You’re Not Giving Up. Here’s How to Make an Adoption Plan for Your Baby
An unplanned pregnancy can be a very troubling time for a woman, especially if she is going through it alone.
No matter your situation, it is important to know that professionals are here to help make sure you have someone by your side, throughout your pregnancy and after.
If you are considering adoption in Olathe, Kansas, it is common to be filled with emotions, thoughts and concerns. Whether you are just weighing your options or are ready to start an adoption plan, we are here to help. This guide will inform you on the Olathe, Kansas, adoption process, as well as provide resources you may need as you make this important decision.
No matter what stage of research or pregnancy you may be at, you can contact an adoption professional anytime and they will be able to answer any questions you may have, for free with no obligation to pursue adoption.
Continue reading for more information on adoption in Olathe KS, and other aspects involved with an unplanned pregnancy.
How to “Give Up” a Baby for Adoption in Olathe, KS
Unfortunately, even as adoptions have progressed, there are still people who have the misconception that a birth mother who decides to “give her baby up” for adoption is carelessly “giving up” on the child altogether.
This is simply not true.
A mother who chooses adoption for her baby is actually making a life-changing decision, based on selfless love and support for her child. Choosing adoption is not “giving up” or carelessly “giving away” a baby. The mother is providing her baby the opportunity of the best life possible. Although you see the term “giving up” used in this article and elsewhere discussing adoption, we cannot stress enough that it is not “giving up” — it is giving opportunity.
The Olathe, KS, Adoption Process
When you have the right professional by your side during your adoption, the process of putting your baby up for adoption in Olathe, KS, typically runs much smoother and can be broken down into five steps:
Step 1: Choose Adoption and Contact a Professional
Making the initial decision to pursue adoption is the first step. Prospective birth mothers have many different resources readily available, such as a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION, pregnancy counselors and adoption professionals, so you don’t have to make this decision alone. Having the right adoption professionals supporting you throughout the entire journey will help reassure you that you are making the right decision. The professional you choose will ultimately dictate the overall outcome and experience of your adoption in Olathe, KS, so it is important to find the best professional to meet your needs and adoption goals. You can find a list of adoption agencies in Olathe below that can help you get started.
Step 2: Make an Adoption Plan
After you have chosen who will provide your adoption services in Olathe, they will begin working with you to create an adoption plan. This plan will cover the basic steps of the adoption, such as choosing hospital details, determining financial assistance opportunities, discussing the type of relationship you would prefer to have with your child and the adoptive family after placement and more. Having an adoption plan in place helps the adoption stay on track and allows the birth mother to provide input on how she would prefer the adoption to progress.
Step 3: Choose an Adoptive Family
Once the adoption plan has been decided upon and is put into place, it is time to begin the most fulfilling step of the adoption process: choosing the best family for your baby.
Some prospective birth mothers are specifically looking to find adoptive parents in Olathe or another part of Kansas, while other women prefer to choose a family who lives in another city or state. When you are finding the adoptive family for your baby, your adoption professional will present you with prospective adoptive family profiles, which will include pictures, videos, demographic information and more, all based on the predetermined characteristics you prefer an adoptive family to possess.
When you find a profile that you feel you connect with, you will have the opportunity to get to know the adoptive family and begin developing a relationship with them. Depending on location and other different factors, this communication may be in the means of phone calls, email exchanges, and even in-person visits. Once you feel confident enough to decide on a family, this communication will continue with the adoptive parents throughout the remainder of your pregnancy.
Step 4: Complete Placement
Once you have chosen the family you feel best matches your desired goals for you child, you will need to begin preparing for placement. Preparation for placement will include creating a hospital plan, which will determine your preferences for your labor and delivery experience as well as help you prepare for the consent process that takes place after your baby is born. In order for a birth mother to consent for her baby to be placed for adoption, a child must be at least 12 hours old, which is a Kansas state law.
When a birth mother gives consent, this means she voluntarily signs her legal parental rights away and is doing so, so that the family she has chosen can take legal custody. Consent may only be reversed if it can be proven that it was not originally given voluntarily. It is crucial to be certain of your adoption decision prior to signing consent forms to prevent any misunderstandings or mistakes. Your adoption professional will help you prepare for this moment to ensure you feel 100 percent confident in your decision before signing.
Step 5: Adjust to Life and Continue Your Relationship Post-Placement
Simply put, post-placement is the most emotional portion of adoption. It is important to know counseling services are available, not only during your pregnancy, but also after placement. Although there can be levels of grief and loss associated with placement, this is also essentially a new start of your life as well, where you can reflect and find comfort in knowing you are providing your child and an adoptive family the gift of opportunity.
It cannot be reiterated enough, although post-placement is the most emotional and potentially depressing portion of adoption, no matter what stage you are at in the adoption process, you are never alone, and someone is always available to help or to just listen.
Get in Touch with an Olathe Adoption Agency
If you are considering putting your baby up for adoption in Olathe, Kansas, please complete a contact form, or call 1-800-ADOPTION to get in touch with an adoption professional. An adoption agency in Olathe will be able to provide you with all of the support and services you will need throughout your entire adoption process.
Here are a few adoption agencies near Olathe, Kansas, that you may consider contacting:
Financial Assistance During Pregnancy
Many adoption-related expenses may be paid for by the adoptive parents selected on behalf of the prospective birth mother. Other means of financial assistance for adoption are in place to ease the financial burden of the prospective birth mother. Common forms of financial assistance for adoption in Olathe include:
- Medical bills of the prospective birth mother related to pregnancy and birth
- The child’s medical expenses
- Portions of living costs that occur during or because of the pregnancy
- And more
Another benefit to assist potential birth mothers is that the use of an adoption professional and the services and resources they offer will be free of charge as well. This helps facilitate the right support for a prospective birth mother without adding financial strain or concern.
It is important to note, although financial assistance is available for prospective birth mothers, this does not mean women get paid to place their children for adoption in Olathe, Kansas.
An adoption professional in Olathe will be able to guide you through the financial aspects of the adoption process. If you have any questions about what assistance is available to you, 1-800-ADOPTION provides 24/7, no-obligation support for any questions you may have.
Birth Father Rights During an Olathe Adoption
Birth father rights in Kansas are regulated by Kansas state laws. Given each situation is unique, different laws and rules apply. As 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. In every birth father situation, it is strongly advised to work with an adoption attorney in Olathe to avoid any confusion or misinformation.
Your adoption agency will help direct you to the legal representation needed throughout your adoption, so you won’t have to contact an attorney on your own. To learn more about birth father rights, you may also consider contacting any of the following Olathe adoption lawyers:
- Kevin Kenny, Adoption Attorney
- Michael Belfonte Adoption Law
- The Alexander Law Firm
- Barnett Law Firm
- Law Office of Elizabeth Mellor
Finding an Adoptive Family in Olathe, Kansas
When it comes to finding adoptive parents in Kansas, it is important for the prospective birth mother to have a general idea of what characteristics and traits she is hoping potential adoptive families will possess. This will be discussed during the adoption plan and will help your adoption professional determine which adoptive profiles have the best possibility of matching your goals.
During your adoption in Olathe, KS, your adoption specialist will help guide you through the process of finding adoptive parents in Kansas (or any state) and provide you with adoptive family profiles to review. As the prospective birth mother, you are in control of the situation and can pursue whichever families you would prefer, based on the profiles you review.
Once you have narrowed down your list of potential adoptive families, you will most likely have some sort of interaction with the families you have chosen. Oftentimes, through phone calls, emails, video conferences or even face-to-face meetings, you will get a better feel for the potential families, which will help ease any concerns so you can make a decision on which family you would like to place your child with during your adoption in Olathe, KS.
There is more information on finding an adoptive family in Kansas here, or consider consulting with an adoption specialist to answer any questions you may have.
Open Adoption with Your Child
Open adoption is becoming increasingly common and can completely change one of the largest concerns of the adoption process.
In many situations, prospective birth mothers are hesitant to pursue adoption because they feel they will never see or hear from their child again. During an open adoption, both the prospective birth mother and adoptive parents determine their preferences for communication and potential visits and establish a mutual agreement on the amount of involvement and communication the birth mother will have with the child. There are no limitations or restrictions on how little or much involvement can occur during an open adoption.
Not all adoptions are considered “open adoptions”; there are also semi-open adoptions and closed adoptions. Depending upon your situation, any of these options could best match your desired outcome for your adoption, so they are each worth looking into.
Open adoptions, no matter the extent of openness, will naturally adapt over time. As needs change, the number of potential visits, frequency of updates and means of communication may be altered to best meet the needs of everyone involved.
Your preferred outcome and goals for your adoption in Olathe, KS, are the top priority.
Finding a family that shares the same goals will help you achieve peace of mind that you will be able to remain a part of your child’s life. Your adoption professional will help educate you on the options available and narrow down which type of adoption best aligns with your goals.
Exploring your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Olathe, KS
Experiencing an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy in Olathe, KS, is something that can completely change your life. It is important to know what options you have available before making any decisions.
How you decide to handle your pregnancy is a choice that takes plenty of research and thought. Pregnant women have three options: parenting, adoption or abortion.
Parenting is a lifelong commitment that you may not be ready for.
Adoption provides the child a great opportunity, but also means giving up parental rights.
Abortion is an incredibly emotional and difficult decision.
Given a pregnancy lasts nine months, a decision needs to be made fairly swiftly. Certain options, like abortion, have legal timeframes that prevent the procedure after a specific point of the pregnancy. There are several pros and cons to each of these difficult choices, but professionals are here to help educate you on your options.
For more information on the options available, you may consider contacting any of the following professionals in the Olathe, Kansas, area:
- American Adoptions can provide additional information about adoption, but also offers unbiased support as you consider all of your options
- Planned Parenthood is the best, most trusted resource for factual information about abortion
- Kansas Department for Children and Families may be able to provide services that can support you, should you choose to parent
If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, contact us for a no-obligation consultation and to have an experienced, knowledgeable professional by your side. Regardless of the path you decide to pursue, an adoption specialist can help ensure you do not have to go through this pregnancy alone.