You’re Not Giving Up. Here’s How to Make an Adoption Plan for Your Baby
If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Topeka, you most likely have many questions, thoughts and concerns.
“I’m not ready to be a mother.”
“I can’t afford to have a baby.”
“What are my options if I am unable to raise this child?”
“Who can help?”
If you can relate to any of these statements or questions, you are not alone. These are some common initial concerns a pregnant woman may go through, and it’s completely natural. An unplanned pregnancy can be a very overwhelming experience. Determining what options are available and finding the right resources to be by your side can seem like quite the tasks as well.
If you are considering adoption in Topeka, Kansas, it is common to be filled with emotions, thoughts and questions. 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 Topeka, 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 this guide for more information on adoption in Topeka, KS, and other information involved with an unplanned pregnancy.
How to “Give Up” a Baby for Adoption in Topeka, KS
One common misconception that needs to be addressed is the overtone that when an expectant mother decides to “give her baby up” for adoption, she is carelessly “giving up” on the child altogether. This is an absolutely incorrect assumption that many people who are uneducated on the adoption process tend to make.
It is actually quite the opposite.
A mother who chooses adoption for her baby is actually making a selfless, life-changing decision, based on love and support for her child. Choosing adoption is not giving up; she 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, it needed to be stated that adoption is not “giving up” — it is giving opportunity.
The Topeka, KS Adoption Process
When it comes to the process of putting your baby up for adoption in Topeka, there are generally five steps that take place. Keep in mind, each step may be more or less complex than the other, but your adoption professional will help make sure to keep you on track throughout the process.
Step 1: Make Your Adoption Decision and Contact a Topeka Adoption Professional
The first step of the adoption process, which may seem self-explanatory, is making the decision that adoption is the path you would like to take. Resources such as a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION, pregnancy counselors, and adoption professionals are available to ensure you don’t have to make this decision alone.
Once you have decided that adoption is best for you, it is important to find the right adoption professional. Working with an agency and having an adoption specialist by your side throughout the entire journey helps add a level of comfort, as they will educate you on the process and all of the steps and requirements throughout. The agency you choose this will impact the overall outcome and experience of your adoption in Topeka, KS, so it is important to weigh your options prior to making a decision. Look for an agency that makes you feel comfortable, answers all of your questions and can provide all of the services you need from start to finish of the process.
Step 2: Create Your Topeka Adoption Plan
After you have chosen who will provide your adoption services in Topeka, you will begin working with them to create an adoption plan. This plan helps keep the prospective birth mother in control of how the adoption will proceed. Choosing hospital details, determining financial assistance opportunities, discussing the type of relationship she would prefer to have with her child and the adoptive family after placement — all of these elements and more are covered through the adoption plan.
Step 3: Choose the Perfect Adoptive Family for Your Baby
Once the adoption plan has been put into place, it is time to begin the most important and fulfilling step of the adoption process: choosing the best family for your baby.
The adoptive family you choose for your child will be selected based on adoptive family profiles that you will review. These profiles will include pictures, videos, demographic information and more. These profiles are to give you a feel for the type of parents you relate with best. Your adoption specialist will provide you with family profiles based on your predetermined qualifications and preferences. After narrowing down the families you prefer, it is very common to have conference calls or in-person meetings with them to help you make your decision.
Step 4: Complete the Adoption Placement
Once you have chosen a family you feel best matches your desired qualifications for you child, you will begin preparing for placement. You can continue to get to know the potential adoptive parents throughout your pregnancy through whatever methods you’re most comfortable with — phone calls, email, text messages and potentially even an in-person visit. Meanwhile, your adoption specialist will help you prepare a hospital plan, which will determine all of your preferences for the hospital stay and placement.
During an adoption in Topeka, KS, based on Kansas state law, a child must be at least 12 hours old before a prospective birth mother can consent for her baby to be placed for adoption. Consent means the birth mother voluntarily signs her legal parental rights away and that the family she has chosen will take them over. It is important to note that once consent has been given, a birth mother cannot change her decision. In Kansas, the only way consent can only be reversed if it is proven that it was not initially given voluntarily. This is why it’s so important to be 100 percent sure of your decision before signing any legal adoption paperwork. Your adoption professional(s) will counsel you through this decision to make sure you understand your rights and are fully comfortable with the documents you are signing.
One consent has been given, placement is able to occur.
Step 5: Adjust to Life After Adoption
Post-placement is typically the most emotional portion of the adoption process. No matter how long after placement, counseling services are available for birth mothers who need to discuss their situation or learn more about the grieving process. Although this is an emotional experience, find comfort in knowing you have made a selfless decision for the betterment of your child.
After placement, the relationship you have with the adoptive family and your child will depend upon the agreement made prior to placement with the adoptive family. Your adoption specialist will inform you of the options available.
Ultimately, an adoption agency can provide all of the services you need to complete an adoption in Topeka. If you are considering putting your baby up for adoption in Topeka, Kansas, please complete a contact form, or call 1-800-ADOPTION to get in touch with an adoption professional. Here are a few adoption agencies near Topeka, Kansas, that you may consider contacting:
Financial Assistance During Pregnancy
Financial assistance is available during pregnancy for prospective birth mothers, but this does not mean you get “paid” to place a baby for adoption in Topeka.
When placing a baby up for adoption in Topeka, there are many adoption-related expenses that may be paid for by the prospective adoptive parents on behalf of the prospective birth mother. This assistance helps cover medical bills of the prospective birth mother related to pregnancy and birth, the child’s medical expenses, any reasonable living costs that occur because of pregnancy and more.
In addition to the financial assistance offered, there are also no costs involved for the use of an adoption agency. An adoption professional in Topeka will guide you through the adoption process, including the financial aspects, at no cost to you. 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 Topeka Adoption
One complicated aspect of an unplanned pregnancy can be the parental rights of the child’s birth father. Adding to the complication is the fact that every birth father circumstance is different, so different laws will apply to different scenarios.
Birth father rights in Kansas are regulated by Kansas state laws. As previously stated, each situation is different, so it is very important for a prospective birth mother to understand how birth father rights may affect her adoption decision and/or adoption process. An adoption attorney in Topeka will educate you on this topic as well as all other legal requirements and activities involved in the adoption process. Legal representation is important in order to ensure the adoption is being completed legally.
Your adoption agency will help facilitate you and the adoptive parents with the necessary legal representation. If you have any legal questions prior to choosing an adoption agency in Topeka, you may consider contacting any of the following Topeka adoption lawyers:
Finding an Adoptive Family in Topeka, Kansas
When it comes to finding adoptive parents in Kansas, it is important for the prospective birth mother to determine what characteristics and traits she is hoping to find from potential adoptive families. This will help the adoption professional narrow down adoptive profiles of families who match the preferences chosen.
During an adoption in Topeka, KS, a potential birth mother may review as many adoptive profiles as need, as these profiles are available to help her make a decision she fully trusts. It is very likely once a prospective birth mother has narrowed down her list of potential adoptive families that pre-placement phone calls, emails and even visits will occur, so both parties can interact on a personal level. This interaction is to help add a level of confidence for both the prospective birth mother and the adoptive family by being able to get a better feel for each other’s true personalities.
Finding a family for your child is an important and exciting decision. Although the choice is in your control, your adoption specialist will help make sure you have the proper tools to find the best match. No matter what stage in your pregnancy or adoption you may be, you can also view adoptive profiles anytime on your own.
Open Adoption with Your Child
When a prospective birth mother decides that “giving their baby up” for adoption in Topeka is the best choice, oftentimes there is the impression that they will never see their child again or have anything to do with them. This is not the case, as there are different levels of adoption that provide opportunity for the birth mother to remain involved in the child’s life.
Open adoption is becoming increasingly common and can completely change the overtone of the adoption process. During an open adoption, both parties determine their preferences and establish a mutual agreement on the amount of involvement and communication the birth mother will have with the child. This agreement could be along the lines of monthly updates, to yearly visits. It completely depends what was agreed upon prior to placement.
Not all adoptions are considered “open adoptions”; there are also semi-open adoptions and closed adoptions. Depending upon your situation, these options could best match your desired outcome for your adoption.
It is necessary to point out, in any sort of open or semi-open adoption agreement, the arrangement established prior to placement may change over the course of time. As needs change, visits, updates and communication may be altered as well. Your preferred outcome and goals for your adoption in Topeka, KS, are the top priority. As you look for a potential adoptive family for your child, your adoption professional will help educate you on the options available and narrow down which type of adoption best aligns with your adoptive goals.
Exploring your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Topeka, KS
Experiencing an unplanned pregnancy or unwanted pregnancy in Topeka, KS, can be an emotional and confusing time for a woman.
Knowing your options is key.
A pregnant woman in Kansas ultimately has three options for her baby: parenting, adoption or an abortion.
Although you are dealing with a short timeframe, it is important not to rush making a decision. Given the impact this decision will have on both you and your child’s life, it is very important to be well educated on these options. Pregnancy specialists can provide you with 24/7 support and all of information you may need on the options available during an unplanned pregnancy.
It is important to weigh your pros and cons for each of the choices. These local resources may be able to help in your research before you make any decisions. Consider contacting any of the following options in the Topeka, Kansas, area for guidance.
An unplanned pregnancy is a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. We want to make sure you do not have to experience this on your own. For an obligation-free consultation with an adoption professional, call 1-800-ADOPTION, or contact us today.
