Placing A Baby For Adoption: 5 Things You Need To Know

Considering adoption as opposed to parenting is a big decision. It is complicated and very emotional for any woman. It is important to understand as much about adoption as you can and to rely on the advice and counseling from an experienced adoption specialist like Premier Adoption Agency. Premier Adoption has helped many women in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah by providing the necessary and crucial information that women need to know before making that decision for themselves.

Throughout our experience and journey with birthmothers and women who choose to parent their babies, we know that there are key elements to the adoption process that cannot be overlooked. We want you to be thoughtful about your journey and to make the decision that is right for you and for your baby.

I have been through the adoption journey with two children. Both are open but definitely vary by the adoptive families' preference.

5 Things You Need To Know Before Deciding To Place A Baby For Adoption

1. Adoption is permanent only after the child is born and you have signed the legal paperwork - The adoption legal process is finalized after the birth of the baby. Before the baby is born - and even after - you can take the time that you need to make a decision. Your adoption specialist is available to you for support and guidance through every step of the journey. Once the paperwork is signed, the adoption is permanent and legally binding. Signing an adoption agreement is cutting legal ties to your child and waives your legal rights and responsibilities.

2. Traditional closed adoptions are an option, but aren't as common as they used to be - Years ago, if a woman placed a child for adoption she wasn't given any information about the adoptive family or where the baby was going. The adoptive family was also given very little information about the birth mother and the history of the baby. In today's world, adoption is very different. We understand more about the implications of a child who has no history or contact with the biological family. Open and semi-open adoptions are a much more common practice.

3. Birthmothers can choose the type of family that adopts their baby - The best way adoptions have changed is the way that the birth mother is given more control of how the adoption happens and the information she receives. She can choose to meet families, learn about different families that are hoping to adopt, she can have a say in the religious background of the family that adopts the child, and much more.

4. Adoption laws vary by state regarding the birth father and his involvement - The involvement of the biological father varies by state. Some states require consent from both the biological mother and father. In other states, the biological father may not have secured rights to the child if he was not married to the mother at the time of conception. To understand the laws in your Nevada, Arizona, or Utah, it is best to contact our experienced professionals at Premier Adoption Agency who can help you understand your rights and obligations as a birth mother.

5. Women can choose a family that has similar adoption plan ideas and goals - An adoption plan really maps out how communication and contact will happen after the adoption. In open and semi-open adoptions, this can include photos and updates of the baby. However, many open adoptions have included Facetime or Skype communication, and even visitation. With my own birth families, the relationships are quite different from one another. After the first one, I learned what I did and did not like, what was harder, what made the situation easier, and what helped me move on. The second one has been a tremendous joy and is full of love. The second is much more open and I've had photos sent to me, the family keeps an app called "Moment Garden" full of photos of the baby and I am a member of the group so I get to see all of them - all of the time. They share this app with the rest of their family members so it's amazing to see how everyone interacts and responds to the photos. I have also received drawings and cards made by my sweet little ones and have been given the opportunity to explore visits - of course with COVID it may be a while longer before I get that opportunity again. But I know that it is available.

Adoptions can be tricky because there is so little information available on how to make them work well for everyone. Education and support are the key ingredients for reaching a major decision in your life. Premier Adoption is blessed to be able to help support the women who reach out to us and we want to extend that to anyone reading this who is considering adoption. Let us educate and support you so that you can reach a decision that truly is right for you and your baby.