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Putting Your Child Up for Adoption While in the Military [Adoption is an Option for You]

A Guide to Adoption for Military Members

As a military member experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you may be wondering, “How do I put my baby up for adoption if I’m active-duty military?” We are here to tell you how and why adoption can be the right choice for you.

  • Adoption is an option for you, even if you’re stationed abroad. 

  • You can find the perfect adoptive family for your child. 

  • You’ll experience a life-changing journey that provides your child a loving and nurturing home and gives hope for a better future for everyone involved.  

If you’re in the U.S. military and considering adoption for your baby, we can help. Whether that’s helping you explore your options or helping you to create an adoption plan that you’re comfortable with for your child, we’re here to provide you with the information, support and resources you need. 

Here’s what you need to know about “giving your baby up” for adoption in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force. 

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

Can You Put Your Child Up for Adoption While in the Military? [Adoption is Always an Option]

Absolutely. If you’re pregnant and wondering, “can I put my child up for adoption while in the military?”, it’s important for you to know adoption options are available, and you get to experience the same joy, happiness and hope for a better future that thousands of other birth parents have over the course of our 30 years of experience. Adoption is a life-changing journey you’ll share with the perfect adoptive family.  

You have the right to do what you feel is best for your child, and if you feel that placing him or her with adoptive parents who love them is what’s best, then we’ll help you find the perfect family. Many of our adoption specialists have their own first-hand adoption stories, which gives us a unique perspective and ability to provide you with the service and support needed for your adoption journey.

The Adoption Process for U.S. Military Members 

Whether you are currently deployed, stationed in the U.S. or abroad, the basic steps of the adoption process for active-duty military members are generally the same as for any other prospective birth parent.

A few prospective birth parents have asked, “Can you put your child up for adoption while in the military and deployed overseas?” During the planning stages, yes. But, if you’re a pregnant woman stationed overseas and making an adoption plan for your baby with us, you’ll need to return to the U.S. for birth and placement. Your adoption specialist will help you create a personalized adoption plan and make those travel arrangements. 

While the exact steps will vary depending on your unique situation, here’s how giving your baby up for adoption in the Army, Navy or any other branch of the military usually works: 

  • Step 1: You’ll contact American Adoptions to make an adoption plan. You’re 100 percent in control of your adoption plan. 

  • Step 2: You’ll choose your baby’s future family. We’ve helped many military families to become parents through adoption, so you can even choose fellow U.S. military men and women to raise your baby if you prefer. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ll help you find it. You can see some of our waiting families here

  • Step 3: You can get to know the adoptive family before, during and after the adoption to whatever extent you feel comfortable with. This can involve phone calls, emails, letters and meeting in person. Nine out of ten birth parents choose to have an open adoption, so that they can continue to have a relationship with their child and their child’s family after the adoption. Again, that’s another option that’s available to you! 

  • Step 4: When your baby is born, you’ll typically need to wait a minimum amount of time before you can legally complete your adoption paperwork. That waiting period varies depending on which U.S. state you give birth in. It’s important to understand that adoption is permanent. When you sign the adoption paperwork, you’re legally terminating your parental rights and placing your baby with their adoptive parents. A legal representative will be with you at this time to make sure you fully understand everything. 

  • Step 5: After the adoption, remember that you can always seek counseling and emotional support through the military or through American Adoptions if you need help addressing the complicated emotions that birth parents often experience after placement. You can continue to have a relationship with your child and their family if you choose to have an open adoption, and communicate however you’re all comfortable with, even during periods of deployment. 

Remember that you always have options. That also extends to parents who are currently raising a child, but no longer feel that they’re able to care for their child. However, if you’re currently raising a child and feel that you’re no longer able to care for him or her, the age of your child may affect which options are available to you.

For example, our agency is only able to work with infants and children younger than a few years old, so you may not always be able to place an older child for adoption through our agency. But you may be able to place your child with a trusted friend or family member in a relative adoption, or arrange a temporary guardianship until you can get to a more stable point in your life and you feel more able to parent your child. 

Start Your Adoption Journey Today [Your Adoption is a Life-Changing Experience]    

Michelle, a birth parent specialist and a birth parent herself, is ready to answer any questions you have about Military members giving kids 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 for free 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. 

Disclaimer
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.

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