Knowing what options and resources are available during an unplanned pregnancy can help take away much of the stress and concern of this time. Finding those resources, however, can quickly seem like an overwhelming task.
To provide you with a jumpstart on your research, we’ve gathered information on your pregnancy options; the Kansas City, Missouri, adoption process; and the resources you may need to help make your decision. If you need immediate assistance, you can contact an adoption professional now.
In the meantime, continue reading this guide on placing a baby for adoption in Kansas City, MO.
How to ‘Give Up’ a Baby for Adoption in Kansas City, MO
Before we explore Kansas City adoption, we need to address a misconception about adoption in general. Contrary to what you may read, when a prospective birth mother decides to “give her baby up” for adoption, she is not “giving up” on the child — nor on herself as a mother. In all actuality, she is making this decision out of love for her child, knowing this is the best choice for both of them.
The negative connotations toward and negative language surrounding adoption are simply not true and unfair. Making the decision to place a child for adoption is difficult enough for a mother; the last thing she needs is negative, invalid judgement from people uneducated on adoption.
That’s why we encourage everyone to use adoption-positive language instead, such as “place a child for adoption” — which more accurately describes the initiative and planning behind this unplanned pregnancy option.
That said, here’s how “giving a baby up” for adoption in Kansas City works:
Step 1: Make Your Adoption Decision and Choose a Professional
The first step of the Kansas City adoption process is deciding to pursue adoption for your child. This is a very difficult but brave decision to make — but it can also be very fulfilling, knowing you are giving your child the best opportunity at life with a loving family.
When you are certain adoption is the best option, you will want to find the right adoption agency to guide you. The professional you choose will work with you throughout your pregnancy and well after placement, ultimately impacting the outcome and experience of your adoption in Kansas City. Therefore, make sure to choose an agency you feel comfortable with and can trust.
Step 2: Create Your Personal Adoption Plan
Once you have found a trusted adoption professional, you will begin working on your adoption plan. This plan essentially gives you a voice in how you want your adoption to play out. You will discuss issues such as the type of relationship you would like to have with your child after placement, the details of your delivery, the types of adoptive families you hope to find and more.
The adoption plan is the backbone of your journey; it keeps you on track toward a successful adoption in Kansas City.
Step 3: Select the Adoptive Family for Your Baby
Finding the adoptive family for your baby can be a difficult task, but it is also one of the most rewarding and exciting, as well.
Your adoption professional will provide you with prospective adoptive family profiles to review and compare. These profiles will be vital toward finding the family you dream of for your child. They will include pictures, videos, brief background information about the parents and more.
These profiles can help you get a feel for the personalities of hopeful adoptive families and help you create an emotional connection. Once you have narrowed down your selections, you can have pre-placement phone calls, emails, video chats or even face-to-face meetings to get to know each other better.
Once you have found the family that will adopt your baby, you will need to start planning for placement.
Step 4: Complete Placement
As required by Missouri law, a child must be at least 48 hours old before a prospective birth mother can give her consent for adoption. Consent means she voluntarily relinquishes her rights as a parent, so that they can be legally transferred to the adoptive family. Consent can only be reversed in rare situations with an adoption attorney’s assistance.
Your adoption lawyer will help you understand your rights and make sure you are 100% committed to the decision of adoption before you sign any paperwork.
Step 5: Adjust to Life Post-Placement
Although everyone grieves differently, many birth mothers describe post-placement as the most emotional part of adoption. Fortunately, your adoption professional should be available throughout your pregnancy and well after placement. They can provide you with resources for counseling services or any other support you may need during this difficult time.
Placement does not necessarily mean that you will never see or hear from your child again. The relationship you have with your child after placement completely depends upon the agreement you make with the adoptive family, which we will discuss later in this guide.
Adoption Agencies in Kansas City
Ideally, the adoption agency you choose should be able to provide all of the tools and resources you will need. It is important to work with an agency that puts your needs first and reassures you that you are making the right decision.
If you are considering placing your baby for adoption in Kansas City, Missouri, please complete a contact form to be connected with a local professional.
Here are some additional trusted adoption agencies in Kansas City, Missouri, that you may consider contacting:
- American Adoptions
1125 Grand Blvd., Suite 1301
Kansas City, MO 64106 - Zoes House Adoptions
4350 W. 107th St.
Overland Park, KS 66207 - Light House Kansas City
400 W. Meyer Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64113 - Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri
4435 Main St., # 920
Kansas City, MO 64111
Financial Assistance During Pregnancy
Prospective birth mothers cannot “get paid” for placing a baby up for adoption in Kansas City, because it is illegal to buy or sell a baby.
However, there are many adoption-related expenses that may be covered or paid for by the prospective adoptive parents on behalf of the prospective birth mother. By no means does the prospective birth mother profit from these payments; the assistance instead confirms the mother and unborn child receive the right medical attention and have proper living conditions.
Financial assistance for adoption in Missouri helps ease the financial burden for the prospective birth mother. All services provided by an agency are free of charge, as well. This ensures all steps of the adoption process are completed legally and ethically — all while providing the prospective birth mother with the support she needs along the way.
If you have any questions about what assistance is available to you, please reach out to an adoption professional for personalized guidance.
Prospective Birth Fathers Rights During a Kansas City Adoption
Prospective birth father rights in Missouri are regulated by Missouri state laws. You’ll need to understand how prospective birth father rights may impact your adoption decision; each situation is different, so the applicable laws will be different, as well.
To avoid any confusion or misinformation, we advise you discuss any potential birth father situations with your adoption professional and attorney(s). They will confirm that all laws are being followed.
Your agency will partner you with the legal provider needed throughout your adoption. If you have not yet chosen an agency or would prefer to select your own legal representation, consider contacting any of the following Kansas City adoption lawyers:
- Michael Belfonte
- Kevin Kenney
- Stange Law Firm
- Kansas City Family Law Office
- Bright Family Law Center
- The Hill Law Firm
Finding an Adoptive Family in Kansas City, Missouri
Adoption is filled with many difficult decisions — but few are as important as choosing the best family to place your child with. Many birth mothers describe finding the right family as one of the most challenging yet fulfilling steps in the adoption process.
Finding an adoptive family may not be as difficult as it sounds. Your adoption professional will help guide you through the process of finding an adoptive family, whether in Missouri or anywhere else in the United States. Your adoption plan highlights what characteristics and traits you want in potential families for your baby, and your specialist will use these to filter profiles of families. Then, they’ll send them to you to study, review and compare.
Once a prospective birth mother has narrowed down her list of potential adoptive families, it’s common to have a meeting or phone call or share other means of communication. This contact may continue until a decision is made, all the way up to placement of the baby. These interactions can help ease any concerns and add a level of confidence for the prospective birth mother before she ultimately decides which family she would like to place her child with during her adoption in Kansas City, MO.
You can learn more about finding an adoptive family in Missouri here, or you can contact an adoption specialist. If you are ready to start looking for the perfect family on your own, you can also browse potential adoptive families in Missouri and throughout the country.
Open Adoption with Your Child
Many prospective birth mothers do not think they will ever have any involvement in their baby’s life or see them again. This might have been the case many years ago, but today there are different levels of “openness” in adoptions that allow for interaction between the birth mother and her baby after placement.
Post-placement contact can range from fully open to semi-open to closed. Open adoption can help ease the concerns a prospective birth mother may have by allowing her updates on her baby and, in some cases, even in-person visits with her child and the adoptive family.
Open adoption can be beneficial for all parties involved. A birth mother gets to have a relationship with her child. The adoptive family gets to add to their support system for their child and have access to any information regarding medical history, family history and more. Most importantly, it makes it easier for the child as they grow older, giving them answers to any questions they may have about their adoption and family history.
Although open adoption relationships are ever-changing and evolve over time, they are worth considering for prospective birth mothers and adoptive families.
Interested? Don’t hesitate to read more about open adoption in Kansas City, MO.
Exploring Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Kansas City, MO
A woman facing an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy in Kansas City, MO, has to make a very important decision when it comes to deciding what to do. There are essentially three options: parenting, adoption or abortion.
Each choice has its own pros and cons. Because a pregnancy only lasts nine months and laws prevent abortion after a certain amount of time, deciding which path to pursue must be done fairly quickly. By no means should a pregnant woman rush into such an important decision, but we encourage you to decide sooner rather than later to avoid complications.
Unplanned pregnancy counselors will provide you with 24/7 support and any information you need as you weigh your options for an unplanned pregnancy. You may also consider contacting any of the following resources in the Kansas City, Missouri, area for more information:
An unplanned pregnancy doesn’t have to be the end of the world. There will be tough times and difficult decisions, but professionals are here to help make sure you do not have to experience this alone.
