Adoption in Paterson [Complete Guide for Expectant Mothers]

If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Paterson, New Jersey, you likely want to know what kind of resources are available to you and what next steps you should take if you decide that “giving up” your baby for adoption is right for you.

This guide will direct you to those resources and outline the steps you should take next.

While you might still be considering other unplanned pregnancy options, you should know the benefits of adoption before you make a decision. The best way to see the advantage of choosing adoption in Paterson is to learn about the adoption process and the way that you are prioritized throughout.

No matter what unplanned pregnancy choice you are leaning toward, your next best step is to reach out to an adoption professional. Unplanned pregnancy counselors are on call to talk you through your options, and adoption specialists are available to set you on the path toward adoption.

You will receive the support and guidance you need at this time when you reach out to an adoption professional at a Paterson adoption agency.

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

After you establish a working relationship with an adoption professional, they will help you navigate these six steps to how to place your baby for adoption in Paterson:

Step 1: Decide that adoption is right for you.

Unplanned pregnancy has the power to change your life. No matter how you decide to move forward, it is important to consider all your options, assess your situation, and think about what you want for your child before you make a final decision. An adoption professional can guide you through this process of discernment.

Adoption is a brave and generous act of love. For many women, adoption is the right decision because it offers the choice and freedom they need during this time. When you choose adoption, you are placed at the center and your needs and preferences guide each step of the Paterson adoption process.

Step 2: Create an adoption plan.

Following the decision to pursue an adoption in Paterson, an adoption specialist from your chosen adoption agency will collaborate with you to complete to write an adoption plan. An adoption plan outlines your entire adoption and the many choices that you get to make throughout the adoption process.

Some components of an adoption plan are:

A description of the type of adoptive family you want for your child
Your communication preferences with adoptive parents
A hospital plan that details your ideal delivery and post-birth interactions
The post-adoption agreement you want: open, semi-open, or closed

Step 3: Select the perfect family for your child.

Of the many choices that a Paterson adoption offers you, the one at the heart of the whole process is the selection of your baby’s adoptive parents. This decision will impact your child’s life in meaningful ways, and you will be in control of it. This decision is yours and you can make it in your own time.

Using the description in your Paterson adoption plan, your adoption specialist will gather adoption opportunities that match the life you envision for your child. You will get to review these family’s profiles and narrow down your options in whatever way you see fit. You may want to invite loved ones into the process, but the decision is yours.

You will get the chance to communicate with any of the families, take the time that you need, and choose the perfect adoptive family for your child.

Step 4: Begin communication with your chosen adoptive family.

The time between choosing your adoptive family and giving birth to your child can be an important time for you to foster the kind of relationship you want to have with the couple. During your adoption in Paterson, you will be able to decide what kind of communication you want to have with the adoptive family.

The relationship you start at this point will likely align with the kind of post-adoption agreement you want after the adoption placement. You get to design your Paterson adoption, so you can decide what this looks like.

Available modes of communication with your chosen adoptive families are:

Pictures and letters
Emails and text messages
Phone calls and video calls
In-person visits

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

When it comes time to have your baby, your hospital plan will precede you. It will specify to your support system the ways that you want to be accommodated during this time. You will be in control of what happens at the hospital and get to make decisions about your pain management, labor preferences, and the interactions you have with your baby’s adoptive parents.

You will sign the final adoption paperwork for adoption in Paterson 72 hours after the birth of your child. This signature will indicate your voluntary consent to the transfer of parental rights. You will have the support of your adoption specialist during this time.

Step 6: Continue a relationship with your child and their adoptive family.

“Giving up” baby for adoption in Paterson is not easy, and the adjustment period after the birth of your child may cause some feelings of grief and loss, no matter how certain and secure you are about your decision.

Having a post-adoption contact agreement (PACA) in place can help. Since it describes your communication preferences and the dynamics of your ongoing relationship with the adoptive family, it will provide you with expectations that can ease some of your anxiety.

If you have an open or semi-open adoption, you will have updates and contact with your child, however, some women prefer to have a closed adoption and participate in little to no contact with adoptive parents. This is okay too.

Paterson Adoption Agencies

Before you begin these six Paterson adoption steps, you will choose an adoption professional who will guide you through the process. This is an important decision, and you may want to reach out to a few private domestic adoption agencies in Paterson to ask about the services they provide.

When you work with adoption professionals, you will be offered both empathy and respect, and this is perhaps the most important attribute.

Some standard services of the best adoption agencies are:

Unplanned pregnancy help
Assistance while developing your adoption plan
Adoption screening and matching services
Legal counsel and representation
Post-adoption support and counsel
Financial assistance

There are two types of private domestic adoption agencies in Paterson: national and local.

When you choose to partner with a national agency, you are choosing wider networks and more resources. Their network of attorneys that assist birth mothers, for example, is more extensive, as are their access to families who are hoping to adopt.

You will likely have dozens – or even hundreds – of adoption opportunities to choose from when you work with a national agency. With a local agency, you will probably be given a handful of potential adoptive families, and these families will live in your region.

Some national agencies that serve the Paterson area are:

Some local agencies that serve the Paterson area are:

Finding an Adoptive Family in Paterson

You have a lot of choice when you decide to “give up” a baby for adoption in Paterson.

You choose the appropriate adoption professional.
You choose the details of your adoption plan.
And you choose who adopts your baby.

Your vision of the life you want for your child is the most important part of your whole adoption will guide all these choices – especially the selection of the perfect family for your child.

Here’s how you will be centered in that process:

Your adoption specialist will work through a list of questions with you about your ideal adoptive family.
You will create a description of the kind of family you want (including personality traits, residence, hobbies, faith, and whatever else is important to you)
Your adoption professional will compile a list of Paterson adoption opportunities that align with your needs.
You will review the families’ profiles, discuss your choice with your Paterson adoption support system, and select the family that is best for your baby.

If you prefer an open adoption agreement, the choice you make will not only impact your baby’s life in a significant way but will matter to your future too. You can meet the family, ask any questions you have for them, and take all the time you need to select the family who will adopt your baby.

Getting Adoption Financial Assistance in Paterson

If you are considering “giving up” a baby for adoption in Paterson, you have probably wondered what the financial benefits of adoption are. Keep reading to find out.

The primary question that prospective birth mothers have is if “giving up” a baby will cost them any money. The answer to this is no. Choosing adoption in Paterson is completely free. Your other unplanned pregnancy options do cost money:

Abortion can cost a woman between $0-1500
Parenting can cost about $13,000 a year
Placing your baby for adoption in Paterson will not cost you a penny.

Another common question that adoption agencies in Paterson receive is in regard to payment a woman can receive for choosing adoption. While you cannot legally “get paid” for choosing adoption, you will receive adoption financial assistance as a birth mother in Paterson.

The standard financial assistance for birth mothers is:

Adoption agencies in Paterson provide their services to you for free.
Pregnancy-related medical costs are covered for you.
You will be offered free representation and counsel from an adoption lawyer.

In addition, some women are eligible to receive financial aid in the following categories:

Rent and utilities
Groceries
Phone services
Counseling
Transportation
Childcare

If you are curious about what you qualify to receive, reach out to a Paterson adoption professional for mor information.

What’s Next for Your Unplanned Pregnancy?

Before anything else can begin, you will first need to contact an adoption professional at a private domestic adoption agency. There are some reputable and licensed agencies listed above for your convenience. An adoption specialist will guide you through the 6 basic steps, providing emotional and practical support all along the way.

Other recommended ways that you can prepare for this transition are to:

Develop an adoption support system.
Review some waiting adoptive families.
Read about some birth mothers’ experiences.
Consider what kind of post-adoption agreement you would like.
Learn all you can about the adoption process.

If you are still open to other unplanned pregnancy options, your next step is to make sure that you are informed about all three choices available to you. Contacting an unplanned pregnancy counselor will help you to identify the pros and cons of each option and help you to determine the right path for you.

No matter where you find yourself in this decision-making process, reaching out to an adoption professional will benefit you. You are not alone, and there are experts ready to come alongside you in this journey.