How to Give Your Baby Up For Adoption If You Live in TX

Now you’ve found out about your pregnancy, and are considering adoption you may be finding the process a bit overwhelming.

If you are wondering how to give a baby for adoption, you have come to the right place. Adoption Alliance can help you throughout the entire process.

First and foremost, there is no cost whatsoever for birth parents who give up their baby for adoption in Texas. So there is no reason to hold back with concerns about “does it cost to put a child up for adoption?” or “can I afford it?”

Birth parents do need to take some important steps before giving your baby up for adoption, however, not to mention some legal prerequisites. It is within our biggest interest at the Adoption Alliance to place your newborn into the most caring, pre-screened, best fit adoptive family.

It’s why we have compiled this complete guide with helpful links and resources to help place your baby in the best and most loving environment. As a licensed adoption agency, we create and follow an adoption plan that is unique to you and your preferences.

Birth parent assistance DURING pregnancy and AFTER which includes:
- Living Expenses – rent, utilities, food and clothing
- Transportation – can be provided to and from agency, doctor appointments and hospital visits
- Medical Expenses – our agency can help cover costs of prenatal care, hospital and delivery charges, if insurance is unavailable
- Counseling Services – a referral for professional counseling can be provided during the pregnancy and the post-partum period.
Our agency ensures that prospective adoptive parents go through an extensive screening process in-order-to ensure your baby is placed in a loving environment
Coordination of all legal services will be provided at no cost to you.
Contact can be maintained with your child through letters and pictures following delivery
It is our promise to maintain your privacy and confidentiality at all times
Our agency staff members are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. Call (800) 626-4324 for help.

Contact Us

When it comes to the health, well-being, and life-long happiness of your baby we understand the decision to give your baby up for adoption is one of the toughest you will make.

The choice isn’t always immediately clear-cut, and we understand it’s never taken lightly. It’s why we’ve detailed below a plan for putting your baby up for adoption because it’s a process that must be treated with the utmost care and safety. Hear from others in your situation who we’ve helped.

Please know that at any time you may speak directly with an adoption professional, confidentially, and with no obligation via our contact form, or calling (800) 626-4324.

Decide If Giving Your Baby Up For Adoption Is Right For You

First, are you single or married? Whether a planned or unplanned pregnancy, evaluating all of your options is the most important step in the process.

Many women in the midst of this difficult decision feel their only options are abortion or raising the baby on their own, especially if they don’t have support from their parents, other family members, or friends. However, the miracle of adoption is a wonderful choice available; one built to completely support you.

At Adoption Alliance we are your partner and friend throughout the entire process, and we’ll work closely with you to understand your needs and fulfill your desires for this adoption.

We will guide you through issues and decisions like father’s consent, choosing your ideal adoptive family, the contract you want with them, the contact you’d like to have with your baby, your hospital stay experience, and whether to leave the father’s name on or off your child’s birth certificate.

If and when you’re ready to take the next steps in the adoption process we are completely here for you, and will develop a plan tailored to your specific individual wishes.

Come up with your Adoption Plan

As mentioned, your adoption plan will be established according to your specific needs and desires for yourself, and your baby. Additionally, the cost will not affect your ability to create your plan as we provide financial assistance based upon your needs.

Thankfully, in today’s adoptions you have a great amount of control over your plan. When considering each step, you must first ask yourself these two question:

What is best for your baby?
What is best for you?

By asking yourself these two questions throughout the adoption process you will ensure you’re providing the best care and family for your baby. Having control over your experience will supply peace of mind that you did the very best in giving your baby the happiest life possible.

1. PICKING AN ADOPTION AGENCY

First, you must decide on an adoption agency and make sure they are an adoption specialist. At the Adoption Alliance, we have been specializing in adoption since 1989. We will guarantee you the following:

Personally screen families that are committed to adoption
Work for what is in your best interest
Adoption counselors and a caseworker on staff will support you throughout the entire process

2. SELECTING AN ADOPTION PLAN

When you give your baby up for adoption, you are in control and can decide what adoption plan will work best for you. In Texas, there are three main types of adoption plans:

a. Closed adoption

In this plan, you do not need to keep in touch with the baby or the adoptive family after the adoption process is completed. However, you can contact them if you wish.

b. Semi-Open Adoption

This happens when communication between the birth mother and the adoptive family is private and non-identifying. In this case, the agency mediates communication through phone calls, emails, photos, and letters.

c. Open Adoption

Any type of adoption that leaves the line of communication between the birth parents and adoptive parents open after the adoption process is complete. How open this communication is will depend on you.

Your adoption advisor can help you make the best decision on which plan will work best for you.

3. CHOOSING AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY

The next step is to decide on an adoptive family. We will go through each question together, however in the meantime we suggest asking yourself a few key questions:

Do you want to personally choose the adoptive family or have your adoption professional make the decision?
What are your future wishes for future contact with the baby?
What kind of contact do you want to have with the family? Open, semi-closed, or closed adoption?

What family your baby is going to live with is completely up to you. Remember that you are putting the baby’s interest first, and this part of the process is truly exciting! You may also skip this step if you would rather not choose which family adopts your baby.

Please do know that if you’d rather not pick the family yourself, your child will still be matched with a wonderful and loving pre-screened family by our professional staff.

One of the advantages of picking a family is that you can rest assured that your baby will go to a family you are comfortable with. You will be presented with all the profiles of prospective adoptive parents to review and pick the best family you feel your baby would have the best life with.

Upon narrowing down your list or even your final selection we can arrange a call between you and the potential adoptive parents. The conversation will be mediated by our staff to be sure it runs smoothly, and enable you to freely ask questions and learn more about one another.

If for any reason you have second thoughts about the family, please speak with your adoption professional, because it is our goal to make you feel confident with your adoption plan.

From our experience, this process provides a sense of confidence and peace since, after looking through all the profiles, birth mothers finally do choose the one right family for their baby.

If you’re ready to start finding your adoptive family please call (800) 626-4324.

4. MAKING HOSPITAL PLANS

During pregnancy, often women don’t think about the experience they wish to have at the hospital. Understandably so, as there are many responsibilities and items that must be covered during this time. We hope to lift the burden and uncertainty of planning the hospital experience, by helping you put a hospital plan in place. By figuring it out earlier on, you will be able to better focus on the healthy birth of the baby. Here are a few items to consider:

Who do you want to accompany you in the delivery room?
Do you want the adoptive family in the delivery room?
Do you want pictures taken of you with the baby and/or the adoptive family?
Do you consent to the birth father be involved in the day?

You can also choose the amount of time, if any, that you want to spend with the baby after birth. In Texas, you have to wait 48 hours after the child’s birth before signing the final adoption consent.

Everything will be planned out for your specific situation for you to be as comfortable as possible. As mentioned, birth parents do not pay for anything during the adoption process. We cover all costs including medical expenses, along with a wide range of additional services. We also provide living expenses, transportation, legal advice and counseling services. Birth parents also receive 100% confidentiality. It is our promise to maintain your privacy and confidentiality at all times.

5. PLACING THE BABY FOR ADOPTION

You have come this far with determination, and you should be proud of yourself! You are only one step away from providing the best life possible for your baby.

Two days have already passed after giving birth, and you are all set. This part of the process usually happens at the hospital before you even get home. The adoption placement is now finalized, you have relinquished your parental rights, and this responsibility is passed on to the adoptive parents.

Once this step is completed, there is no turning back since the decision is considered final.

You must also decide on the amount of contact you’d like to have with your child and the adoptive family post birth.

Do you want to get to know the adoptive family prior to giving birth?
Would you like to continue the relationship with the family and your baby?
What kind of post-adoption would you like to have?
Would you want regular updates in the form of pictures and emails from the family concerning your baby?

At Adoption Alliance, our highly-trained professionals are always available to guide and support you every single step of the way. You will never be alone in the process. We are 100 percent here to make the adoption seamless.

Post-Adoption Wishes

Your post-adoption wishes governs the relationship you choose to have with your child and their adoptive parents.

We highly encourage you to carefully evaluate the contact you wish to have, and be sure to discuss all your option with your adoption professional at the Adoption Alliance. The choice is entirely yours and we will never push you towards one decision

We truly hope this Adoption How-To Guide has been beneficial in helping you decide if adoption is right for you and your baby’s future. At Adoption Alliance we are committed to building family through concentrated, dedicated, and enduring love, rather than biology.

To learn more and speak with an adoption professional at Adoption Alliance please either call (800) 626-4324, or reach us on our birth parent form.