoption plan after birth – whether you are in the hospital or you are recovering at home – you should reach out to a credible and experienced adoption agency. Even though you are placing your child for adoption, you can still do the following through an open adoption agency like Adoptions With Love:
- Select your child’s adoptive family
- Speak with the adoptive parents on the phone while they head to the hospital or your home to meet you and baby
- Meet the parents in-person if you wish
- Arrange an open, semi-open, or closed adoption plan
- Rest assured that your child will go to a safe, stable, and loving home, since all adoptive families at Adoptions With
- Love must pass an extensive background check and home study process
Making the decision to place your child for adoption is difficult. For some women, it takes months to reach this decision and accept it as the best choice for baby. That is okay. It is important to remember, however, that “giving baby up for adoption” is far from “giving up.” In fact, it takes an incredibly strong, brave, and selfless woman to make this difficult decision.
Placing a baby for adoption means giving your child a life beyond the one you could offer at this time. Your incredible love and commitment to your child is what makes this possible. Because of your perseverance, you can get through pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery – all while planning a bright future for this little life. For this reason, we do not say “give your baby up for adoption,” but rather, “make an adoption plan” at Adoptions With Love. Placing a child for adoption after birth is anything but giving up.
An experienced, trustworthy and caring agency, like Adoptions With Love, can help you as you consider adoption, without judgement or pressure. We want expectant/birth mothers to take their time when thinking about making an adoption plan. There is no rush or deadline. You may choose to make an adoption plan and meet your child’s adoptive family before or after giving birth. The choice is yours, and you should never feel pushed one way or another. Adoptions With Love can offer you guidance in exploring all your options and help you make a plan if you do come to the decision to place your child for adoption.
When you are ready, reach out to Adoptions With Love at any time to discuss making an adoption plan. We are here to answer your questions, day or night, any day of the week. Reach out to us at 1-800-722,7731, text us confidentially at 1-617-777-0072, or email us at info@awlonlline.org. You can also download our new eBook, Choosing Adoption After Birth, below for more information on this topic.
