You’re Not Giving Up. Here’s How to Make an Adoption Plan for Your Baby
If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, odds are, you are going through many different thoughts, mixed emotions and fears. If you are considering adoption in Manhattan, Kansas — whether you’re just contemplating your options or are ready to start creating an adoption plan — we are here to help make sure you don’t have to go through your pregnancy alone.
Knowing what options are available and choosing the right resources is very important to the overall outcome of your pregnancy. This guide will provide you with information on the Manhattan, Kansas, adoption process, as well as the resources you may need as you make this important decision. Even if you aren’t certain if adoption is the right path for you, contact an adoption professional anytime and they will be able to answer any questions you may have.
In the meantime, continue reading for more information on adoption in Manhattan, KS.
How to “Give Up” a Baby for Adoption in Manhattan, KS
Unfortunately, it needs to be addressed that there are still people who have a skewed view on what it really means when a woman decides adoption is the best choice for her and her baby. Some think that for a birth mother to “give her baby up” for adoption, she is carelessly “giving up” on the child and herself.
When a birth mother decides to place her baby for adoption, this could not be further from the truth.
A mother choosing adoption for her baby is making a selfless, life-changing decision. Although other phrasing such as “placing a child for adoption” or “choosing adoption for her baby” is preferred, you will still see “give up” used at times in this article, and throughout other adoption information, because this is how many women still think about adoption and search for the information they need.
However, please know that, if you choose to “give your baby up” for adoption in Manhattan, you are actually making an incredibly brave choice out of immense love for your baby — and adoption professionals and adoptive families will respect and admire you for that decision.
The Manhattan, KS, Adoption Process
When you have the right professional by your side, the process of putting your baby up for adoption in Manhattan, KS, is not overly difficult and generally consists of five steps:
Step 1: Choose Adoption and Select a Professional to Help
One of the most difficult steps in the adoption process is making the initial decision of “giving your baby up” for adoption. Luckily, there are many great resources available for prospective birth mothers. With services such as a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION, pregnancy counselors, and adoption professionals, the best help is available to make sure you don’t have to make this decision alone.
Placing your baby for adoption is an important decision to make. Choosing the right professional is equally important. Having the right adoption professionals by your side throughout your adoption will help reassure that you are making the right decision, as well as make the adoption process run much smoother. Choosing a professional should be a top priority, seeing how this will impact the overall outcome and experience of your adoption in Manhattan, KS. To help you get started, we have listed some Manhattan adoption agencies below that can guide you through every step of the process.
Step 2: Make an Adoption Plan
Once you have decided adoption is the best choice and have chosen who will provide your adoption services in Manhattan, you will then work with your adoption specialist to begin creating an adoption plan. Your adoption plan essentially keeps you, the prospective birth mother, in control of how you would like the adoption to go. You will discuss the type of relationship you would prefer to have with your child after placement, the characteristics of the adoptive family you are hoping to find, and discuss your options while creating a hospital plan. These are just some of the steps that will be discussed during your adoption plan.
Step 3: Choose an Adoptive Family
Choosing the best family for your baby is considered to be the most impactful and fulfilling step of the adoption process. Finding the adoptive family that you want to place your baby with is not a decision to take lightly. To begin, you will review adoptive family profiles, which will include pictures, videos, and some basic information about the family. When you find a profile that stands out and matches the characteristics of the family you are hoping to find, you will have the opportunity to get to know the adoptive family. You might choose to have phone calls, email exchanges, and even in-person visits with the potential adoptive parents to help make your decision easier. Once you decide on a family, the communication will continue throughout the pregnancy. If you are pursuing an open adoption, it may also continue well after placement.
Step 4: Complete Placement
Once you have chosen a family that you feel best matches your desired family for you child, you will begin preparing for placement. This includes creating a hospital plan with your adoption specialist, which will determine your preferences for your labor and delivery experience and help you prepare for the consent process that takes place after your baby is born. In Kansas, a child must be at least 12 hours old before a birth mother can consent for her baby to be placed for adoption. Your adoption specialist will stress the importance of being completely certain of your adoption decision prior to signing consent forms, as there are very few occurrences where a mother can change her mind after the fact.
Step 5: Adjust to Life and Continue Your Relationship Post-Placement
Oftentimes a birth mother will experience a mix of emotions during the post-placement portion of the adoption. It is common for there to be grief and doubt, but also happiness knowing that you are giving your child the best opportunity. Counseling services are available, throughout your pregnancy, but also after placement, to help you express and understand these emotions. The relationship you have with the adoptive family and your child will depend upon the expectations you put in place with your adoption specialist when creating your adoption plan.
This was a brief overview of the adoption process. If you are considering putting your baby up for adoption in Manhattan, Kansas, please complete a contact form, or call 1-800-ADOPTION to get in touch with an adoption professional.
Manhattan Adoption Agencies
From legal representation to hospital planning to emotional support and counseling, an adoption agency in Manhattan will be able to provide you with all of the support you will need during your adoption.
Here are a few adoption agencies near Manhattan, Kansas, that you may consider contacting:
Financial Assistance During Pregnancy
One question surrounding adoption which is commonly asked is, “Do birth mothers get paid to give their baby up for adoption?”
The answer is no, but in certain situations financial assistance is available.
It is illegal for birth mothers to get paid for placing a baby up for adoption in Manhattan, or in any other city in the country. There are however, adoption-related expenses that may be paid for by the prospective adoptive parents on behalf of the prospective birth mother. One benefit that is often overlooked is that the services and resources an adoption agency provides to a prospective birth mother are free of charge.
Financial assistance for adoption is in place in Kansas to lessen the burden on the prospective birth mother. Expenses such as the medical bills related to pregnancy and birth, the child’s medical expenses, and any reasonable living costs that occur during or because of the pregnancy may all be covered by financial assistance.
An adoption professional in Manhattan will guide you through the adoption process, including the financial aspects. If you have any questions about what assistance is available to you, 1-800-ADOPTION provides 24/7, no-obligation support.
Birth Father Rights During a Manhattan Adoption
If you are a prospective birth mother, you may be asking when it comes to your pregnancy and adoption, what rights does the birth father have?
Depending upon the situation, different laws and rules will apply. For a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering adoption, it is crucial to understand how birth father rights may affect your adoption decision and/or adoption process. Given every birth father situation and each relationship is different, you will want to speak with your adoption agency and/or an adoption attorney in Manhattan to avoid any confusion or misinformation and to prepare for any potential challenges that could occur.
Through their network of adoption attorneys, the adoption agency you choose will help guide you to the legal representation you will need throughout your adoption. If you would like to speak with an adoption attorney on your own, Manhattan, KS, has many great options.
You may consider contacting any of the following Manhattan adoption lawyers to learn more about the legal aspects of the adoption process:
Finding an Adoptive Family in Manhattan, Kansas
Finding the right family for your child is arguably the most important step of the adoption process.
During your adoption in Manhattan, KS, your adoption specialist will help guide you through the process of finding adoptive parents and provide you with adoptive family profiles to review. Prior to this step, during the adoption planning, the prospective birth mother will need to determine what characteristics and traits she is looking for the adoptive family to possess. This will help your adoption specialist narrow down profiles for you to review.
A potential birth mother can review as many adoptive family profiles as needed to help her make a decision she is completely comfortable with. The expectant mother is always in control of deciding who she wants to place her baby with. Although a pregnancy only last nine months, there is no need to rush this decision.
After a prospective birth mother has narrowed down her list of potential adoptive families, her adoption professional will set up some sort of communication between the two, so both parties can interact on a personal level. This may be through phone calls, emails, video chat, or even face-to-face meetings, depending on the logistics of everyone involved. The goal of this interaction is to help ease any concerns anyone may have by adding a level of confidence. This should also get you closer to making a decision on which family you would like to place your child with during your adoption in Manhattan, KS.
More information on finding an adoptive family in Kansas is available here, or consult with an adoption specialist to begin discussing the type of family you envision for your baby.
Open Adoption with Your Child
In the past, it was common for a birth mother who chose adoption for her baby to never see or hear any details about her child after placement occurred. This creates a concern for prospective birth mothers today that if they decide “giving their baby up” for adoption is best for them, they will not have any involvement or knowledge of their child’s life.
Luckily, adoption has progressed over time, and this does not have to be the case. Open adoption is available and helps ease these concerns and completely changes the overtone of the adoption process.
Open adoption in Manhattan, KS, refers to a post-placement agreement between a birth mother and adoptive family that allows the birth mother to continue having a relationship with her child after placement. This agreement is not legally binding, and the relationship is likely to change as the child grows to accommodate different needs and desires. But, when both parties are able to determine their preferences and establish a mutual agreement, open adoption is a great opportunity for not only a birth mother to remain involved in her child’s life, but also for the child to have an even larger support system in their life.
Not all adoptions are open adoptions, and there are different levels of openness. Open adoption, semi-open adoption, and closed adoption are all available options.
Discussing your intentions and preferred outcome with your adoption specialist for your adoption in Manhattan, KS, is very important as you look for a potential adoptive family for your child, as you want them to be able to meet your goals. Your adoption professional will help educate you on the options available and also narrow down which type of adoption, whether open, semi-open or closed adoption, best matches your adoptive goals.
Find more information on open adoption in Kansas here.
Exploring your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Manhattan, KS
An unplanned or unwanted pregnancy in Manhattan, KS, can be a very concerning time for a woman. Making such an important decision for your future, as well as the future of your child, is life-changing.
How you handle your pregnancy is a choice that needs plenty of research and consideration before making a decision. When it comes down to it, a pregnant woman ultimately has three options: parenting, adoption or abortion.
It is important to note that in Kansas, there are legal timeframes that prevent abortion after a certain point in pregnancy, so a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy must make her decision somewhat quickly. Although you are dealing with a short timeframe, complete education on your options, and the potential outcomes, is very important before making a decision.
There are several pros and cons for each path you may choose. It is important to weigh them thoroughly. For more information on your options and other services available, you may also consider contacting any of the following organizations in the Manhattan, Kansas, area:
No matter the path you decide to take during your pregnancy, specialists can provide you with 24/7 support and help you explore your options available during an unplanned pregnancy. If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and considering adoption in Manhattan, KS, contact us for a no-obligation, free of charge consultation.
