Sometimes, a woman can’t know that adoption is the right choice for her until she meets her baby for the first time. This is totally normal in an adoption. After all, we can’t really know how we’re going to react to a situation until we’re right in the middle of it. If you’ve wavered between adoption and continuing parenting for some time now, know that it’s completely normal to want to put a baby up for adoption after you take it home from the hospital. This is a big decision, and it’s going to take some time to make the right choice for yourself and for your baby.
We want you to know that no matter what circumstances led you to this difficult choice, it’s never too late to choose adoption. In fact, it’s overwhelmingly common for prospective birth parents to consider adoption after the baby has already been born. Maybe you can’t afford to care for a child and give them the life you’ve always wanted to right now. Or maybe you’ve just become a single mother, and you’re unsure of how you’re going to take care of yourself and the newest addition to your family at the same time.
If you’re wondering, “Can you put a baby up for adoption after you take it home from the hospital?” the answer is always yes. Here are some things you should know about making this choice.
Adoption Will Always Be an Adoption
Placing your child for adoption after they’re born can be a stressful experience. Not only are you feeling outside pressure from your family and friends, you may also be feeling a sense of uncertainty, grief and guilt at the idea of placing your child for adoption.
It may take some time to sort through these feelings. If you’re feeling apprehensive about adoption, it may be time to sit down with someone you trust or a counselor to help you understand what the right option is for you.
Even if it’s been a few days, weeks, or even months since you brought your new baby home, adoption will always be an option for you. However long you need to think about your decision, an adoption specialist will be waiting to help you.
How to Put a Baby Up for Adoption After You Take it Home
Overall, placing your child for adoption after you take them home from the hospital will be very similar to placing them for adoption at birth. Here are the steps you’ll follow when you contact an adoption agency:
Step 1: Contact an adoption professional.
You’ll want to start by reaching out to an adoption agency. If you’re looking for an agency that can provide plenty of services in one place — like legal representation, 24/7 counseling and educational resources, and connection to more adoptive families besides the ones that live in your state — a national adoption agency is a great place to start.
Step 2: Create an adoption plan.
After you’ve contacted an adoption agency, your assigned adoption specialist will have you fill out your social and medical history forms, as well as a list of list of preferences you’d like to see in an adoptive family. Even when you’re placing a child for adoption after you’ve left the hospital, you still have complete control over picking the adoptive family. Maybe you’d like your child to grow up in a rural environment. Or maybe education is important to you, so college is a must. When you put a baby up for adoption after you take it home, you get to decide your baby’s future.
Step 3: Choose adoptive parents.
Once you’ve taken some time to look through all of your options and you’ve picked a family that you feel confident in, you’ll start getting to know them. Your adoption specialist will help by mediating the first phone call. You can either continue getting to know them with your adoption specialist or you can get to know them one-on-one. Even though you’ll be placing your baby for adoption after you’ve left the hospital, you don’t have to feel rushed in picking an adoptive family.
Step 4: Get to know the adoptive family.
If you are happy with the parents you choose, the adoptive family will fly to you as quickly as possible — wherever you are. You’ll usually end up meeting the adoptive family fairly quickly once you pick them.
Step 5: Sign your consent when you are ready.
Your adoption specialist will walk you through the consent process. This process terminates your parental rights before your child can legally be placed for an adoption. Up until this point, you can change your mind at any time about your adoption choice. But once you’ve signed away your rights and any applicable revocation period has passed, you won’t be able to get your child back. Your adoption specialist and adoption attorney will make sure you understand all of your rights in an adoption before you sign.
After the Adoption
After asking, “Can you put a baby up for adoption after you take it home from the hospital?” you’re likely wondering what to expect once the adoption process is complete. When putting a baby up for adoption after you take it home, you’ll still be able to decide what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your child after the adoption. If you’d like to have plenty of contact with your child, you can choose to have an open adoption. That way, you’ll be able to share emails, phone calls, and even visits with your child often.
The most important thing to remember is that you’re not a bad parent for considering adoption. And choosing adoption doesn’t mean that you’re giving up too early, either. If you’ve been considering placing your child for adoption for some time now, it’s a good idea to reach out to an adoption specialist. We can get you the help you need during this difficult time.
