Placing My 10-Month-Old for Adoption [How to Make an Adoption Plan]

If you’re considering adoption for your 10-month-old, you’re never alone. In fact, “last-minute” adoptions are extremely common, and plenty of women have been in your shoes. Call 1-800-ADOPTION now to learn more or to get started.

• By choosing adoption, you will get an adoption plan specifically designed to meet your needs. 

• Our national size and scope will give you the best chance to find the perfect adoptive family. 

• You will get the same support and guidance for your adoption as any other birth mom, regardless of having an older infant. 

If you’re ready to start the adoption process with our agency or want more information on adoption, call us at 1-800-ADOPTION, or visit our online contact forms for prospective birth mothers and prospective adoptive parents. 

Why You Might Be Thinking About Adoption for Your 10-Month-Old

You’ve been home with your child, but at 10 months, you’ve decided that parenting simply isn’t possible. 

There are many reasons why a birth mother decides she can no longer parent and while adoption isn’t right for everyone, but it might be the best choice for yourself and your baby. Here are just some of the reasons why a woman starts thinking about adoption for her 10-month-old: 

• Parenting is expensive: There are the expected costs — like food, clothing, and shelter — but of course, unexpected costs always arise. If you’re the primary breadwinner, it’s extremely difficult to raise a child and work at the same time. 

• She wants to raise her baby in a two-parent home: Every birth mother has a unique relationship with the birth father. We always hope that they’re supportive and involved in your baby’s life, but that isn’t always the case. 

• She has dreams outside of parenting: Parenting can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. But if you’re trying to go back to school and raise a child at the same time, it can feel like an impossible challenge. Many women consider adoption to fulfill their dreams at a career they’ve always wanted or to finish up school. 

• She has little support from her family and friends: Like the birth father, we hope that everyone in your life is supportive of you choosing to parent. But sometimes, help can be hard to come by. If you’re in a situation where you feel alone with no one to help you, adoption might be the best decision for you and your baby. 

Regardless of why you feel as though parenting is no longer an option, you can take comfort in knowing adoption is an option for you and American Adoptions is here to help you every step of the way. 

Even though you’re putting a 10-month-old up for adoption, you are entitled to the same level of care and support as a birth mom in the middle of her pregnancy has chosen adoption.  

The following information will help explain the adoption process with our agency, the nuances in the process when placing a 10-month-old for adoption and how you can get started on your adoption journey today! 

How Can I Place My 10-Month-Old for Adoption? 

Although there are slight differences, the bottom line is adoption for a 10-month-old is a choice available to you. The adoption process for a 10-month-old involves several steps, and it is only possible with the help of the right adoption agency.

With the full range of support and services through our agency, you can do what’s best for yourself and your baby. When parenting is no longer an option, we use our more than 30 years of adoption experience to help create an adoption plan and find you a hopeful adoptive family ready to give your child a loving and nurturing home. The ability to create a more hopeful future for everyone involved is something we pride ourselves on because many of us have our own personal adoption stories. 

Take it from Scott Mars, founder of American Adoptions, and an adoptee himself:      

“My mom and dad were a couple who weren’t able to become a mom and dad without adoption. Of all people in this world, my mom and dad deserve to be parents. And without adoption, they would not have been able to share their love, share their life, and give someone the life that I had.       

“Because of adoption, my life was filled with love and opportunity.”  You can watch Scott’s video to see his entire adoption story. 

What Kind of Help Can I Receive from American Adoptions? 

When you’re considering adoption for your baby at 10 months old, you’re probably wondering about what kind of services you can receive. Even though you’re placing an older infant for adoption, you’ll receive many of the same services, such as free legal representation during the adoption and 24/7 access to counseling and educational resources, as any other prospective birth mother. 

If you have any questions about the services available during an adoption for 10-month-olds, don’t be afraid to ask your adoption specialist. 

How Do I Start the Adoption Process for My 10-Month-Old? 

The adoption process for 10-month-olds is very similar to a newborn adoption. If you’ve made the brave and selfless decision to choose adoption, here is what you need to know: 

Step 1: Submit information and make an adoption plan. Like every prospective birth mother, you’ll start by calling 1-800-ADOPTION. From there, you’ll be connected with your own adoption specialist. She’ll then ask you to fill out a social and medical history form for yourself and your baby. Once that’s completed, you’ll be asked to make an adoption plan, which includes a list of preferences you’d like to see in an adoptive family. 

In addition to these forms, there is some additional background information that your adoption specialist will ask you to provide or help them gather. This includes: 

• Your child’s birth certificate 

• Seeing who is listed as the father on your child’s birth certificate 

• Obtaining medical records for your child 

• Documentation of where the child has lived from birth to present 

• Information on who has had custody or care of the child from birth to present 

• Who has provided financial and emotional support for this child from birth to present 

• Details about any father who has provided child support 

Although this list may be overwhelming, it’s very important to have when making an older child adoption plan. 

Step 2: Choose adoptive parents. Once your adoption specialist has all of your forms back, she’ll send you different adoptive family profiles.

There are plenty to choose from with our agency, so you don‘t have to be worried about finding a family for your 10-month-old. However, it’s important to know that other, smaller agencies may not give you many (or any) options for the adoptive family.

By working with hundreds of families across the country, we give you the best chance of finding adoptive parents you truly believe in.

Step 3: Get to know the family and build your relationship. When you choose adoptive parents for your baby, you’ll get to know them through phone calls, email or whatever form of contact you’re most comfortable with. You and your baby will also be able to spend some time with the adoptive parents prior to placement to help your child transition.

Once you’ve found the right family and gotten to know them through pre-placement contact, you’ll decide on the level of post-adoption contact you’d like to have. If you’d like to have more or less contact after the adoption, you’ll just need to find a family that has the same goals for their adoption as you do. 

Step 4: Legally complete the adoption. After everything is settled, you’ll just need to sign the consent to the adoption. Your adoption specialist and adoption attorney will make sure you understand every step clearly before completing your adoption paperwork. 

It’s important to remember that it’s never too late to choose adoption and by doing so, you are never “giving up” on your child. You’re making a decision based on love and the desire to ensure your son or daughter has the life they deserve. 

Get More Information on Placing a 10-Month-Old for Adoption  

If you have any additional questions, contact Michelle, a birth parent specialist and a birth parent herself, who is ready to answer any questions you have about putting a 10-month-old up for adoption.         

“I am available to answer any questions that arise, particularly from birth moms, as I have been in your shoes and know how you are feeling,” Michelle said. “It was most helpful to me when I had someone to talk to who would just listen to me without making any judgments or conclusions about who I was as a person.”         

You can ask Michelle questions about the adoption process online. You can also call us at 1-800-ADOPTION, or get free information with our online contact form for prospective birth mothers considering adoption here. Adoptive families wanting more information on adopting a child can click here to get more information. 

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