You Are Giving Your Child a Life of Love And Opportunity
Adoption is not an easy decision to make, but it certainly is a rewarding one. Just as the saying goes, most things worth doing aren’t easy. Although you may already know that adoption is the right choice for you and your child, you may be wondering how to place your child for adoption. We’ve got you covered.
No matter what your circumstances may be, adoption is always an option. If you’re looking to get started on your adoption process today, then you’re in the right place. We created this detailed guide on how “giving a baby up” for adoption in Illinois works, and we broke the process down into five simple steps.
This can be a lot of information to take in at once, so we understand if you have some questions as you read along. You can contact us online if you’d like to be connected with a helpful adoption professional.
In the meantime, continue reading to learn all you need to know about “giving your baby up” for adoption in Illinois.
How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption in Illinois [In 5 Steps]
Step 1: Determine if Adoption Is the Right Choice for You And Your Child
Before you begin researching how to “give a baby up” for adoption in Illinois, you will first need to determine if adoption is right for you and your child. From a general standpoint, there are three unplanned pregnancy options to select from: parenting, abortion and adoption. Consider each of your options and choose the path that is best for you.
We also want to take some time to clarify something. As you’ve been investigating adoption, you may have stumbled across the phrase, “give baby up for adoption.” It’s one of the most common phrases people use when they talk about adoption. You may have even wondered yourself, “How do I give my baby up for adoption in Illinois?” But, this phrase completely misses the point. When you choose adoption, you aren’t “giving up.” You are giving your child a life of love and opportunity, and that is beautiful.
Step 2: Create Your Adoption Plan with an Adoption Agency
Once you decide that adoption is right for you and your child, you will want to find an adoption agency that can help you create your adoption plan from start to finish. Think of this as a detailed outline of all your wants and needs throughout the adoption. Your adoption professional will use this so they know how to go about “giving your baby up” for adoption in Illinois.
Working with the right adoption professional can go a long way toward making your adoption experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. Here are some national adoption agencies that can help with your adoption in Illinois or anywhere else in the country:
- American Adoptions
- Alliance for Children
- Bethany Christian Services
- Gladney Center for Adoption
- Lifetime Adoption
When “giving your baby up” for adoption in Illinois, be sure to select the adoption agency that will go above and beyond in helping you find the right family, complete your hospital stay and more. Make sure they are reputable, experienced and have helped plenty of families complete successful adoptions in the past.
Step 3: Find the Right Adoptive Family for Your Child
One of the most crucial steps of any adoption journey is finding the right adoptive family for your child. Although choosing adoptive parents may sound overwhelming at first, many prospective birth mothers feel that this ends up giving them relief and reassurance.
As you browse profiles of hopeful adoptive families online, you may have a “gut” feeling when you’ve found the perfect match. When it comes to “giving a baby up” for adoption in Illinois, you can ask yourself certain questions to help narrow down your search. Here are some examples:
- Do I picture my child in an urban, suburban or rural environment?
- Do I imagine my child growing up with siblings? What about family pets?
- Are there any values, religious or non-religious, that I want to pass on to my child?
Answering questions such as these can help you find the perfect adoptive parents for your child. When you’re “giving your baby up” for adoption, finding “the ones” can help you rest easy. Your adoption professional will show you adoptive family profiles and work with you to ensure that you find the right fit.
Step 4: Get to Know Your Child’s Adoptive Family
Since the 1980s, open adoption has become much more prevalent. Though closed adoptions were more common before then, the vast majority of adoptions today are open. In other words, getting to know your child’s adoptive family is a common component of “giving a baby up” for adoption in Illinois.
When you find the right adoptive family for your child, you’ll let your adoption professional know. They will then arrange a meeting in which you can all meet and ask each other some questions.
To help dispel any nerves or tension, your adoption professional will mediate this first conversation. This should help break the ice.
In adoption, this is known as pre-placement contact, and you can stay in touch with the adoptive family through:
- Texts
- Emails
- Phone calls
- In-person visits
- Handwritten letters
- Zoom or Skype
- Or whatever you feel comfortable with
Step 5: Complete Your Hospital Stay and the Legal Steps
As a prospective birth mother, adoption is 100% free for you. Because of adoption financial assistance, you won’t have to pay for any pregnancy-related costs, including your hospital stay.
Another aspect of “giving your baby up” for adoption in Illinois is your hospital plan, which your adoption professional will help you create. You’ll decide where you want to deliver your baby, who will be in the hospital room to support you and more.
After the delivery, you’ll wait a state-mandated period of 72 hours before signing any adoption paperwork. This is so that you can recuperate before signing anything important. An adoption attorney, who your adoption professional can connect you with, can help ensure that everything happens in a legal, ethical fashion. Once you sign these forms, you are officially a birth mother.
***
This can be a lot of information to soak in at once, so we understand if you have some more questions. If so, then your next step should be to connect with an adoption professional.
You can do that on your own by contacting one of the agencies listed above. Or, we would love to help you understand how to “give a baby up” for adoption in Illinois by connecting you with an agency. Contact us online today to speak with a helpful professional.