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When Can You Give a Baby up for Adoption?

All That You Need to Know about It

Everyone has their own reasons for putting a child up for adoption. Choosing adoption is never easy, but it could be one of the most rewarding decisions you ever make in your life.

This selfless, brave choice could also be the best path for your child to have the brightest future imaginable. There are plenty of hopeful families that would love to adopt your baby, and a reliable adoption agency, such as American Adoptions, can make that happen for you.

To learn more about when you can give a baby up for adoption, contact us online at any time to get more free information now. We’d love to help you start this beautiful journey.

When Can You Give a Baby Up for Adoption?

Adoption is always an option for you. Still, each agency has its own maximum age requirements for giving your baby up for adoption with them. Your ability to place an older child will depend on the specific details of your circumstances.

Whether you were overwhelmed after delivery or are having second thoughts about raising a baby, you can still explore your adoption options, even if you’ve already taken your baby home from the hospital visit. 

Can You Give up a Child for Adoption at Any Age?

Putting a child up for adoption at some ages is possible, but it can become a logistical hurdle once the child turns 4. Whether you have just given birth or you’ve been home with your baby for several months, you can still create an adoption plan with our agency.

By working with American Adoptions, you can receive all the necessary resources to complete your adoption from start to finish. Our free services include:

  • 24/7 counseling and support so that you’re never alone
  • Matching you with the right adoptive family for your child
  • Covering all adoption- and pregnancy-related fees through financial assistance
  • Coordinating legal representation so your adoption is legal, fair and ethical
  • And much more

Does Putting a Baby Up for Adoption Cost Money?

No, putting a baby up for adoption is always free for prospective birth mothers. Working with a reputable adoption agency, like American Adoptions, has many benefits because, once you choose adoption with our agency, you will receive adoption financial assistance and many other free services. 

All states have different laws about how adoption financial assistance works, but you can typically receive help with expenses like:

  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Medical expenses
  • Legal fees
  • Maternity clothing
  • Transportation to and from medical appointments
  • And more

Adoption financial assistance could be the help you need if you’re struggling to make ends meet. This allows you to find some financial stability. When you’re ready to give your baby up for adoption, you can fill out our online contact form to get more free information now.

Can You Give a Baby Up for Adoption without the Father’s Consent?

Birth father rights are complex and typically handled on a case-by-case basis. That means there’s no guarantee what this process could look like for your situation. Your adoption attorney will determine whether your adoption plan can proceed without the birth father's consent.

To discuss your situation further, contact us today so that we can connect you with the right legal team when you’re giving your baby up for adoption without the birth father’s consent.

Casey, a birth mother who worked with our agency, lost contact with her sons’ father after he wasn’t allowed back into the U.S. without the proper documentation. Casey was left to raise her two boys on her own, and she didn’t know what to do.

“I didn’t have family support… everything was on my own,” she said. “I was just contemplating, ‘What can I possibly do now that would make a difference for our future and provide my sons with the life that I would like to give them?’”

From there, Casey chose adoption with our agency, and she gave her boys the life that she had always wanted for them.

Is It Easy to Give up a Baby for Adoption?

Adoption can be hard from an emotional standpoint, both when it comes to the adoption process itself and adjusting to your new life after placement. This may be one of the most challenging but also most rewarding decisions you will ever make in your lifetime.

As the maxim goes, the best things in life are never easy. Although we cannot erase the pain and difficulty of placement, we can offer a wealth of services and resources to help make giving your baby up for adoption as smooth and straightforward as it can be.

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To get more free information now about when you can give a baby up for adoption, fill out our online contact form at any time.

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Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is American Adoptions the right adoption agency choice for many birth mothers?

American Adoptions is one of the largest licensed adoption agencies in the United States. Each year, we work with thousands of women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and offer assistance to these women. Our large, caring staff is able to assist you seven days a week and provide you with one-on-one counseling about your pregnancy and available options.

You should choose an adoption agency where you feel completely comfortable with their services and staff. With American Adoptions, you will work with an Adoption Specialist who is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Adoption Specialist will be your advocate and will provide support and guidance as you create an adoption plan that is right for you.

How will the family tell my child about me and the adoption when my child is older?

Each family has their own style of introducing adoption to the child. When you are matched with an adoptive family, you can ask them this question. If you would like your Adoption Specialist to discuss it for you, just let her know. He or she can share your wishes or provide good ideas from other adoptive families.

You will also be able to share what you want your baby to know about you. You can complete a keepsake booklet to share hobbies, stories, photos of you and your family and a letter to your baby. The adoptive family can provide this to your child as he or she grows older. Be as creative as you like! Some birth mothers have even knitted a special blanket as a gift to their baby or given a similar symbol of their love.

The father of your baby can fill out the birth father's keepsake booklet or write a letter too. You may have other family members who would also like to share photos or a letter to the baby. This is your opportunity to pass on your and your family's love and to share your personality, history and reasons for choosing adoption. The adoptive family will treasure whatever information you provide and will share it with the baby at an appropriate age. In most adoptive homes, the word adoption is in the child's vocabulary early on, and adoption is celebrated in their lives.

Additional Resources

Teen Pregnancy - Information for Young Women

While not every woman who chooses adoption is a young mother, many are. Through adoption, many young women have found an ability to give their babies the best life possible, while finding the opportunity to realize their own dreams, as well. Call American Adoptions today at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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Adoption Glossary

Do adoption terms and phrases leave you feeling confused? Learn the meaning to key adoption words and phrases with our comprehensive adoption glossary.

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