If you’re feeling overwhelmed about placing your baby for adoption in Missouri because you’re not familiar with the adoption process, American Adoptions is here to help.

In many conversations about adoption, the phrase “giving a baby up for adoption” will almost inevitably come up. First, let’s make this clear: this terminology isn’t exactly accurate, nor is it particularly sensitive to the extremely emotional decision adoption can be for a pregnant woman. Giving your baby up for adoption in Missouri — or anywhere else — is not “giving up” in any sense of the phrase.

If you’re considering putting a baby up for adoption in Missouri, it’s because you want your child to have the best life imaginable, and you aren’t sure you can provide that at this point. This is an extremely difficult thought to have even if you don’t pursue adoption, and while you may technically be “giving a baby” for adoption, in no sense are you “giving up” on your child or “giving them away.”

An important process to understand in this scenario, then, is the one you will undergo if you do choose to place a baby for adoption in Missouri.

You can start this process or get more information on how the process works by reaching out to our adoption specialists online or by calling 1-800- ADOPTION

If you’re a hopeful adoptive parent with questions about what the adoption process will look like for you, we’re here for you too. Click here to get more information about what the process looks like for prospective adoptive parents.

Baby adoptions in Missouri can all look a little different depending on your circumstance, but the process is generally comprised of six main steps:

Step 1: Make the Adoption Decision to Choose Adoption for Your Baby.

Placing your baby for adoption in MO is a decision that will change your own life forever, as well as those of your child and possibly an adoptive family. It’s important that you are the only one to make this decision. No one can choose adoption for you. Your friends don’t get to decide what you do about this pregnancy, nor do your parents. And while the birth father does have rights in Missouri, even he shouldn’t make up your mind for you. Only you know what’s right for you and your baby.

It may be helpful to talk with someone else who has made this decision. American Adoptions can help. You can contact Michelle, a birth parent specialist who is a birth mother herself, to learn about what is was like when she chose adoption, and get a better sense of how adoption could be right for you, too.

Step 2: Create an Adoption Plan that Fits Your Needs.

If you do choose to “give a baby up” for adoption in Missouri, you will be completely in charge of the way it happens. With American Adoptions, all prospective birth mothers craft their own adoption plans. During a time where you feel like you might not have a lot of control, being able to make your own choices during the adoption process can be encouraging. You will work with your own adoption specialist, who will help you make sure your wants and needs for your baby’s adoptions are met. She will guide you along each remaining step of the adoption process.

Step 3: Find an Adoptive Family in Missouri (or Another State).

This is one of the more important steps of “giving your baby up” for adoption in Missouri that you get to have a say in. Finding the perfect adoptive parents for your baby can be overwhelming, but your adoption specialist will help you to decide what you’re looking for and then narrow down the search with you. You can choose to find adoptive parents in Missouri or another nearby state, but American Adoptions also works with adoptive families all across the country, so you won’t be limited by geography. This can be especially beneficial because you will have a bigger pool of adoptive families to choose from, which gives you a better chance of finding the type of adoptive family you want to raise your child. With more families to choose from, you will also likely be able to find the perfect family quicker than with a local agency. Of course, it’s important to take as much time as you need. You’ll also be able to see their adoptive family profiles to give you an idea of what they’re like before committing to meeting them.

At American Adoptions, we encourage at least some degree of openness in an adoption. This can mean having a complete open adoption relationship, in which you exchange contact information with the adoptive parents and communicate as much as you like using whatever method you’re comfortable with. It could also mean maintaining a semi-open relationship, in which you can communicate with the adoptive family and get updates on your baby through your adoption specialist.

The type of relationship you have with your baby’s adoptive family is completely up to you, and you can start building that relationship even before your baby is born. Getting to know the adoptive family with the help of your adoption specialist before putting your newborn up for adoption in Missouri can help you feel more comfortable and confident in your adoption decision.

Step 4: Make a Hospital Plan to Prepare for your Due Date.

This includes all of the things you will need for your hospital stay, but when choosing adoption for your baby in Missouri, you have a few additional decisions to consider

• Do you want the adoptive parents there for the baby’s birth?

• Who will be the first to hold your child?

• How much time do you want to spend with the baby?

In Missouri, you cannot sign your adoption paperwork until the baby is at least 48 hours old, so you’ll need to decide how you want those 48 hours (or more) to go. It’s a lot to consider, but your adoption specialist will go over every detail of your stay to make it as comfortable as possible for you.

Your adoption specialist at American Adoptions will be able to provide personal support and guidance in a way that many other social workers cannot, because our staff is comprised of adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. The hospital stay is one of the most emotional parts of putting an infant up for adoption in Missouri, and we personally understand what that is like because we have been there ourselves. Don’t be afraid to lean on your adoption specialist for the support you need during this time.

Step 5: Stay in Contact with Your Child and their Adoptive Family after Placement.

Adoption doesn’t end as soon as placement occurs. If you’re putting your baby up for adoption in Missouri, you will always be a vital part of your baby’s story, and we do recommend that you maintain contact. Most women will choose to at least receive picture and letter updates until the child turns 18, and many opt to email, text, call or even visit with their child and his or her adoptive family. As long as you choose an adoptive family that has a similar vision of how your relationship should go, you can witness or take part in your child’s life as much as you wish to.

Candace, a birth mother who has worked with American Adoptions said, “We still email and I get pictures. Our little boy is so handsome. They are amazing parents, and I know my son has a huge family who loves and cares so much for him. I am forever thankful for that. Jeff and Amanda saved my baby’s life!”

“Giving your baby up” for adoption in Missouri is an emotional process, and it’s important that you have someone you trust in your corner to help you complete these steps. Reach out to one of our adoption specialists by calling 1-800-ADOPTION, or get more free information here. 

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