“Giving up” your baby for adoption in Alaska is a brave and selfless decision.

A common reason that women decide to put a baby up for adoption is that this choice can lead to new opportunities for both the child and the birth mother. It is can be a difficult decision, but you are not alone in making it. In this guide, you will find the answer to many of your questions, like:

• How do I give up my baby for adoption in Alaska?
• Do I get to select an adoptive family for my baby?
• What should I expect from the adoption process?

Continue reading for this information and more. If you are ready to speak with an expert adoption professional, contact us online.

Finding Support for “Giving Up” Your Baby for Adoption in Alaska

An unplanned pregnancy can be stressful and overwhelming, but there are many adoption professionals ready to support you in this journey. They will give you the information you need to make the decisions that are right for you, and they will walk you through the steps you need to take to pursue adoption, if that is your choice.

There are two types of agencies that you can work with: national or local. National agencies can provide you with more adoption opportunities because they work with families from around the country, while local agencies often only offer a handful of opportunities.

On the other hand, the benefits of local agencies are that they are familiar with your area and can sometimes offer a more intimate experience.

National agencies that serve Alaska birth mothers include:

• American Adoptions
• Alliance for Children
• Bethany Christian Services
• Gladney Center for Adoption
• Lifetime Adoption

Local agencies that serve Alaska birth mothers include:

• Fairbanks Counseling & Adoption
• WACAP
• Alaska Adoption
• Alaska Adoption Services

You Are Never “Giving Up” Your Baby

In Alaska and elsewhere, it is common to hear the term “giving up a baby for adoption.” It is so common, in fact, that we use it to make sure that we are connecting with people searching for information about adoption.

You will notice that we use quotation marks around “giving up” because it is important to communicate that placing your baby up for adoption is never “giving up.” If you make the choice to pursue adoption for your baby, you will not be “giving your baby away” or “giving up.” You will be giving your child a safe and loving home. You will be giving a couple the chance to grow their family.

Of course, “giving up” a baby for adoption in Alaska is not an easy decision that is made flippantly, so using this language is just not accurate to describe the process birth mothers go through. Women place their babies up for adoption because they love them and want to make sure they are offered the best life possible. 

Putting your baby up for adoption is a generous act of love that has the power to change people’s lives. Keep reading to learn more about how this process works.

How to Put Your Baby Up for Adoption in Alaska [5 Steps to Placing Baby for Adoption]

Your adoption journey will be as unique as you are. You will be put in control and placed at the center of each decision in the Alaska adoption process. While there are five basic steps that your adoption specialist will guide you through to complete an adoption, your needs will be what direct the process. It is important that you choose an agency that is licensed in Alaska, has a good track record and has professionals who can help you when you have questions.

The five basic steps that these agencies will help you navigate while putting a baby up for adoption in Alaska are:

1. Decide that Adoption Is the Right Path for You
2. Create an Adoption Plan
3. Choose an Adoptive Family
4. Prepare for Placement
5. Adjust to Post-Adoption Life

Step 1 – Decide that Adoption Is the Right Path for You

Often, when women discover that they are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, placing their baby up for adoption is not the only choice they consider. While it is a rewarding option and a beautiful gift, there other choices. In Alaska, you can decide from the following paths:

1. Parenting
2. Abortion
3. Adoption

Of course, this is not a decision that a woman should feel she is making without support. Adoption professionals are not only available to help you pursue adoption, but they are also there to help guide you in this decision. There is no obligation to choose adoption when you reach out, and professionals are trained to help you determine the best option for you, whatever that may be. They can also connect you with other resources if you decide to go another direction.

The kind of support that you should find at a licensed agency is:

• A confidential, 24/7 hotline, like 1-800-ADOPTION
• Unplanned pregnancy counseling
• Financial coverage of medical bills, legal fees, and pregnancy-related expenses
• Planning services to develop adoption plans and hospital plans

Additionally, your information will always be kept confidential when working with an adoption professional in Alaska. You can feel at ease during this difficult time that your needs and wants will be respected whether you decide to place your baby up for adoption or not.  

Step 2 – Create an Adoption Plan [You are in Control of Your Adoption]

Once you determine that you will place your baby up for adoption in Alaska, you will begin to work with an adoption specialist on an adoption plan. This will serve as a blueprint for the way that you want your adoption to play out. It will include every preference, need, and desire that you have regarding each step of your adoption process. Since you are central to the adoption process, it is essential that all of it is expressed and put into writing. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you are not being heard by an adoption professional with whom you are working, this could be a sign that you are not working with an adoption agency that will support you in the ways that you need. There are plenty of reputable agencies that will, and you have a choice.

Important components of your adoption plan are:

• The qualities of a family/life you would like for your child
• How often you want to receive communication from adoptive parents
• A hospital plan that details your birthing preferences, who you want in your hospital room, and what contact you want with your baby and adoptive family after birth
• Whether you want to pursue open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption

As you progress in the adoption process and become more comfortable with the choice you have made to “give up your baby for adoption,” you might change your mind about some of the preferences you outlined in the beginning. For example, after choosing the perfect family for your baby and getting to know them, you may feel inclined to have a more open adoption agreement. This is your prerogative and completely fine.

Additionally, your adoption plan is just a guide. It is not legally binding, and you retain full parental rights until the moment you sign your adoption paperwork after birth.

Step 3 – Choose an Adoptive Family [Placing Your Baby for Adoption in the Perfect Home]

One of the most important decisions you will make in this process of placing your baby up for adoption in Alaska is finding the right family for your baby. Many mothers wonder if they really get to choose the family that will adopt their baby, and the answer is yes. While you can invite other loved ones into the decision-making process if you’d like, it is your decision to make.

There are countless families around the nation who are hoping to adopt a baby, and you will get the opportunity to become acquainted with some of them through family profiles. Your adoption specialist will allow you access to family profiles that meet your needs, and then you will be able to choose the one that is right for your child.

The profiles you review could include:

• Pictures of the family
• Description of the family’s personality and lifestyle
• Video interviews with family, friends, and the hopeful adoptive couple
• The reasons a couple wants to adopt a child
• The couple’s hopes for an adoptive child

After reviewing the profiles of hopeful adoptive families, you will let your adoption specialist know which family stands out as a couple you would like to meet.  They will then facilitate an initial contact – often a phone call – that will allow you to ask them any questions you may have.

Fortunately, we have partnered with a national adoption agency to allow you access to some video profiles of hopeful adoptive families. If you would like to look at family profiles now, you can click here to see their profiles.

Step 4 – Prepare for Placement

The period between choosing a family for your baby and placing your baby up for adoption in Alaska can be spent however you would like. Some women want privacy and time to process their decision with close family and friends. Other women prefer to be in consistent contact with the family they have chosen to adopt their baby. You can continue your phone conversations with them, exchange emails or texts, or even meet in-person if you would like.

During this time, you will be in contact with your adoption specialist to finalize your hospital plan. This will dictate what your hospital stay will look like and communicate decisions such as:

• What your birthing preferences are
• Who you would like in your hospital room with you during labor
• Who you would like contact with after labor
• How much (if any) time you want to spend with your baby afterward
• Who you would like to leave the hospital with (one option is with the adoptive family and baby) 

In Alaska, a mother can sign adoption paperwork any time after giving birth. Signing this paperwork communicates voluntary and legal consent to the adoption. Consent can be withdrawn in the state of Alaska within 10 days of consent being given.

Step 5 – Adjust to Post-Adoption Life [Support after Placing a Baby Up for Adoption]

As a woman who is placing their baby up for adoption in Alaska, it is common to experience some challenges afterward. Even knowing that adoption is right for them, women express having certain unpleasant emotions after “giving up” their baby for adoption.

It is good to know in advance that there is a process of healing that will likely be a part of your experience. Like every other step in the adoption process, there is support available to you. You are not alone during your adoption or after your adoption. Adoption professionals are still available to you, and they can direct you to resources that will help you to cope and reach a place of acceptance.

Additionally, many women report that establishing a post-adoption agreement with your baby’s adoptive parents helps advance this healing process. Knowing what to expect from the adoption relationship can allow a birth mother to manage her grief in a healthy way. A period of adjustment is common, but then many women are relieved to find that they are given the freedom to reevaluate their life goals and begin living with a renewed sense of independence and opportunity. 

If you have more questions about how to put a baby up for adoption in Alaska or need advice and counsel as you consider this option, contact us today to be connected with an adoption professional. They will help you to determine the path that is best for you and then help you outline your next steps. You are not alone in the decision to place your baby up for adoption.