How to Give Your Baby Up for Adoption in Florida

The decision to give your baby up for adoption is yours and yours alone. The first step is to make an adoption plan and see how that feels for you.

No one can make the decision other than you. If you do choose to give your child a life with another family, it can be a very positive and gratifying experience.

Your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your child are both equally important. If you make the decision to go through the adoption process, the following steps will pertain to you as you begin making an adoption plan.

There are ways to tell if you are working with the right adoption attorney. The first part is making sure that you are comfortable and that the adoption specialist is reliable. Florida Adoption Attorneys Lawyer Juliana Gaita Esq. has adopted children herself and has a board certification in adoption which not many other attorneys have.

Being able to speak openly and honestly about your options so that you can be well-informed about your decision-making is key. Some other important aspects to think about include: 

• 100% confidential process.
• Waiting families that you can select who is ready to adopt your baby into a loving home. 
• Counseling services and financial support is provided throughout the process.
• Assistance with obtaining insurance to cover your pregnancy-related medical needs and you have the right to choose your doctor and the hospital where you will deliver.
• Transportation assistance related to your pregnancy.
• Secure housing throughout the birth process.

These are just a few things that a good adoption attorney or agency can provide to birth mothers.

Once you decide on the adoption specialist that will be helping you through the adoption process as a birth mother, it's time to make sure that you are safe and the baby is safe. You can receive help with the following aspects of your life:

• Housing
• Transportation for medical visits
• Selection of the adoptive parents
• Insurance assistance
• Financial services

Just to name a few.

Adoption has changed for the better over the years, and birth mothers are now included in every aspect of the adoption process including choosing a family for your baby. As the birth mother, you are in charge of the plan for your baby, and we are here to offer you support and guidance. 

If you are giving your baby up for adoption, you will be able to choose the adoptive family you feel is best for your baby, or if you wish, we can choose a loving adoptive family on your behalf. If you would like to choose the adoptive family yourself, we will give you a list of families waiting to adopt, and you will be able to speak with them and meet with them in person if you desire.

 All prospective adoptive families must go through a rigorous approval process before they are presented to you as an option. This includes a home study process, background checks,  financial checks, counseling, references, and more. There are certain financial as well as physical and emotional health requirements that an adoptive family must meet to ensure that they will be able to provide a safe, loving, and stable home for their child. 

If you would like to learn more about the adoption process, we are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. We are here to support you and make your experience with the adoption process as positive, dignified, and empowering as possible.

Adoption plans have changed for the better over the years, and birth mothers are now included in every aspect of the adoption process and are provided with counseling every step of the way. As the pregnant birth mother, you are in charge of the process, and we are here to offer you support and guidance. 

If you are giving your child up for adoption, you will be able to choose the adoptive family you feel is best for your baby, or if you wish, we can choose a loving adoptive family on your behalf. If you would like to choose the adoptive family yourself, we will give you a list of families waiting to adopt, and you will be able to speak with them and meet with them in person if you desire.

 All prospective adoptive families must go through a rigorous approval process before they are presented to you as an option. This includes a home study process, background checks,  financial checks, counseling, references, and more. There are certain financial as well as physical and emotional health requirements that an adoptive family must meet to ensure that they will be able to provide a safe, loving, and stable home for your child. 

We can help you create a birth plan that suits your needs, as there are many important factors to consider in addition to the payment of medical expenses throughout the pregnancy and for the birth of your baby. There are a few sensitive details that you will want to consider and plan for ahead of time, such as where you will deliver, who you would like to be present when you give birth, and when. 

You may wish to explore different options available to you, including a hospital birth, at-home birth, or birth at a birth center to determine which one meets your specific needs. It is worthwhile to ask if the hospitals or birth centers you are considering are adoption-sensitive with nurses or social workers that are trained to deal with adoption. Having a birth coach or doula present at the birth for emotional support is another important aspect of a birth plan that you will want to consider. 

You will need to contact your adoption lawyer (or adoption specialist, adoption agency) when you go into labor before your baby is born, knowing that you can change your adoption plan. You can also change your mind about who you want to be present when you give birth at any time. You have up to 48 hours after giving birth to change your mind about the adoption plan. Some birth mothers choose to be with their babies during that time, while others do not want to. You will be supported in your decision no matter what you choose. 

In Florida, you can sign consent for adoption papers to givie your baby up for adoption 48 hours after giving birth. You can sign them earlier if the doctor has put a written discharge order in your hospital chart. You have the right to a witness that you choose when you sign the papers. Your counselor will be there with you, as well as an attorney and sometimes a court reporter. Once you sign the papers, giving up your baby for adoption, it's important to know that you are not able to change your mind.cannot change your mind. You can change your mind at any time before you sign the consent paperwork but not after. When you sign the adoption papers and issue your consent, you’re agreeing to terminate your legal parental rights so that your child’s parents can assume those rights.

As a licensed Florida Bar Attorney, we can handle this entire part of the adoption process and we make sure that you understand exactly what you are agreeing to. It's paramount that an attorney handles the legal paperwork when you are consenting to the adoption. Not all adoption attorneys or other types of professionals will provide this level of protection for you.