“Giving your baby up” for adoption in Louisiana is an incredibly generous and brave choice. The decision to place your baby for adoption comes from a place of deep love for your child and in the interest of offering them the best life possible.

If you are considering putting your baby up for adoption in Louisiana, you might be asking questions like:

• How can I go about giving my baby up for adoption?
• How do I know what to look for in an adoption professional?
• Can I choose my child’s adoptive parents if I put my baby up for adoption?
• What kind of relationships do mothers who “give up” their babies have with the adoptive family?

In this guide, you will find the answers to these questions and more. You will learn the five steps involved in putting your baby up for adoption in Louisiana and begin to understand your choices throughout the adoption process.

While you are surely feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone as you evaluate what is right for you. There are adoption professionals who will help you weigh your options for your unplanned pregnancy and guide you to the right decision for your life.

If you choose adoption, adoption specialists at the right agency will make sure that your needs are placed at the center of the adoption process. They will guide you through the entire adoption process and be accessible to you whenever you have questions or concerns.  

The following Louisiana adoption agencies are available to assist you:

• American Adoptions
• Elizabeth Foundation
• DeColores Adoptions International
• A Bond of Life Adoptions

You Are Never “Giving Up” Your Baby

If you are considering adoption, you will likely want to know the steps of this process, but first, we would like to address a common phrase that is used in casual conversations about adoption.

The choice that a birth mother makes is often referred to as “giving up a baby for adoption.” This phrase, while commonplace, is misleading. Choosing adoption for your baby is in no way “giving up.” In fact, it is a selfless act of love, and it takes an incredible amount of strength to choose.

The language we use to describe the decision to place a baby for adoption should not diminish the love that a birth mother expresses when she gives her baby the gift of an adoptive family. This is why, when we use a term like “give baby up for adoption,” we put it in quotations. 

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

The process of placing a baby for adoption in Louisiana is similar to the process in other states, so working with a national agency is perfectly acceptable. You will, however, want to ensure that they have professionals with regional knowledge, years of experience, and the availability to support you at any time of the day. They will guide you through the five steps involved in placing your baby for adoption.

The five steps you will follow in Louisiana are:

1. Make the decision that placing your baby for adoption is right for you.
2. Create an adoption plan.
3. Choose the perfect adoptive family for your baby.
4. Prepare for placement.
5. Adjust to life after adoption.

Step 1: Make the Decision That Placing Your Baby Up for Adoption is Right for You

While adoption is a beautiful choice that offers many benefits, it is not the only option that you have when you are facing an unintended pregnancy. Expectant mothers in Louisiana have three choices in this scenario:

1. Parenting
2. Abortion
3. Adoption

This can be a difficult decision for women who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, but there is support available. There are adoption specialists available at any time who will help you. They will offer their expertise about putting your baby up for adoption without any obligation to make this choice. During this decision-making period, the best agencies offer you the following:

• Adoption specialists who have been in your position
• A 24/7 hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION
• Birth mother testimonials
• Unplanned pregnancy counseling

Step 2: Create an Adoption Plan [You are in Control When Putting Baby Up for Adoption in Louisiana]

You are at the center of your adoption process, and one of the most crucial steps in ensuring that what you need is communicated to all parties is to develop an adoption plan.

An adoption specialist will work with you on this very important step in placing a baby for adoption, and it will guide them in their role throughout the adoption process. Having an adoption plan will help you:

• Find the perfect family for your child.
• Advocate for your needs at the hospital.
• Establish the kind of relationship you want with the adoptive family.
• Determine the kind of adoption agreement you would like.

You might feel hesitant to decide some of these things right at the beginning – especially the adoption agreement you want to have with the adoptive family. This document is not legally binding and you can change your mind at any point during the adoption process. Prior to signing the final adoption paperwork after your baby is born, your adoption plan can be edited to reflect any changes you’ve made.

Step 3: Choose the Perfect Adoptive Family in Louisiana [Or in Another State]

For many expectant mothers considering placing a baby for adoption in Louisiana, an important question is “Can I choose my child’s parents?” The answer to this is — absolutely.

When you “give your baby up” for adoption in Louisiana, you will be able to look at family profiles that match the qualities that you listed in your adoption plan.  From there, you will get to review them and choose the parents that are right for you and your baby.

The decision to work with a national or a local agency will affect your search for a family, and you will want to consider what each has to offer.

With a national agency you will be offered:

• Dozens (if not hundreds) of family profiles that match your needs.
• The opportunity to choose a different region for your child to grow up in.
• An adoption specialist with an expansive knowledge of adoption across the country.

With a local agency you will be offered:

• A better chance of finding a family in your region.
• A handful of profiles to choose from.
• A greater likelihood of working with an adoption specialist in person.

We have partnered with one national agency to provide you with some adoptive family video profiles to begin your search.

Family profiles will allow you to select the perfect family for your child. You can expect them to include:

• Pictures
• Description of the family lifestyle and personality
• Video interviews
• Reasons a couple has chosen to adopt
• A couple’s dreams for their adoptive child

Step 4: Prepare for Placement

There is no rush for a woman who is putting their baby up for adoption to choose an adoptive family. You can take as much or as little time as you need. However, the more time there is between this choice and placement, the more time you will have to become comfortable with your choice, get to know the family, and finalize some of the choices in your adoption plan.

Your first interaction with the adoptive family will likely be mediated by your adoption specialist and will give you the opportunity to ask questions like the following:

• What kind of neighborhood do you live in?
• Why do you want to adopt?
• What are some of your favorite things to do?
• What are your interests?

From the first contact, you will get to choose how frequently you have contact with them and how you want to interact with them. You can email or text, talk on the phone, or even meet in person. You can have them accompany you to pre-natal visits, or stay more private and separate from them throughout the pregnancy. This is up to you.

It is surprising to many that the relationship between adoptive parents and birth mothers can blossom into close friendships or even relationships that are like that of family.

 Carmen, a birth mother, describes the dynamic she has with her baby’s adoptive family. She says, “We truly are an unconventional family.” She involved them in her hospital plan and receives pictures and letters from them often as her child grows.

Step 5: Adjust to Life After Adoption [Post-Placement Support is Available to You]

Adoption paperwork cannot be signed in Louisiana until 72 hours after the birth of a child when it is an agency adoption.   Once this final paperwork is signed, you will begin the post-adoption relationship with your baby and adoptive parents. Whether you have chosen an open or closed adoption, having an agreement in place will help you to find the peace you need after the difficult decision to put your baby up for adoption.

However certain they are about their choice, many women report experiencing grief and loss. In fact, “giving up” a child for adoption is one of the most emotionally complex acts a parent can experience. There will be good days and bad days following placement, and it will be important for you to have a support system in place.

Whether or not you have a strong network of support, though, you will not be alone. There are countless resources available to help you through this stage. After a period of adjustment, most women find that they are able to find peace in their decision.

If you would like more information about how to put a baby up for adoption in Louisiana or need help as you consider this unplanned pregnancy option, contact us today to be connected with an adoption professional. You are not alone in this decision or in the adoption process.