“Giving up” your baby for adoption in Jersey City, New Jersey, is an unplanned pregnancy option that can create the future you want for yourself and your baby.

Choosing adoption in Jersey City can be a difficult decision, but you are not alone. About half of all pregnancies are unplanned, so there have been many women in your position. And there are also professionals available who will help you understand what adoption would mean for your life.

You can reach out to an unplanned pregnancy counselor or an adoption professional at any time for guidance. Whether you are looking for someone to help you make a decision about your unplanned pregnancy options or guide you through the steps of the adoption process, contact an expert today.

How to Give Your Baby Up for Adoption in Jersey City [The Adoption Process]

With adoption, you are given a lot of choice and freedom. Nothing quite demonstrates this more than an outline of the Jersey City adoption process. When you begin to understand how to place a baby for adoption in Jersey City, you will see the benefits that adoption has to offer.

First, you will contact an adoption professional. Partnering with an adoption agency in Jersey City will be essential support as you complete these 6 basic steps of a private, domestic adoption:

Step 1: Choose adoption as the right path for you.

For some women, the choice to “give up” their baby for adoption in Jersey City takes some time and deliberation. It is certainly a life-changing decision, and you should not feel rushed into it. You can choose Jersey City adoption at any point in your pregnancy.

Most people understand adoption professionals as experts in adoption, but you should know that they are also trained to counsel you through the decision-making period during your unplanned pregnancy. They will help you sort out the pros and cons of each of your options, assess your current life circumstances, and help you make the choice that is right for you.

Step 2: Create an adoption plan.

Once you decide that adoption is right for you, you will begin to work closely with an adoption specialist at an adoption agency in Jersey City. One of the first tasks you will complete is developing an adoption plan.

An adoption plan is like a blueprint for your adoption. It communicates your needs at each stage of the adoption process to create the ideal adoption experience for you. You may change some aspects of this plan at a later time, but it is important that start your adoption process with an outline of your preferences.

Included in your adoption plan will be:

• A description of the kind of family you want for your child
• How you want to communicate and interact with adoptive parents
• A hospital plan that describes your ideal experience during labor, delivery and post-delivery interactions with the adoptive family and baby.
• What kind of post-adoption agreement you want: open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption

Step 3: Select the perfect family for your child.

Perhaps the most important choice that you get to make when you choose a Jersey City adoption is the decision about who will adopt and raise your child. Choosing the family who will adopt your baby is a privilege for you and you alone, and this process will be supported by your adoption specialist.

Here’s how it will work:

• Your adoption specialist will ask you questions about what kind of life you want for your child, which will result in a description of your ideal adoptive family.
• Your adoption specialist will give you a list of families who fit your description.
• You will then have a chance to review these family’s profiles and choose an adoptive family for your child.

You will not be rushed through your selection of an adoptive family. You can take your time and view as many profiles as you would like before making this important decision.

Step 4: Begin communication with your chosen adoptive family.

The way that communication works with your chosen adoptive family during this stage in the Jersey City adoption is completely up to you. You will have your initial contact with them where you can get a feel for the adoptive couple and ask them any questions you might have. This will likely be done via a mediated phone call.

After your first conversation, you can decide how much and in what ways you want to continue communication. Some birth mothers and adoptive families exchange text messages or emails. Others talk on the phone regularly. Others even have in-person visits to solidify the relationship they want.

Step 5: Give birth to your baby and sign adoption placement paperwork.

When it comes time to give birth to your baby, you will have a hospital plan in place to support you. A hospital plan will answer questions that healthcare providers want to know about your birthing preferences, but it will also address what you would like the time after birth to look like.

Examples of decisions you will get during this stage of your Jersey City adoption are:

• Whether you want to hold your baby
• If you would like the adoptive family in the delivery room
• Whether you want to nurse your baby

Following birth, you will sign the final adoption paperwork that indicates your consent to an adoption in Jersey City. When working with a Jersey City adoption agency, this paperwork cannot be signed until 72 hours after your child’s birth.

Step 6: Foster the relationship you want with your child and their adoptive family.

One of the beautiful parts of open adoption is that you will have the opportunity to continue a loving relationship with your child – and foster a relationship with their adoptive parents too. You might be surprised to know that, in many cases, this relationship can blossom into a family-like connection.

Just like before, you will get to decide what communication looks like – the frequency and mode of communication will be up to you and established in a post-adoption contact agreement. Adoption in Jersey City offers you the opportunity to maintain an ongoing relationship with your child or have privacy after your adoption is final. You are in control and get to determine what is best for you.

Jersey City Adoption Agencies

Before the adoption process begins, there is one decision you will make that will impact your adoption experience: the choice of which adoption agency in Jersey City you will partner with to complete your adoption.  

The first way that you will narrow down your choices is to choose either a national or local adoption agency in Jersey City. National agencies often have more resources and larger networks to support you.

The most significant benefit to you when you choose a national agency is that you will be given many more adoption opportunities. You will receive dozens – if not hundreds – of profiles to review, compared to the handful you will receive with a local agency.

National adoption agencies in Jersey City include:

• American Adoptions
• Gladney Center for Adoption

If you are looking for an adoptive family that lives in your region, you could have a better chance of finding a local family with a local adoption agency in Jersey City.

Local adoption agencies include:

• Bethany Christian Services
• Christian’s Aid and Family Services
• Better Living Adoption Services

The best Jersey City adoption agencies will offer services like:

• Unplanned pregnancy help
• Guidance while creating your adoption plan
• Help to find adoption opportunities
• Legal counsel
• Post-adoption support
• 24/7 hotline to receive counsel
• Assistance securing adoption financial assistance

Finding an Adoptive Family in Jersey City

What you envision for your baby’s life is the central focus of your Jersey City adoption, and one of the most important aspects of their life is the family who raises them. You get to choose this for your child, and your adoption specialist will support you through this process. 

Here’s how it will work:

• First, you will create a description of the kind of family you want for your child. You can consider their personality, lifestyle, location, and interests.
• Then your adoption specialist will compile profiles of families that match your guidelines.
• Next, you will be given time to review them and – in your own time – choose the perfect family for your child.

When you select an adoptive family for your child, you will be well on your way to completing your Jersey City adoption.

Getting Adoption Financial Assistance in Jersey City

One part of your Jersey City adoption that you may have curiosities about is how it works financially. Below are some common questions that birth mothers ask Jersey City adoption agencies about the financial benefits of adoption.

“Is adoption in Jersey City free?”

Yes. While your other unplanned pregnancy options can be quite costly, “giving up” your baby for adoption in Jersey City is completely free. Additionally, there is adoption financial assistance available that covers certain expenses for birth mothers in Jersey City.

“Can I receive payment for “giving up” my baby for adoption in Jersey City?”

No. You cannot receive direct payments for placing your baby for adoption. However, there are many ways that a birth mother can receive financial assistance that can subsidize some of your expenses.

“Is there available adoption financial assistance for birth mothers in Jersey City?”

Yes. Financial assistance is available to all birth mothers. You will receive:

• Free services from your adoption agency
• Coverage of pregnancy-related medical costs
• Free legal representation and counsel

In some cases, birth mothers are eligible to have some living expenses covered. It is not uncommon for rent, utilities, groceries, phone services, counseling, and childcare to be paid for. To learn more about what you might qualify for, contact a Jersey City adoption professional.

What’s Next for Your Unplanned Pregnancy?

If you have decided that “giving up” your baby for adoption in Jersey City is the right choice for your unplanned pregnancy, your next best step is to reach out to an adoption professional. They can help you to start your adoption process.

However, you might feel more comfortable at this point with one of the following next steps:

• Browse some waiting adoptive families
• Choose a national adoption agency or a Jersey City adoption agency.
• Contact an adoption agency to learn how they can assist you.

If you are still considering other unplanned pregnancy options, you may need additional guidance. Reach out to an unplanned pregnancy counselor who can help you sort out the pros and cons of each of your choices and to decide what the best choice is for you.

Whether you have made your decision or not, you will always benefit from reaching out to an adoption professional. You will be offered empathy, non-judgmental guidance, and unbiased information about the three unplanned pregnancy options.