Are you pregnant and unsure of your next steps?
If you just learned that you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, chances are that you’re feeling confused, anxious, and maybe even scared.
You might be wondering what your next steps are – and what you’re supposed to do first.
It’s no secret that facing an unexpected pregnancy is very difficult. You may feel like you’re all alone or that everyone around you has an opinion about what you should do.
Your very first step should be to take a deep breath. You aren’t alone. You have a lot of options when it comes to facing your pregnancy, and in this article, we’re going to talk about one of them: adoption.
If you’re curious about how to place a baby for adoption in Delaware, you’ll learn everything you need to get started as you scroll down to keep reading.
You can also reach out to an adoption agency now if you’d like to get started immediately. You can also complete this free online contact form to get connected to an adoption specialist to learn more.
How to Place a Baby for Adoption in Delaware
Adoption is one of the bravest, most loving choices a birth mom can make. When you choose adoption, you’re making the decision to give your child an incredible future. While you can choose adoption at any point in your pregnancy, it’s a good idea to make your decision as early as possible. This ensures that you’ll be able to access as many resources as you need. It also ensures that you’ll be able to choose the right family for your baby.
So, are you ready to learn how to place a baby for adoption in Delaware?
Here’s what you need to know.
Step 1: Choose an Adoption Agency
First, you need to reach out to an adoption agency in Delaware. An adoption agency is a valuable asset that will help you with each step of the adoption process. Adoption agencies ensure that you have the resources you need for a safe and healthy pregnancy, but they also ensure that your adoption is completed legally and ethically.
When you call to talk with adoption agencies, make sure you ask questions such as:
- How do you support birth moms throughout their pregnancies?
- What resources do you provide to birth moms?
- Do you offer financial or medical assistance to birth mothers?
- How do you help with the matching process?
- How long does matching usually take?
- Do you support open adoption?
You can also ask any other questions you need.
Remember that choosing your adoption agency is very important since they will act as your support throughout your pregnancy and adoption.
Step 2: Start Making an Adoption Plan
When you’re researching how to place a baby for adoption in Delaware, it’s important to make sure that you have an adoption plan. This means you’ll decide what you want from your adoption experience, including your time at the hospital.
When it comes to the hospital, maybe you want the adoptive family in the room, for example, or perhaps you want to be alone. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to plan your hospital experience. You can also talk with your birth mother specialist at your adoption agency if you want help creating a plan.
The best adoption agencies create a customized adoption plan to fit your needs and preferences throughout the adoption process and beyond.
Step 3: Match With the Adoptive Parents
One of the most important steps in adoption is matching with hopeful adoptive parents. When pregnant and want to give a baby up for adoption, finding the right family for your baby is crucial and gives you a chance to envision your child’s future.
Your adoption agency will provide you with a list of potential parents, and you can choose the mom, dad or couple you’d like for your baby. When working with the best adoption agencies that create a customized plan, you get to decide which family fits your vision for the ideal future for your child. You’ll have the ability to prioritize specific preferences that you feel are important.
Some birth moms like the idea of their child being raised by two parents who live in the suburbs. Other birth moms want their babies raised by a single adoptive parent who lives in the countryside. You might choose an adoptive family who has other children. Maybe you want your child to be the only kid in the family, and that’s okay, too.
When you find an adoptive family that seems right for your baby, talk with your social worker. They’ll be able to help you set up a meeting to talk with the adoptive family to decide if they’re the perfect fit.
Step 4: Begin Building a Lifelong Relationship
One of the most important yet difficult parts of the adoption process is the day you’ll get to meet your baby. You may choose to spend a few hours or even a few days with your baby before you are ready to move forward with the adoption process. The most reputable agencies will work on the adoption process while you focus on building a relationship with the family you choose. You get to decide how much contact you have and what type of contact makes sense. Birth mothers like you utilize things like:
- Texting
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Video chat
- In-person meetings
You decide what is most comfortable.
Then, when it’s time for your baby to be born, you’ll get to decide how much time you want with your baby after birth and how much time you want with the adoptive family. This event is one of the very special moments of the adoption process.
Step 5: Placement and Finalization
When it’s time to place your baby with their adoptive family, you will need to complete legal paperwork to terminate your parental rights. Your adoption agency will help you with this part of the adoption process. They’ll guide you through understanding your next steps and what you need to do.
Before You Give up a Baby for Adoption in Delaware
As you think about whether you want to give up a baby for adoption in Delaware, make sure you take time to consider all of your options and what will work best for you at this point in your life.
Many people facing unplanned pregnancies decide that adoption is the right choice, and that might be true for you, too.
The best way to decide whether you want to choose adoption is to speak with an adoption agency near you.
The right agency can provide you with resources, information and help throughout your pregnancy, so don’t wait to reach out and get the help you need. You can also contact an adoption specialist online to learn more about how to give a baby up for adoption in Delaware.
