If you are looking for housing for mothers putting a child up for adoption, then you need to know that most adoption agencies can provide financial assistance to prospective birth mothers to finance or find accommodations of their own.

In general, birth mothers have five choices when it comes to housing for pregnant women who want to give their baby up for adoption:

• Choice 1: Continue to live in their home
• Choice 2: Move into a rental property (you can stay in your city or relocate)
• Choice 3: Stay at a maternity center (also known as a maternity home)
• Choice 4: Stay in temporary housing (hotel, extended-stay hotel, or motel)
• Choice 5: Stay with a trusted friend or family member

If you’re ready to talk to an adoption specialist about the types of housing assistance you can get when you put your child up for adoption, you can contact us today.

If you’re not quite ready to reach out to an adoption professional, read on for more information about birthmother housing.

Why Housing Assistance for Mothers Adopting Out Their Kids is so Important

Everyone deserves to live in a safe home with a loving and kind support system. And you and your baby deserve safety and kindness, too. So, if you are worried that your current housing situation is unstable or unsafe, you can reach out to an adoption agency for assistance.

The following are just a few of the national adoption agencies you can consider working with:

• American Adoptions
• Gladney Center for Adoption
• Lifeline Child
• National Maternity Housing Coalition
• Youth Emergency Services

Prospective birth mothers may feel unstable or unsafe in their home for many reasons, including:

• Now that you’re pregnant, you can’t work your job, and you cannot pay your mortgage or rent.
• You were already struggling to pay your mortgage or rent, and now your pregnancy is costing you too much money.
• You live in a home with an abusive partner.
• You live in a home with unsupportive family members.
• There are many other reasons why a prospective birth mother may not feel stable or safe in her home.

Although everyone needs stable and safe housing, this is especially true for expectant mothers. Pregnant women must care for themselves and their babies. This is why adoption agencies can often provide financial assistance for housing for mothers putting their child up for adoption.

Who Pays for Housing for Pregnant Women Who Want to Give Their Baby Up for Adoption?

It’s common to wonder if housing is paid for by the adoptive family or adoption agency when you’re considering placing your child for adoption. In general, the adoptive family covers the costs associated with financial assistance. The adoption agency ensures that you get everything you need, and that all assistance is completed legally.

If a prospective birth mother chooses to place her child for adoption, she often can get the financial assistance that pays for:

• Housing (mortgage, rent, etc.)
• Utilities
• Food
• Maternity clothing
• Transportation
• And more

Although this adoption financial assistance is available to most prospective birth moms, the amount you can get is determined by:

• The state you live in (each state is different laws regarding adoption financial assistance)
• Your unique circumstances

But, it’s important to remember that most prospective birth mothers who choose adoption will get some amount of housing financial assistance.

5 Birthmother Housing Choices You Can Get Financial Assistance for

You may have wondered, “If I plan on giving my child up for adoption, can they help me with housing?”

The answer is most likely yes. Adoption agencies can help you get housing-specific financial assistance.

The following are the five common types of housing a pregnant woman considering adoption can receive financial assistance for, and each choice’s pros and cons.

Choice 1: Staying in Your Home

Pros of Living in Your Home

1. If your home is safe and you have a positive home life, your home is where you most likely feel comfortable.
2. If you have children, your kids will most likely feel comfortable in your home.
3. You and your other family members can remain in your community. You will stay near your support system, doctors, schools, etc.

Cons of Living in Your Home

1. You may feel uncomfortable in your home if you have an unsupportive or abusive partner or unsupportive family.
2. Your home may not be structurally safe.
3. Your home may be far from your core support system.

Choice 2: Moving to a Rental Property

Pros of Living in a Rental Property

1. If you don’t have stable or safe housing, a rental property may be ideal.
2. You can stay in a rental property long after you’ve given birth. Your adoption housing financial assistance can help you get established at the property, allowing you to takeover rent after you’ve given birth.
3. You could find a rental near your support system.

Cons of Living in a Rental Property

1. Some adoption agencies own or work with certain apartment complexes that provide birthmother housing. Although this may sound good, these apartments are often not as nice as they appear online. You also will not be able to stay in these apartments after you give birth.

Choice 3: Staying at a Maternity Center or Home

Pros of Living in Maternity Housing

1. Many maternity centers have wonderful amenities.
2. You can live with other women who are going through what you’re going through. This is especially helpful if you don’t have a strong support system.
3. There’s staff onsite to help you get to appointments and find temporary work.
4. Often, there’s a doctor and counselor onsite.
5. You can often maintain your privacy in a maternity home.

Cons of Living in Maternity Housing

1. The birthmother housing may not be as nice as it appears online.
2. You cannot stay at a maternity home after you’ve given birth.
3. Maternity homes may regulate your schedule and dictate your diet.
4. You may not like the maternity home’s doctor.
5. You may feel pressure to practice or convert to the religion a maternity home preaches if that home has religious affiliations.

Choice 4: Locating Temporary Housing

Pros of Living in Temporary Housing

1. Short-term housing is easy to find.
2. Because short-term housing is easy to find, you can find rooms near your support system, etc.
3. Short-term housing will allow you to exit an unsupportive home environment quickly.

Cons of Living in Temporary Housing

1. Short-term housing may feel isolating.
2. Although you can continue to stay in short-term housing after you give birth, you eventually need to find and move into permanent housing.

Choice 5: Staying at the Home of a Trusted Friend or Family Member

Pros of Living in the Home of a Trusted Friend or Family Member

1. You can live with your support system.
2. Your support system can often help you find permanent housing after you’ve given birth.
3. Your support system may be able to help you move in quickly if your current living situation is dangerous.

Cons of Living in the Home of a Trusted Friend or Family Member

1. Staying with a friend or family member may strain your relationship with that person.

Next Steps to Get Financial Assistance for Housing for Mothers Putting Their Child Up for Adoption

If you’re ready to talk to an adoption agency to find out the financial housing assistance for mothers adopting out their kids, consider reaching out to a national adoption agency first.

National adoption agencies often have more resources – larger staff, more hopeful adoptive families to choose from, etc. – to help you get the financial assistance you need.

If you’re ready to reach out to an adoption professional for assistance today, you can contact us right now.