As a pregnant woman considering adoption in Louisiana, the first thing you should know is that you aren’t alone.

While it’s not unusual for feelings of shame or guilt to accompany an unexpected pregnancy, you should know that many other women have thought about or are currently considering “giving a baby up” for adoption in Louisiana.

To get more information about giving a baby up for adoption in Louisiana, please feel free to call American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION.

You aren’t the first to become unexpectedly pregnant, nor will you be the last. Seriously considering your unplanned pregnancy options and working to make the best choice for your child is not something to be ashamed of; instead, thinking of your child’s interests above your own is extremely commendable and something to be proud of.

With that said, this article’s purpose is not to persuade you that adoption is the best choice for your child, but rather to educate you about what it could look like if you are thinking about adoption in Louisiana. If you’re still researching your options, there’s most likely a lot going on in your head. You are the only one who can decide what the right move is for you and your child, and it’s a big decision. We hope this article will serve as a resource to help you make that decision.

If placing a baby for adoption in Louisiana is something you’re considering, learning how that process works can be instrumental in making that decision. When a woman decides that putting a baby up for adoption is the best choice for her child, the following is an overview of how that process works in Louisiana.

How do I put my unborn baby up for adoption in Louisiana?

1. Determine that placing a baby for adoption is the best decision for your child.

The first step, of course, in placing a baby for adoption in Louisiana is to weigh your options and decide that adoption is the best choice for your child. Your friends, family and even the baby’s father may want to weigh in on this decision, and while it may be tempting to listen to those opinions, it’s ultimately up to you and you alone to decide what’s best for your child.

If you need someone to talk through your thoughts with you or to provide more information on any of your unplanned pregnancy options, feel free to call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with a licensed social worker.

2. Work with a social worker to create an adoption plan.

When you decide to work with American Adoptions to complete your child’s adoption, you’re in control of the entire process.  When you contact the agency, you’ll be paired with your own individual adoption specialist. She will work with you to decide actually what kind of adoption situation you want for your child — including what your perfect adoptive family looks like, how you want your hospital stay to go, and more.

3. Find the perfect adoptive family for your baby.

All women who work with American Adoptions get to choose their child’s adoptive family. Throughout the many baby adoptions we’ve completed in the United States, we’ve developed a process to help you find exactly what you’re looking for in adoptive parents for your child. Each family we work with will complete two types of adoption profiles for you to look at. The first is a print profile, which will give you all the basic information about the family in question. If this interests you, you’ll be able to watch their video profile, which is a video the family shoots in their home. This allows you to see how they interact with each other in their own environment.

4. Get to know your child’s adoptive parents.

Adoptions of centuries past were closed, secretive affairs, but that’s not we recommend at American Adoptions. Instead, we always suggest some degree of communication, or openness, with your child’s adoptive family whenever possible. This way, you’ll remain a part of your child’s life even after you place him or her for adoption. This benefits everyone in the adoptive triad, particularly your baby. He or she will always know who you are, how you’re doing, and the amount of love it took for you to make an adoption decision.

It’s important that you begin developing a relationship with your baby’s family as soon as you choose them, then. This communication can take place via conference calls, emails or in-person meetings — whatever you’re comfortable with.

5. Create your hospital plan.

Like any pregnant woman, you’ll come up with a birthing plan prior to delivering your baby —which doctor you want in the room if you’d like medication, etc. As a woman considering adoption in Louisiana, though, you’ll have a few additional details to determine. You’ll work with your adoption specialist ahead of time to determine exactly how you want the day to go:

• Do you wish to spend time alone with your baby after birth?

• Do you want to nurse your baby?

• Should the adoptive family be in the room with you or waiting elsewhere?

• Who should leave the hospital first — you or the adoptive family?

6. Continue to work on your relationship with your child and the adoptive family.

When you give a baby up for adoption in Louisiana, your adoption journey isn’t suddenly over when the child leaves the hospital with the adoptive family. As we said earlier, open adoption allows you to have a lifelong relationship with your child and the adoptive family. This will take work, and it may not be easy, but you can go at your pace.

If you feel that it’s too difficult to speak with the adoptive family immediately after placement, that’s okay. The amount of communication can evolve over time, as can the methods. If you’d like to stick to regular emails and photo updates and graduate to in-person meetings, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Remember that when you first begin to put your baby up for adoption in Louisiana, your adoption specialist will help you to match with a family who wants the same things in an adoptive relationship.

For more information about adoption in Louisiana, please call American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION. 

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