An unplanned pregnancy can be a scary prospect. You might be feeling overwhelmed, and a bit panicked. If you are thinking about “giving your baby up” for adoption in South Dakota, you have some important considerations to make, and likely need support.

To speak with someone who can help you navigate the adoption process, contact us online today.

Adoption professionals can provide the expertise and empathy you need during this crucial time in your life. Whether you just found out you are pregnant or are in your last month of pregnancy, they will meet you where you are at, make sure that your adoption plan reflects your individual needs, and help you find the perfect adoptive family for your child.

This guide is also a great place to explore your options. It will answer questions like:

• Is placing a baby for adoption in South Dakota the right choice for me?
• How might I go about giving my baby up for adoption in South Dakota?
• What are the steps to put my baby up for adoption in South Dakota?
• Do I get to choose an adoptive family if I “give my baby up” for adoption?

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

The first thing you need to know as a prospective birth mother is that the professional that you work with to complete your adoption will make all the difference to your experience. Before anything else, you will choose an agency to partner with, and you will want to make sure that they have a 24/7 hotline that you can call when you have questions, that they are licensed in South Dakota, and that they have a documented history doing this work.  

The right agency will:

• Offer pre-adoption services like counseling and education
• Bring you adoption opportunities to consider
• Ensure pregnancy-related medical bills are covered
• Provide legal counsel without cost
• Make post-adoption support available to you

Whether you choose a national agency or an agency close to home, the professionals you meet will guide you through these five basic steps of putting your baby up for adoption in South Dakota:

1. Decide that Adoption Is the Right Choice for You
2. Develop an Adoption Plan
3. Select the Perfect Adoptive Family
4. Get Ready for Placement
5. Adjust to Life After Adoption

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

The path to adoption is different for everyone. Some women knew that putting their baby up for adoption was right for them as soon as they found out that they were expecting. Others struggle to know what is right for them. If you are still considering your unplanned pregnancy options, this is OK. You should not feel pressure, and you should know that you are the best judge of what is right for you.

Adoption professionals can be incredibly helpful when you are sorting through your options, but know that this decision is yours.

Other resources that might help you during this time are:

• 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: Develop an Adoption Plan [You are in Control of Your Adoption]

Once you make the decision to go forward with placing your baby for adoption in South Dakota, you will work with your adoption specialist to create an adoption plan. An adoption plan is the outline of your needs and preferences along each stage of the adoption process. Your adoption agency and the adoptive family will follow this plan, making your adoption process the experience you want it to be.

Some important components of your adoption plan will be:

• A description of the kind of adoptive family you want for your baby
• Preferences on communication with adoptive parents prior to the birth
• A hospital plan that describes your preferences regarding labor, delivery, and post-birth interactions
• Your choice of post-adoptive agreement: open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption

You are in control of your adoption and get to make the decisions that benefit you. You will guide and oversee the entire process, because it is you who is giving so generously and making such a brave choice. When you place your baby for adoption in South Dakota, your adoption specialist should defer to you and help you to have the adoption that you want.

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

Women considering “giving up” their baby for adoption in South Dakota frequently ask about the process of choosing an adoptive family for their baby. For many, this is the most important part of the adoption process because it is the choice that impacts their child’s life the most.

There is a family who is perfect for you, and the right adoption agency can help you to find them.

Using the family characteristics you listed in your adoption plan, your adoption specialist will retrieve a list of potential adoptive families for you to choose from. From here, they will give you access to family profiles to review. If you are partnered with a national agency, you will likely have dozens – maybe even hundreds – to choose from. If you are working with a local agency, you will probably get a handful.

Family profiles you will receive might include:

• Pictures
• Description of the family lifestyle and personality
• Video interviews
• Reasons the couple wants to adopt
• Couple’s hopes and dreams for an adoptive child

While you may recruit family and friends to help you select the perfect family for your baby, this is a choice that is yours to make. You will know when you’ve found the right family for your child, and you will be given the time you need to make this decision.

When a family sticks out to you, your adoption specialist will reach out to them to set up a mediated phone call with them. During this first communication, you can them ask any questions you have or just get a good feel for who they are.

Following the conversation, you can continue with this hopeful adoptive family or return to your family profiles. You do not consent to the adoption until after you give birth, so you have the freedom to take your time and familiarize yourself with the adoptive families you are given. Once you select a family, though, you will be well on your way to putting your baby up for adoption in South Dakota.

Are you ready to view some profiles today? You are in luck! We have partnered with a national adoption agency to bring you some family profiles for you to browse. Click here to view profiles of some of these hopeful adoptive couples.  

Step 4: Get Ready for Placement

The time between selecting an adoptive family for your child and placing your baby for adoption in South Dakota looks different for each woman. Of course, for some women there is a lot of time between the two events, and for others there is not, depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy.

During this time, some women desire a great deal of privacy, and others are eager to begin their relationship with the adoptive parents. 

The amount of contact and the kind of interaction that you will have with adoptive parents depends greatly on the openness that the you want in your adoption agreement. If you want an open adoption, then you will be more likely to meet up with the adoptive parents in person or talk with them on the phone before the adoption is final.

Other considerations you will want to make during this time are the kinds of details you want to include in your hospital plan. There are a lot to of decisions that you get to make about your labor, delivery, and interactions between people at the hospital.

Here are some you might want to consider:

• Do you want the adoptive family in the delivery room with you? 
• Are you comfortable with friends and family visiting you in the hospital? 
• Would you like some alone time with your baby after birth? 
• Do you want pictures with your baby? What about with the adoptive family? 
• Would you like to leave the hospital with your baby and the adoptive family or with family/friends? 

The final step of your adoption process will be to sign your final adoption paperwork. Your signature on these papers indicates your consent to placing your child for adoption in South Dakota.

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

Deciding to put your baby up for adoption in South Dakota can be a difficult choice. Many mothers report that even though they were certain they were making the right choice, it was still a challenging decision. Consequently, the stage right after adoption placement can come with a fair amount of grief and other challenging emotions.

When working with the right agency, you will have post-adoption support that will help you through the complicated feelings and struggles that accompany the choice to place your baby for adoption. You will not be alone after the adoption process is complete. You will still have support and guidance from adoption professionals. And, when necessary, they will direct you to other helpful resources.

You Are Never “Giving Up” Your Baby

The choice to place your baby for adoption is a profoundly brave and generous choice. Unfortunately, the language that is commonly used to describe the adoption process does not always convey this. To refer to the choice as “giving up your baby” diminishes the maturity and thoughtfulness that it takes to make this decision.

Placing a baby for adoption is not “giving up.” It is giving your child the life that you want for them. It is giving an adoptive couple the chance to grow their family. And, it is giving yourself the opportunity to continue a loving relationship with your child through open adoption.

“Giving up” a baby for adoption in South Dakota is a conscious choice to offer your baby a life full of love and opportunity.

Finding Support for “Giving Up” Your Baby for Adoption in South Dakota

Now that you have the bird’s eye view of adoption, you may be wondering who you can contact to begin this process. There are many adoption agencies who are available to help you place your baby for adoption in South Dakota. The first choice you will have to make is whether you want to partner with a national or a local agency.

National agencies facilitate adoptions across the nation, and because of their size, they often can offer more resources and services to birth mothers. They work with a much larger network of potential adoptive families, which means that you will be given more adoption opportunities when you work with them.

National agencies that serve South Dakota birth mothers include:

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

The number of adoption opportunities doesn’t matter, of course, if they are the right opportunities. If you are looking solely for families in your region, you may be better served by a local agency.

Local agencies that serve South Dakota birth mothers include:

• Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota
• Children’s Home Society of South Dakota
• New Horizons Adoption Agency
• All About U Adoptions

No matter who you choose to partner with, they will help you navigate the five-step adoption process. What is most important is that you are comfortable with the professionals you are working with and able to communicate what you want and need in an adoption.    To find out more information about how to put a baby up for adoption in South Dakota, contact us today to be connected with an adoption professional. They will offer counsel, education, and support that will help you determine the path that is best for you. You are not alone when you choose to place your baby up for adoption.