If you are considering “giving a baby up” at the hospital for adoption, then that is absolutely something that you can do. To get free adoption information now and start your adoption journey today, please contact us online or reach out to an adoption hotline, like 1-800-ADOPTION.
Regardless of where you currently are in your pregnancy, you can plan to place your baby with the adoptive parents at the hospital. In fact, this is how many private infant adoptions work. That’s why we have created this comprehensive guide to walk you through the adoption process. It’s normal to feel stressed out, but there are adoption agencies who can help you complete your hospital adoption from start to finish.
What is the Process for “Giving a Baby up” for Adoption at the Hospital?
When you are a prospective birth mother wondering how to “give a baby up” for adoption in the hospital, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Adoption is not a simple journey, but hospital adoptions can be broken down into a handful of simple steps. Although hospitals don’t typically have programs in place, you can work with a reputable adoption agency.
This guide will walk you through your hospital adoption. We will explain what to expect at the hospital and how your child’s placement will work. Below, we have outlined the hospital adoption process in five steps.
Step 1: Make Sure That Adoption Is the Right Path for You and Your Baby
If you are thinking, “I want to ‘give my baby up for adoption’ at the hospital,” then your first step will be making sure adoption is right for you and your baby.
Adoption is always an option, even if you are already at the hospital. But, be sure to consider this decision. You’ll want to be 100% confident that this is not only the best choice for you, but also your child.
Keep in mind, though, that this decision is yours and yours alone. Don’t let anyone else try to sway your decision-making process one way or another. Only you know what is best for you and your baby.
Step 2: Create an Adoption Plan [with a Trusted Adoption Professional]
After you have decided that a hospital adoption is right for you and your child, you’ll create an adoption plan. But, you don’t have to do this alone. You can work with a reputable adoption professional who will guide you through each step of the process. This professional can help you:
- Decide what type of adoptive family you want for your baby
- Coordinate adoption financial assistance
- Choose what type of adoption you’d like
In other words, you get to call all the shots while your adoption professional does all the heavy lifting. Because you are a prospective birth mother, you are in 100% control of your adoption plan. But, you are never alone. Your adoption professional will be there with whatever you need for “giving a baby up” at the hospital.
Before we move on to the next step, there’s something that we want to clarify. There is a reason that we put the phrase “giving a baby up” in quotes. It’s one of the most common phrases that people use when they talk about adoption. People may mean well, but this phrase completely misses the point. You are never “giving up” when you choose a hospital adoption. Instead, you are giving your child a chance at the best life possible, and that is beautiful.
Step 3: Choose the Right Adoptive Family for Your Baby
Your next step for your hospital adoption will be choosing the right adoptive family for your baby. Your adoption professional will show you various profiles of hopeful adoptive families so you can find one that best suits your needs and preferences.
When you work with the best adoption agencies, they will have adoptive parents who can travel at a moment’s notice to the hospital, even if they live out of your state. Remember to trust your “gut” as you select the family, too. It can often steer you in the right direction, so find the adoptive family that truly speaks to you.
Step 4: Give Birth and Sign the Official Paperwork
Now, all that’s left to do is deliver your baby. If you would like, then you can request that the adoptive parents be in the room to support you during this time. Hospital adoptions (and adoptions in general) are not easy, so it can be helpful to have the emotional support that you need. Remember that you have access to free, 24/7 counseling, too.
After you give birth, you will have to wait 24-72 hours, depending on what state you live in, before you sign any official adoption paperwork. This is to make sure that you are in a stable state of mind before you sign something this permanent. Once you sign all the paperwork, you will officially become a birth parent.
Step 5: Adjust to Your New Life as a Birth Parent
Adoption is a journey filled with many emotional highs and lows. So, it can take some time for you to adjust to your new life as a birth parent. If you chose open adoption, then you can stay in touch with both your child and their adoptive family. “Giving a baby up” for adoption at the hospital doesn’t have to be “goodbye.” Rather, it can be “see you later.”
Because you are now a birth parent, you still get to decide what form of communication works best for you. For example, you can stay in touch with your child and their adoptive parents through:
- Phone calls
- Text messages
- Emails
- In-person visits
- Photographs
- Zoom or Skype
- Or whatever you feel comfortable with
Also, if you are a prospective birth mother who is on the fence about adoption, then you can still choose hospital adoption once you get to the hospital. In fact, you can even choose adoption after your baby is born. The process will look similar to what we’ve outlined above, but it will occur over time rather than in a single day. Remember, to get more adoption information now, you can contact us at any time. We will connect you with a helpful adoption agency.
