If you are a birth mother or some other member of the birth family, this is the area where you can explore adoption from your perspective. Choosing to give your baby a family through the ministry of adoption could be one of the most heroic decisions you will ever make.

If you choose to place your baby in the arms of another family, it will also be one of the hardest things you ever do. It is a choice that is both beautiful and painful at the same time.

Below is a series of articles you can explore at your leisure to learn more about adoption and what it might mean as an option for you and your baby.

Choosing an Agency

Choosing an adoption agency and/or an attorney is a process that may present several opportunities. It is important to select the adoption professional that best meets your needs. Here is a list of suggestions to help you, as the birth mother or member of the birth family, make the right choice for your adoption professional:

• Get referrals from friends or others who have adopted or have placed their child for adoption.
• Ask how long the attorney or agency has been working in adoption.
• Find out what services they provide before and after the adoption.
• Find out if there are any costs of the adoption that you must cover.
• If needed, ask if the agency places minority or biracial children.
• Ask the adoption agency for a list of referrals.
• Determine if the adoption professional works with open or closed adoptions and the attorney’s views and experience with both types. Christian Adoptions Alliance recommends pursuing open adoption as the healthiest option for all three adoption triad members: birth mother, adoptive family, and baby.
• Inquire about the availability and credibility of counseling.
• Learn about the adoption plan, contract, and decrees.
• See what the procedures are for finding out the health and stability of the adoptive parents. Can you review profiles, interview, and pick the family that you give to your baby?

Choosing a Family

Let’s be candid. Picking the adoptive family you give your baby to is going to be hard. You will find multiple families to consider. Read our ‘Choosing A Family’ page to learn more about this part of the adoption process.

Birth Mom FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions that birth moms have. If your answers are not below, you can reach out to us, and we will help you get the answers you need. 

How involved can I be with my baby, and will my child get a chance to contact me years from now? 

At the time of adoption, the birth parents can choose whether or not they would be open to being contacted one day by the child placed for adoption. The level of contact between you, the adoptive family, and your child is your and the adoptive parents’ decision.  It is important for you to have a healthy conversation about this topic.

What are my baby’s father’s rights in adoption? 

The birth father’s rights in adoption are the same as the birth mother’s unless determined otherwise by state laws and the court system.

Will I be able to see my baby when it’s born? 

Yes, you may choose whether or not you would like to see your baby and how long you want to be with him or her. Papers do not become effective and are sometimes not even signed until 24 to 48 hours after your child’s birth, depending on the state you give birth in.

Can I donate my baby’s cord blood? 

Yes, cord blood donation is free and easy and does not affect your adoption plan in any way.  You might want to ask the adoptive parents if they want to store it, just in case.  More than likely, they won’t and probably don’t need to. This means that donating cord blood is at your discretion.  It saves lives, so good on you for thinking about doing that.