If you are considering “giving up” your baby for adoption in Lakewood, you should know from the outset that you are centered in the adoption process, and there are professionals available to assist you through every phase. Adoption in Lakewood comes with many advantages, choices, and opportunities. It is a beautiful and brave choice.
If you are feeling uncertain about what unplanned pregnancy choice to make, rest assured that you are not alone and that there are professionals who will help you determine the right path for you.
This guide offers you an outline of the Lakewood adoption process. It will give you an idea of what to expect and what resources are available. For additional advice, contact an adoption professional today. They will provide you with the empathy and support that you need at this time.
How to Give Your Baby Up for Adoption in Lakewood [The Adoption Process]
When you first decide to “give up” a baby for adoption in Lakewood, it is normal to have a lot of questions about the steps it takes to complete the adoption process and the resources that are available to you.
Whether you are certain you want to pursue adoption or if you are still on the fence about it, your first step will be to contact a Lakewood adoption agency. You will be connected to an adoption professional who can help you navigate these six basic steps:
Continue reading for information about how to place a baby for adoption in Lakewood.
Step 1: Decide that adoption is the right path for you.
Unplanned pregnancy is a life-changing event. You will want to consider all your options, evaluate your circumstances, and think about what you want for your future before you decide to move forward. An adoption professional can counsel you through this period of discernment.
While some unplanned pregnancy options are time-sensitive, adoption is not. You can choose adoption in Lakewood at any time during your pregnancy – or even after giving birth. While there are advantages to starting the process earlier in your pregnancy, you should not feel pressure to choose before you are ready.
Step 2: Create an adoption plan.
When you choose to pursue a Lakewood adoption, your first task will be to complete your adoption plan with your adoption specialist. Your adoption plan is all about your needs throughout the Lakewood adoption process. This document will communicate your preferences to your support system so that you have the experience you want to have.
Adoption plans often include:
- A description of the type of family you want for your child
- Communication preferences with the adoptive family
- A hospital plan that will serve as a blueprint of your needs during labor, delivery, and the post-delivery period in the hospital
- The type of post-adoption contact agreement (PACA) you desire: open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption
Step 3: Choose the perfect family for your child.
One of the privileges of choosing adoption in Lakewood is that you get to decide who adopts and raises your baby. You will get to decide what is most important to you about the adoptive family, describe them to your adoption specialist, and choose from the adoption opportunities they present to you.
In your own time, you will review the family profiles that your adoption specialist gives you. You will then choose the perfect family for your child and determine the kind of post-adoption agreement you want to have.
If you want to pursue an open adoption in Lakewood it will be important that you consider what it will be like to have a long-term relationship with the family that adopts your child. This is an important decision for your baby – to be sure – but it is also an important decision for you.
Step 4: Begin communication with your chosen adoptive family.
Each woman has different needs during this stage of the Lakewood adoption process. As is the case at every other stage, your needs are priority number one. Many of the major decisions have been made at this point, and now you get to begin a new relationship with the family who will adopt and raise your child.
Your first communication with them will likely be a phone call that is mediated by your adoption specialist. You can ask them any questions you might have at this time, or just relax and get a feel for what a relationship with them might be like.
After this, you can decide how much you would like to continue communication and in what ways you would like to interact. Birth mothers text, talk on the phone, email, or even meet in person with their chosen adoptive family. This will all be up to you.
Step 5: Deliver your baby and sign the final adoption paperwork.
Along with the choices that any pregnant woman makes about their birthing experience, you will also determine what post-adoption interactions are most comfortable for you.
Some considerations you will make during your Lakewood adoption are:
- If you want to have some time alone with your baby after birth
- If you are comfortable with the adoptive family in the delivery room
- If you want to nurse your baby
All these decisions will be included in your hospital plan, which will communicate to those around you what kinds of supports you need during your hospital stay. Following the birth of your baby, you will sign the final adoption paperwork. In New Jersey, this will occur 72 hours after your child’s birth.
Step 6: Continue the relationship you want with your child and their adoptive family.
An open adoption gives you the opportunity to continue a loving relationship with your child and their adoptive family. Most modern adoptions are open or semi-open adoption because it is beneficial for the whole adoption triad: you, your child, and the adoptive parents.
Open adoption allows you to hear from the family regularly, a semi-open adoption is more limited and often involves mediated communication, and a closed adoption allows for little to no continued contact. You will get to choose from these types of adoption agreements when you create your post-adoption agreement.
Whatever you choose, knowing what to expect from your relationship with the adoptive family can ease any anxieties that come up after placement.
Lakewood Adoption Agencies
When finding the best adoption agencies in Lakewood, you will want to find professionals who listen to your needs, guide you through the adoption process, and do what is necessary to make your experience what you need it to be.
The two types of adoption agencies in Lakewood are national and local. There are reputable agencies in both categories, but you should know that when you choose a national agency, you will be given access to more resources and a wider network of hopeful adoptive families to choose from.
National adoption agencies in Lakewood include:
Local adoption agencies in Lakewood include:
- Adoption Options
- Hope’s Promise
A national agency will likely offer you dozens – if not hundreds – of families who match your needs, and a local agency will offer you access to a handful of regional families who are hoping to adopt. But either way, you can expect the following services:
- Unplanned pregnancy help
- Assistance while creating your adoption plan
- Giving you access to adoption opportunities
- Legal counsel
- Post-adoption support
- 24/7 hotline to receive counsel
- Help to find adoption financial assistance
Finding an Adoptive Family in Lakewood
Matching services that adoption agencies provide are essential to choosing an adoptive family for your baby. You get to choose the family who adopts your child. Your adoption specialist will find families who match your needs, give you the time you need to make this important decision, and facilitate any communication between you and a hopeful adoptive family.
Here’s how it will work:
- Your adoption specialist will ask you a set of questions to help you create a description of your ideal adoptive family. This will include the adoptive family’s personality, lifestyle, hobbies, and more.
- You will be given access to profiles of families that match your description. You will take the time you need to look over them, get a feel for the families, and choose the adoptive couple for your baby.
- You will let your adoption specialist know when a family sticks out to you, and they will facilitate your first contact, which will likely be a mediated phone conversation.
This decision will set the foundation for the life that you want for your child and put you on track to completing your Lakewood adoption.
Getting Adoption Financial Assistance in Lakewood
Most women have questions about the financial aspects of “giving up” a baby for adoption in Lakewood. Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this topic to convey the financial benefits of adoption.
“Is an adoption in Lakewood free?”
Yes. Adoption in Lakewood – and in any other city – is 100% free for you. The birth mother will not pay for any adoption agency services, attorney counsel, or pregnancy-related medical bills.
“Can I get paid for “giving up” my baby for adoption in Lakewood?”
No, a birth mother cannot receive direct payment for placing her child for adoption. The reasons for this are multi-faceted, but the laws are in place mostly to protect your right to voluntarily consent to the adoption. Though you cannot get paid, some expenses can be subsidized depending on your needs.
“Is there financial assistance for adoption in Lakewood?”
Yes, and you are eligible to receive it. The financial assistance available to every birth mother is:
- Adoption agency services free of charge
- Coverage of pregnancy-related medical costs
- Free legal representation and counsel
Additionally, you could also qualify for living expenses like rent, groceries, counseling, and childcare to be covered during your pregnancy. For more information about the financial support you could receive, contact a Lakewood adoption professional.
What’s Next for Your Unplanned Pregnancy?
Your choice to “give up” your baby for adoption in Lakewood should be one that you are proud of. It is a process that allows you to:
- Give your child the life that you want for them
- Continue to work toward your dreams for yourself
- Continue an loving relationship with your baby throughout their childhood
To begin this beautiful journey, reach out to an adoption professional who can support and guide you through this time.
If you are uncertain about which unplanned pregnancy choice is right for you at this time, your next steps might be slightly different. Some options for you are:
- Contact a Lakewood adoption agency to consult with an unplanned pregnancy counselor.
- Look over the profiles of hopeful adoptive families
- Learn more about the advantages of the three unplanned pregnancy options.
If in doubt, reach out. With an adoption professional, you will be in good hands – offered the respect and empathy you need. They will offer you unbiased information and help you to decide what is right for you. Contact an adoption professional today to gain clarity during this challenging time.