Birth Mothers Placing Baby for Adoption

Unplanned Pregnancy?

Are you considering placing a baby for adoption? We will do our best to make sure your experience is a comfortable one. We know this is a difficult time for you, and we understand that this is a decision has to be carefully considered. We are here to provide you with all the resources you need and listen to any of your concerns.

An unplanned pregnancy can be terrifying. The news is shocking, the feelings of uncertainty overwhelming. Confusion, loneliness, and shame are likely just some of the many emotions you as a birth mother are feeling after receiving such life-altering news.

Learning you are pregnant opens the door to a plethora of questions and emotions. You may be angry at yourself for getting pregnant, or feel you chose the wrong person to get pregnant with. You may feel embarrassed at being naïve or betrayed when you were left. Perhaps you’re struggling with feeling like a failure because you may not be able to provide for your child. Or you may be feeling shame. Shame that you are even considering placing your baby with someone else.

If you are visiting this site, you are likely looking into what your options are in dealing with your pregnancy. At Heartstrings Adoptions, we want to not only answer all of your questions, but help you understand the advantages of giving your baby up for adoption. In order for you to feel comfortable with the adoption process, you need to understand how the process works and what the results of adoption will be for both you and your baby. 

What is adoption like?

The stories you typically hear about adoption are antiquated. Gone are the days where a mother’s baby is taken away from her, never to be seen again. Gone are the days where a mother lives with guilt, not knowing if her child was placed with a kind, loving family. The adoption process has changed significantly over the course of the last ten to fifteen years.

Birth mothers are now in control of the adoption. You get to choose the family you place your child with and the level of contact you have with him or her. Whether you choose a closed or open adoption, you get to make the decisions that feel right for you. This is key to understanding the adoption process as it stands today.

Why is adoption a good option?

As you think about your unborn child, it is important to remember that adoption is a way to take care of him or her. You are giving your child an opportunity to live the life you may not feel you can provide. Your child will have the opportunity to grow up with a family who has struggled to have children of their own, who are ready to give your child all of their love and support. While that can be a heartbreaking decision to make, it can also be one of the best decisions for both you and your baby.

Not only can you make sure your baby goes to a loving home, but you don’t have to be removed from your baby’s life. As a birth mother, if you choose adoption, you can decide how involved you will be. You can visit your child, receive updates, and be a part of his or her life. You can choose the level of interaction you want to have.

But adoption isn’t just about the baby. It is about you. It is about taking care of you both emotionally and physically.

Many birth mothers are not in a place either financially or emotionally to give the amount of time and resources needed to raise a child. Recognizing that is nothing to be ashamed of. Acknowledging that there could be a chance at a better life and better opportunities for your unborn child is one of the bravest things any mother can do.

Through Heartstrings Adoptions, we want to take care of our birth mothers. By using Heartstrings Adoptions, the majority of your expenses are covered. Prenatal and hospital care, housing, meals, travel expenses and more are handled so you can focus on yourself. You can also receive counseling as you navigate the difficulties of putting a child up for adoption.

If you choose to adopt, know that you will not be forgotten. You will be remembered, forever cherished by the family that has taken in your child as their own.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why should I choose adoption over abortion?

For many birth mothers, this is a difficult decision. On the one hand, abortion seems like a quick and painless way to handle an unexpected pregnancy. On the other hand, there are consequences to that decision. Feelings of guilt over terminating a pregnancy, longing for the life you could have given your child, and regret over ending the chance that child had at life are some of the many emotions that come with abortion.

Adoption gives you another choice. Adoption gives you the choice of giving your child a life he or she may have never gotten otherwise. Adoption gives you the means to afford the expenses of having a baby. Adoption gives you the comfort that your sacrifice, giving up your child, will never be forgotten by the adoptive families who are anxiously waiting for a child to adopt.

This doesn’t mean that adoption doesn’t come with its own trials and difficulties. But the advantages to both you and your child outweigh them.

How much will it cost me to place my baby for adoption?

Nothing. It is completely free to you. All expenses will be covered by the adoptive parents.

What is an open adoption?

An open adoption helps you know that you will not be forgotten. An open adoption gives you the opportunity to decide how involved you want to be in your child’s life. Whether that’s through pictures and letters or phone calls and visit, you decide how you want to participate in your child’s life.

How can I find an adoptive family? Will I get to know them?

Heartstrings Adoptions will help you screen many families. Once you decide on a family, you’ll be able to get to know them through phone calls, emails, text, or even visits. You are in charge. You get to choose the family and lifestyle your child can have, and getting to know the family is essential to that process.

I’m really struggling emotionally with this decision. Is there someone I can talk to?

Yes. Contact Heartstrings Adoptions to allow us to help you. If you choose to adopt through Heartstrings Adoptions, you can receive free, confidential counseling.

What happens once I'm in the hospital? 

Our birth center is located at a new and modern hospital, with doctors who support adoption and who have worked with numerous birth mothers. All doctors and nurses involved in your time at the hospital are committed to treating you with dignity and respecting your birth plan.

When it comes to labor and delivery, your case worker will be there with you every step of the way. You are in complete control of who you choose to be with you during the time of your baby’s birth. Many women choose to have the adoptive mother there with them for the birth, but others choose not to. It is completely your decision, and you are free to do what makes you feel most comfortable.  Overall, our main priority is to help make your birthing experience a beautiful and pleasant one. We will be there for you after delivery for any assistance you will need. 

Will the adoptive parents be with me in the hospital? 

The choice of who to have with you in the hospital is ultimately yours to make. We work with many birth mothers who want the adoptive parents in the hospital for support, while we also work with other birth mothers who choose to not have the adoptive family present until later. There is no right or wrong choice, simply whatever makes you most comfortable and what will help you have the best experience possible as a birth mother. 

Can I see and hold my baby after I give birth? 

Absolutely. If you would like to hold and spend time with your baby after you give birth and before relinquishment, you are free to do so. Other birth mothers prefer to not interact with their baby and instead have the adoptive mother or hospital staff take over that role. We want you to make the best decision for you and choose whatever helps you have the best experience. We will support in whatever choice you make. 

What if I don't want to see the adoptive parents, or even the baby? 
If you feel strongly about not doing so, we will honor your wishes. While we want you to have peace of mind that you are doing the right thing and encourage you to meet the adoptive family and hold your baby, ultimately the choice is up to you. 

What about the birth father? 

Birth fathers do have rights, and the law protects their rights. That being said, it also does not mean that you don’t have the right to place your baby up for adoption.

 
The birth father will be asked to sign away his rights prior to relinquishment. If he is no longer involved in your life, there are many different ways an attorney may try to contact him. If you don’t know who the birth father is, you may choose not to name him as the father. Usually, most birth fathers consent to relinquishing with their child’s best interests in mind.

Will I be able to choose from adoptive families?

 
Yes, of course! Aside from choosing to place your baby for adoption, choosing the right adoptive family for them is the most important choice you’ll make. We will do our best to present you with families that meet your specific criteria of what matches exactly what you want for your baby. You will be able to choose from several different profiles of families who have been waiting to adopt the child of their dreams. 
Because we know how important this decision is for you, we will facilitate a meeting between you and the prospective family for your baby so you can have a relationship with them before you place your baby for adoption. You can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to give you peace of mind during this process! 

Is the adoptive family background screened for safety?

 
Every potential adoptive family is screened thoroughly before they can adopt a baby into their home. We complete a complete nation-wide criminal investigation and check all child abuse registries. We also take fingerprints of both parents and a social worker does a complete home study within their residence to make sure they are qualified to be the best parents possible for your baby. This process is done for anyone in the home over the age of 18. When you choose Heartstrings Adoption, you can be certain that the potential family you choose will be in good standing, or they would have not been considered in the first place. 

How much will adoption cost me? 

Choosing to give your baby up for adoption will come at absolutely no cost to you. We recognize what a monumental decision this is and how it will impact your life forever, which is why we want to make the process as pleasant as possible for you.

 
Heartstrings Adoptions provides you with all necessary transportation, housing, grocery, and clothing allowances during your pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Doing so helps our birth mothers feel safe and secure, knowing that they’ve made the best choice possible for their baby. 

Will I get help afterwards to get back on my feet?

 
Absolutely! We know that your role as a birth mother doesn’t end at relinquishment. It takes time to recover from a delivery, both physically and emotionally. Heartstrings Adoptions offers all birth mothers financial aid to help you while you recover from pregnancy and birth. We will also provide counseling visits to make sure you recover emotionally and mentally as well.