Thinking about adopting a baby in Maryland? If so, you probably have a flux of questions rushing through your brain. As a lot goes into the Maryland infant adoption process, this is completely normal. Adopting a baby is a life-changing step, and sometimes just knowing how to adopt a baby in the U.S. can help immensely when it comes to making the decision to do so. 

As always, please feel free to reach out to American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION with any questions about adopting with our agency.

To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the steps to finish a baby adoption in Maryland.

Step 1: Decide to complete a baby adoption in Maryland.

Naturally, the first step in the baby adoption process is to definitively decide that you do indeed want to adopt a baby in Maryland. If this is something you’re still thinking about even as you read this article, that’s totally normal. It’s a big decision, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s not uncommon for couples to have struggled with infertility for years before deciding to adopt, and fully grieving that infertility first is extremely important. As soon as you’ve become as enthusiastic about adoption as you would have been to have a biological child, you’ll be ready to adopt a baby in Maryland.

Step 2: Choose an adoption agency.

Once you’ve decided to adopt a baby in the U.S., the next step is to choose the adoption professional that will guide you through the process. Of course, we’re partial to our own staff at American Adoptions, but you should make sure any agency you consider offers the following services:

• Round-the-clock counseling for pregnant women who are considering adoption for their babies or considering their unplanned pregnancy options

• Advertising for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies who might consider adoption

• Fast and accurate wait times for adoptive families

• Cost estimates that include financial protection in the case that an adoption situation is disrupted

• Contact coordination between birth parents and adoptive parents

Step 3: Begin the Maryland infant adoption process.

If you do end up selecting American Adoptions as your adoption agency, you’ll complete three steps with us before you can actively begin looking for adoption opportunities:

• Complete an adoption home study. A home study is essentially an assessment of your readiness to adopt. It will consist of three phases: the documentation stage, a home inspection and interviews with each member of your family.

• Complete an Adoption Planning Questionnaire. This is a form that will help you to communicate with your adoption preferences with your adoption specialist. For example, you’ll indicate your comfort levels with things like medical conditions, contact with a child’s birth parents, cultural background and more. Remember, the more flexible you are with these adoption preferences, the more likely that you’ll find an adoption opportunity within the quoted wait time.

• Complete two types of adoption profiles. With American Adoptions, you’ll complete both a print profile and a video profile. A print profile is a pamphlet that allows a pregnant woman to learn the basics about your life. If she’s interested, she can then watch your video profile, which will allow her to see how you interact with each other and get a sense of your real personalities. If she’s interested in meeting you, your adoption specialist will arrange a conference call. If everything goes well, you might have found your adoption opportunity!

Step 4: Find babies available for adoption in Maryland.

After the above steps are completed, you’ll be considered an active family with American Adoptions. This means prospective birth mothers will begin to see your adoption profiles, and all that is left for you to do will be to wait for one to choose you. This can be a difficult time, as it is essentially a waiting game. However, we recommend that you stick to a regular routine and try not to let it affect your daily lives as much as possible. We promise; the call will come!

Once you have connected with a pregnant woman considering adoption, it will be time to form a relationship with her. We recommend some degree of openness, or communication, in every adoption situation, as it benefits everyone in the adoptive triad. Think of her as another member of your family!

Step 5: Finalize your child’s adoption.

After you’ve left the hospital with your baby, there is one step left in the Maryland baby adoption process. To receive your child’s final decree of adoption, you will attend a finalization hearing in your county. A Maryland judge will hear your case, ensure that the adoption is in the child’s best interests, and finally, make him or her a legal and permanent part of your family.

Please call 1-800-ADOPTION for more information about baby adoptions in Maryland with American Adoptions. 

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