Considering adoption is a process full of bravery and love, and with American Adoptions, we can provide the resources you need for this life-changing decision.

• American Adoptions can make the process of creating an adoption plan and finding an adoptive family as simple as possible.

• An adoption specialist can help you learn about the benefits of adoption, and you’ll have a better understanding of the process after setting up a time to talk.

• If you decide to make an adoption plan, you can tailor it to your specific needs.

We know how hard this time must be for you; we have helped many expectant mothers through this process over our 25 years of service. So, during this difficult time, American Adoptions is here to help. This guide to giving a baby up for adoption in Florida is meant to help you understand your options and create a plan to move forward, should you consider putting a newborn up for adoption at the end of your pregnancy.

As a leading national adoption agency, American Adoptions is best qualified to offer you objective information about placing a baby for adoption in Florida. Remember: You can always call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with a specialist or get free information online anytime.

And for hopeful parents who are interested in learning how to start the adoption process, click here to learn more and to be contacted by one of our adoption specialists. 

For now, continue reading to learn more about placing a baby for adoption in Florida. 

Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy in Florida, you have three options for your circumstances:

• Parenting

• Abortion

• Adoption

The “right” answer is going to be different for everyone. How you respond to an unexpected pregnancy is extremely personal, and it’s a decision that should be made on your own terms. And no matter what your final decision ends up being, we will be there to support you every step of the way.

When Angelica did make her adoption decision, she had this to say about what it was like to work with American Adoptions: “You could tell they weren’t just putting on a front to make you want to do it or push you into it,” she says. “They want whatever you want, and that’s what they told me during the whole process. It wasn’t up to them; they were just going to be there for me no matter what decision I made.”

Could adoption be the right choice for you, like it was for Angelica? Learn how to place a baby for adoption in Florida safely below:

Step 1: Decide If Adoption is Right for You. [Why It’s a Brave Choice]

You may hear phrases that suggest women are “giving a baby up for adoption” or “putting a baby up for adoption” when choosing this path. But placing a baby for adoption in Florida is never a decision that a woman makes lightly. It’s always a choice made out of love for a child, in an effort to give him or her the best life possible. As such, choosing adoption is something to be respected and celebrated. And as Janelle would say,

““You’re not giving your babies up. You’re just giving them a better life… it’s unselfish, you know? That’s their lives you’re thinking about — it’s not just your life. You’re giving them the opportunity to live the best life that they can, and the life you know that you can’t give them.”

If you’re considering giving a child up for adoption in Florida, you’ve probably thought hard about the wellbeing of your baby. You may also have questions about the newborn adoption process, such as:

• “Does it cost to place a baby for adoption?”

• “How is the baby’s father involved in the adoption process?”

• “Can I stay in contact with my child and their family after the adoption if I choose to?”

Our specialists are able to answer these questions and more when you call 1-800-ADOPTION. You can get answers 24/7 and by doing so, you’ll have a better understanding of the adoption process after speaking with one of our specialists. In fact, we’ll talk to you about all of your unplanned pregnancy options, to help you decide which path is right for you.

Step 2: Create Your Adoption Plan. [What You’re in Charge Of]

Every decision in the process of giving a baby up for adoption in Florida is yours.

You’ll first determine the important details of the adoption, including:

• Your baby’s adoptive parents

• Your hospital and birth plan

• The amount of post-adoption communication you want to maintain with the adoptive family

• And more

Your adoption specialist’s job is to inform you about all of your options and to counsel you through the emotional and legal processes of putting your baby up for adoption in Florida — but the decisions are always yours to make.

We want you to feel confident that, no matter which adoptive family you choose or what you want your adoption plan to look like, that you’ve made the right decision. We are here for you every step of the way and are ready to support any choice you make during your Florida adoption.

Step 3: Choose Adoptive Parents. [Find the Perfect Fit]

Choosing an adoptive family to love and raise their child is surprisingly comforting for many pregnant women thinking about adoption in Florida. Typically, when you see the “right” family’s adoption profile, you’ll know it. Frances, one of our birth mothers, knows this firsthand after speaking with her adoption specialist, Rachel:

“Rachel said, ‘Frances, you’ll know when you have picked the perfect family,’” Frances says. “When we talked to Chris and Courtney, in the middle of the conversation, I knew Chris and Courtney were the ones.”

When you do find the perfect match, you’ll be happy to know that all of the families who adopt through American Adoptions are:

• Fully committed to adoption and are ready to put a child first in everything they do

• Ready and excited to raise a child and to give them a life full of the love and opportunity every child deserves

• Eager to get to know and bond with you before and after the adoption, to whatever extent you feel comfortable with. This means that, if you choose to, you can develop a deep and meaningful relationship that will last a lifetime.

• Approved through background checks, home studies and more by the state of Florida and on a federal level to ensure that they’re stable and ready to adopt.

The process of finding adoptive parents when giving a baby up for adoption in Florida goes something like this:

Step 1: You’ll talk to your American Adoptions specialist about the life you picture your child having with their family, what (if any) religion they’d be raised in, how many (if any) siblings they’d have, what their parents would be like, where they’d travel, where they’d go to college and more. And because American Adoptions is a national adoption agency, you’re don’t have to stick with families in Florida. Your baby’s adoptive family could live anywhere in the United States.

Step 2: You’ll review profiles of potential adoptive parents who are a match for what you’re picturing, and then talk to families that feel right to you via conference call with your adoption specialist to get to know them.

Step 3: Once you’ve chosen who your baby’s parents will be, you’ll be able to stay in touch until the delivery. If you still wish to place your baby at that time, you can maintain regular communication after the adoption to whatever extent you feel comfortable for as long as you want.

The relationships created between birth and adoptive families often last lifetimes. It’s not unlike gaining a new branch of family! Birth mothers like Caitlin have even experienced this themselves:

“I was never sad about what had happened or anything like that — just that I wasn’t going to be able to hold him and see him,” Caitlin says. “They became my family.”

Step 4: Create a Birth Plan. [How to Prepare for the Big Day]

Establishing a plan for your time in the hospital during labor and delivery can put your mind at ease and make you feel more prepared. When considering adoption in Florida, you’ll create a custom birth plan with your adoption specialist that takes into consideration:

• Where you’d like to deliver and receive medical care

• Who you want as your support system at the hospital and/or delivery room

• If you want the baby’s adoptive family to be part of the birth

• If you’d like to give your baby any photos, little gifts, or a letter to commemorate the important day in all of your lives

Your hospital birth plan can also be modified at any point in your adoption, including after you’ve already arrived at the hospital. For example, you might not be sure about having the adoptive family in the delivery room. If you ever change your mind after they arrive, you can let your specialist know and they will update your birth plan.

Florida adoption law requires that you wait at least 48 hours after delivering the baby to sign your adoption paperwork. When consenting to give your baby up for adoption in Florida, you’re voluntarily terminating your legal parental rights and placing your baby with their adoptive family. A lawyer will always be present to inform you of your rights and answer your questions during this process.

Step 5: Begin Post-Placement Communication. [Get Ready for Your New Relationship]

Once the adoption is finalized, you’re officially considered a “birth parent.” This is a special role in your child’s life. You can continue to stay involved in that role if you want through an open adoption.

After giving up a baby for adoption in Florida, post-adoption communication can take any form that you want. It’s completely up to you and the adoptive family to establish what works best in your relationship. You can stay in touch through:

• Skype

• Letters

• Email

• Text

• Phone calls

• Visits

• Any combination of these or more

It’s simply about what makes everyone feel happy and fulfilled! Many parents find comfort in the idea of an open adoption and are happy with knowing that they will always be part of their child’s life. Birth mothers like Caitlin have experienced this firsthand:

“Knowing that I can be around and be there — I don’t even know how to put it into words… I’m like a cheerleader on the sideline, and that’s more than I could have asked for,” she adds of her open adoption relationship. “He gets this family who can take care of him and do everything I couldn’t, but he can also know that I didn’t just give him away. I had a purpose for him, and it was meant to be.”

But we do know that not every birth parent feels comfortable talking directly with adoptive families, often for privacy reasons. That’s perfectly fine — American Adoptions can mediate communication between birth and adoptive families for up to 18 years after giving a baby up for adoption in Florida.

No two post-adoption relationships are exactly alike. Some adoptions are very open and have frequent communication, while others prefer to catch up with the occasional email and keep identifying information limited with a more closed adoption. That’s 100 percent up to you!

Placing a baby for adoption in Florida means that you can create a personalized adoption plan that’s right for both you and your baby. Call 1-800-ADOPTION now to learn more about the benefits of adoption in Florida or get more free information online.

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