Take a few moments to breathe. Let out the air you’re unconsciously holding in. Straighten your back. Take a sip of water. Adoption Choices of Nevada knows that you are probably feeling overwhelmed with all the information being presented to you now that you have made the decision to place your baby for adoption. But what comes next?

If you’re asking yourself this question, then this is the blog post for you! Here’s a breakdown of the adoption process for birth parents. Feel free to reference it when you feel at a loss for what to do next.

For Birth Parents

There are five steps in the adoption process, and each one helps create the adoption plan you want. While no one can tell you what it is that you want, your agency can help you. What are the steps, though?

Step One: Determine the Type of Adoption

The first step is determining what type of adoption you want. This comes down to three choices, each of which define how much involvement you’ll have with your child and the adoptive family post-adoption. There is no right or wrong way to do this. It is all up to what you feel is best for you and your child.

• • Open Adoption: There will be open communication between you and the adoptive family that can include, but is not limited to: visiting times, calls, emails, photo sharing and a bond with the child and adoptive family. A benefit to open adoption is that you get to stay connected and can answer important questions later on. It also may ease any sense of guilt and help you heal. If you are worried about your child and his or her new family, open adoption allows you to see your child happy, healthy and safe.
  • Semi-open Adoption: Communication is limited in this type of adoption to letters, which are mediated through your adoption agency. This can be a good option if you wish to keep your privacy from the family, but still want the option of your child getting to know you later on. An added benefit is that your child will have access to his or her medical and health history, which can greatly help the adoptive family provide the best care.
  • Closed Adoption: There is no communication between you and your child or the adoptive family. This may be the option you want to take if you want full closure on your end. There is also more privacy with this option.

Step Two: Choose an Agency 

Now that you have picked your adoption route, it’s time to find an agency. To do this effectively, it’s important that you research all that you can. Not all adoption agencies will meet your needs. Here are a few things you need to look for when searching for an agency:

• Make sure your agency is licensed.
• Look for professionals
• What services are they offering during and after your pregnancy?
• Do you trust them?
• How responsive are they to your questions?

All these questions and statements are important for your safety and well being. You are picking a place that is going to be a large part of your life and foreseeable future. You deserve to be happy with your choice and not feel as if you are being hurt. The last thing you should feel is uncomfortable with your agency.

That being said, you have us now! We are licensed and have professionals that are always willing to answer your questions. We offer services for you during and after your pregnancy, and we try to be as responsive as possible. Even during uncertain times like these in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still open and available. You will not be judged here. Rather, treated with the respect you deserve.

Step Three: Review Adoptive Families

You have made it to next step – looking for an adoptive family. For now, you get to review the adoptive families your agency pulls together for you. You get to pick out which families you think would be a good fit based on what you want in a family. The point of reviewing these families is to narrow down your options. This way, you have only a select few families to pick from.

Step Four: Interview and Pick an Adoptive Family

This could be either the most exciting part of your adoption journey or the moment that makes you really nervous. Possibly both! Interviewing potential adoptive families can be anxiety-inducing, but we have a few tips! First off, have a list of questions. We have a list that has 30 questions you can ask if you need somewhere to start. Once you have interviewed the family and feel comfortable with them, you get to say you want them. You’ve then chosen the adoptive parents your child will grow up with.

Step Five: Give Birth 

You’ve reached the final step! During the next few months, you may be thinking: Will this baby ever come out so I can see my toes again? This is a completely understandable and natural thought! The final months of pregnancy can cause some discomfort, but your doctor and healthcare team will take care of you. Once you give birth, depending on where you live, you have up to 48 hours to sign relinquishment papers, which terminate all parental rights.

The Adoption Process

There you have it! That’s the full adoption process. You have made it through and depending on the decisions you made, your journey with your child may not be over. Here at Adoption Choices of Nevada, we are here to help you. If you need a visualization of the process, we have one. Remember this – you won’t be alone. We will be there with you every step of the way. Just breathe and know that you will get through this.

Adoption Choices of Nevada

Adoption Choices, Inc. is a private, non-profit adoption agency licensed by the state and leader in the adoption community. We have been assisting birth parents, children, and adoptive parents since 2002. Our staff has a genuine commitment to providing an empathetic, empowering, and progressive experience to all involved in the adoption process.  If you are currently in the process of adopting a baby and have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Adoption Choices of Nevada. You may visit the website here or contact us by 775-825-4673 (Reno Office) or 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas Office). Our hours are Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm PST.

Support Adoption Choices

Adoption Choices, Inc. is partnering with Crowdrise, a fundraising website for nonprofits, to help our adoptive parents and birth parents with much needed financial assistance. We understand that expenses keep clients from fulfilling their dreams. Both with birth parents making a plan for adoption, and with adoptive parents growing their family. It is our mission to provide financial assistance through grants and scholarships, awarded annually in November, in honor of National Adoption Month. Funds assist adoptive parents with matching and placements, adoption finalization and helping birth mothers improve their lives through higher education — and much more.

However, we can’t do it alone. Please read up on our programs and donate money where you are able. Your donation will make a huge impact.

About the Author

Tia Kitchens is a college graduate with a B.S in Psychology from Capella University who has always had a passion for three things: animals, writing, and mac ‘n cheese. Two of these three are things she has based her work around. Animals are a big impact on her life due to her love for helping others through difficult situations. Through her studies, she has found the human-animal bond is strong enough to help others. This, paired with her writing, helps her record her findings and teach others through her words.

She is excited to join Adoption Choices as an Editorial Intern because she’s wanted to adopt since she was little, and is excited to learn about the industry and the adoption journey.

Her goal is to make a change in the world with her words and end up on someone’s inspiration Pinterest board! Being a key quote on someone’s Pinterest board it shows her words have a huge impact on people. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but if that picture is just words it surely means more that way! To learn more about her, follow her on Twitter and Instagram!

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Sources

“The Adoption Process for Birth Parents.” American Pregnancy Association, 21 Oct. 2019, americanpregnancy.org/adoption/adoption-process-birth-parents/.