If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering the possibility of “giving your baby up” for adoption in Oregon, then you might be looking for some unbiased and empathetic support. Though you are likely feeling overwhelmed, rest assured that you are not alone.

If you are ready to speak with an unplanned pregnancy counselor, contact us online today.

The support of adoption professionals is available to you now as you determine what decision is right for you. They will come alongside you during this stage and either guide you through the steps involved in adoption or point you to other services you may need if you make a different choice.

Adoption specialists are interested in helping you discern which path is right for you. When you work with them, your information will be kept confidential and you will be under no obligation to choose adoption.

This guide is a starting point for you. But before you continue reading, you should know that:

• An adoption specialist will walk you through the entire process from start to finish so that you never feel lost.

• With the help of your specialist, you will find the perfect family for your baby, no matter what you’re looking for.

• The adoption process may be emotionally complex, but your adoption agency will offer 24/7 support during the process and will be there for you long after placement.

You Are Never “Giving Up” Your Baby

The language around adoption often diminishes the profoundly brave decision that a birth mother makes when she chooses adoption. For example, a common way that we hear it being described is as “giving up a baby for adoption.” You will notice that we use quotation marks around this particular phrase because we want to communicate that placing your baby for adoption is absolutely not “giving up.”  

Placing your baby with an adoptive family is a beautiful choice that opens up opportunities for all involved. Adoption is giving your child a life that reflects your desires for them. It is giving a hopeful adoptive couple the chance to raise a child. And it is giving yourself the opportunity to pursue your dreams while maintaining a loving relationship with your child through open adoption.

The choice to “Give up” a baby for adoption in Oregon is rooted in a deep love for your baby. It is a generous gift and a mature decision. Continue reading to learn more about the adoption process.

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

When you work with the right adoption agency, the support you receive will be comprehensive and guide you through each step of the adoption process. It is important that the agency you choose is licensed, has years of experience, and ensures that there is an adoption specialist available to you whenever you may need one. Whether you choose a national or local agency, they will cover your pregnancy-related medical expenses, provide you with legal counsel, and provide you with potential adoptive families for your baby.

Your adoption specialist will help you navigate these five basic steps of putting your baby up for adoption in Oregon:

1. Decide that Adoption Is the Right Choice for You
2. Create an Adoption Plan
3. Choose the Perfect Adoptive Family
4. Prepare for Placement
5. Transition into Life After Adoption

Step 1: Decide that Adoption Is the Right Choice for You

The journey from uncertainty to the decision to put your child up for adoption in Oregon is no small feat. For some women, it takes a long while for them to make a choice about their unplanned pregnancy. That is okay. Women choose adoption at various stages of their pregnancy. While there are advantages to having more time to prepare, you can pursue adoption during your first trimester or even after you give birth to your baby.

This is a big decision, and you are the best judge of what is right for you and your child. But you are not alone. Adoption professionals are equipped to ask you the right questions that can lead to an informed decision that you can feel at peace with.

If you are not ready to speak to an adoption specialist but want some resources that could provide some direction, here are some that might help:

• A confidential, 24/7 hotline, like 1-800-ADOPTION
• Birth mother testimonials
• A conversation with a birth mother who has been in your position
• Unplanned pregnancy counseling

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

The first thing your adoption specialist will guide you through after your decision to place your baby for adoption in Oregon will be the development of your adoption plan. An adoption plan is considered a sort of blueprint for your adoption and will include your needs and preferences throughout the process.

You can expect the following components in an adoption plan:

• Your description of the qualities and characteristics of the family you want for your child
• Your desires as they relate to communication with adoptive parents during the adoption process
• Your hospital plan that details your preferences during labor, delivery, and hospital stay
• Your choice of post-adoptive agreement: open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption

You are in control of your adoption. Your needs are integral to the whole process, and you get to oversee each decision.  An adoption specialist should be a support and an advocate for your needs. They will guide you through the necessary steps to make your adoption the experience you want it to be.

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

You get to direct the choices when you “give your baby up” for adoption in Oregon, and one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing an adoptive family for your child. There are countless Oregonian families who are hoping to adopt – and even more throughout the country. Among them is the perfect family that can give your child the life that you envision for them. 

Your adoption specialist will help you place your baby for adoption in the kind of home that you want for them. They will use your description of the kind of family you want for your child to compile a list of families from the agency’s database who they think might fit your needs.

You then will be given access to family profiles that you will get the chance to review. The choice of a family for your child is yours and yours alone. You can invite your support system into the decision if you would like, but know that you have been given this privilege, and no one should pressure you to make one decision over another.   

You can expect the following to be included in family profiles:

• Pictures
• Description of the family’s lifestyle, personality, and interests
• Video interviews with family and friends
• Reasons the couple is hoping to adopt
• Couple’s dreams for an adoptive child

Your first contact with a family will be initiated by you and your adoption specialist. Only when you are ready to reach out will this be expected. Most likely, you will communicate via a mediated phone conversation. During this call, you can ask any questions you might have. Remember that reaching out in this way does not commit you placing your baby for adoption with this family.

You can choose to go forward with them or return to browsing family profiles. In the end, you might talk to a few families before choosing a family for your baby. This is okay. It is essential that you are completely at ease with your decision. When you finally choose the perfect family for your baby, it will all be worth it, and you will be on your way to placing your baby for adoption in Oregon.

Are you eager to view some profiles? You are in luck! We have partnered with a reputable agency to make some profiles available to you today.  Click here to view profiles of hopeful adoptive couples across the country.  

Step 4: Prepare for Placement

Different women have different needs as they prepare for placement. Only you know what is right for you during the time between choosing an adoptive family and placing your baby for adoption in Oregon. It may be important for you to establish consistent communication with your baby’s adoptive family. Or you may have a need for more privacy as you prepare for birth. Whatever it is you need during this time is okay.

It is likely that the interaction that you desire before birth will align with how much openness that you desire in your adoption agreement. If you haven’t already determined what your relationship will be with your adoptive family after placing your baby for adoption, this will be a topic to iron out during this time.

Another component of your adoption plan that is routinely revisited during this time is your hospital plan. Many women begin to think about the details of their hospital stay as it approaches. If you are presented with new information or change your mind about any of what you initially decided, you can edit your hospital plan to reflect these changes.  

Here are some questions you might want to consider about your hospital stay:

• Do you want the adoptive family in the delivery room? 
• Are there friends and family who you want to visit you in the hospital? 
• Would it be beneficial for you to have some alone time with your baby?
• Do you want to breastfeed your baby? 
• Would you like pictures with your baby or with the adoptive family? 
• Who do you want to leave the hospital with? 

After delivery, you will sign your final adoption paperwork. While there is a lot of paperwork that you will sign throughout the adoption process, this final signature indicates your voluntary and legal consent to placing your child for adoption in Oregon.

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

No matter the certainty you have about your adoption, you may still feel some conflicting feelings after the adoption is final. Putting your baby up for adoption is a difficult choice, and the post-adoptive period can be challenging.

Birth mother, Randi opens up about what it was like after placing her baby for adoption. She says,

“It was heartbreaking, but there was never a time that I didn’t feel like it felt right. It was hard because you still have all these hormones running through you and all these motherly instincts. And It’s like your brain is telling you one thing, and your body is telling you another thing. I think that was the hardest part.”

When you partner with the right agency, though, you will still have support and guidance after the adoption process is complete. Your adoption specialist will still be available to you, and if you need some outside assistance, they can also direct you to other post-adoption resources.

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

Before you think about any of the choices that are outline in an adoption plan, you will first decide who you want to guide you through the process of creating that plan. The support you receive from adoption professionals will depend upon the type of agency that you choose. When placing your baby for adoption in Oregon, you have the option to work with a national agency or a local agency, and it is important that you understand the difference.

Since national agencies work with birth mothers and hopeful adoptive families from across the nation, they often are able to offer you wrap-around services – pre-adoption support, post-adoption support, and both a larger network of legal professionals and hopeful adoptive families. For you, this could mean that you are given dozens – or even hundreds – of family profiles when you work with them.

National agencies that serve Oregon birth mothers include:

• American Adoptions
• Gladney Center for Adoption
• Beacon House Adoptions

Some women prefer to work with local agencies, though, because they can sometimes provide you with a more intimate experience. They will most likely be able to provide you with a handful of family profiles of families who live in your region.

Local agencies that serve Oregonian birth mothers include:

• Adoptions of Southern Oregon
• Open Adoption & Family Services
• Journeys of the Heart
• Tree of Life Adoption Center

No matter you choose, you will have support as you navigate the five-step process of “giving your baby up” for adoption in Oregon. You are in control of your adoption process, and it is essential that you are comfortable with whoever it is you decide to work with. 

For more information about how to put a baby up for adoption in Oregon, contact us today and you will be connected with an adoption professional. They will offer counsel that will help you decide which path is best for you. You are not alone when you choose to place your baby up for adoption in Oregon.