How Long after Adoption Can You Change Your Mind in Maine?
In Maine, birth parents have three business days after signing consent to change their mind about adoption. With this clear legal timeline, you can move forward knowing exactly what to expect—and make your decision with confidence and support every step of the way.
Schedule a consultation today—because understanding your legal rights is the first step toward making a decision with confidence, not fear.
Below, you'll find everything you need to know about Maine's adoption laws, what consent to adoption means, how the adoption revocation period works, and what support is available to help you through this journey.
How Long Do I Have to Change My Mind After Adoption in Maine?
In Maine, you have three business days after signing your consent to adoption to change your mind.
This timeline is established under Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C, Section 9-303, which governs when and how consent to adoption can be given and withdrawn.
Maine law requires that your consent cannot be taken until at least 72 hours after your baby's birth.
This waiting period ensures you have time to recover from delivery and spend those crucial first days with your baby before making any legal decisions. Once you sign your consent, the three-business-day revocation period begins immediately.
Understanding how long after adoption can you change your mind gives you the freedom to make this decision on your own timeline.
The Maine Consent Rules You Need to Know Before Signing Anything
Consent to adoption is your formal, legal agreement to place your baby with an adoptive family.
In Maine, this consent must be given in writing and either acknowledged before a judge or notary, or witnessed by two people who are not related to the adoption.
According to Maine law, consent cannot be executed until at least 72 hours after the child's birth.
When you sign your consent, you're making a legal commitment that transfers parental rights to the adoptive family.
Maine's 72-hour waiting period ensures you have time to physically recover from childbirth, spend time with your baby, and confirm that adoption is the right choice for your unique situation.
Maine law also requires that you receive counseling about the effects of adoption before your consent is final. This means you'll have access to professional support to help you understand what signing consent means—both legally and emotionally.
Is It Too Late to Change Your Mind After Signing Consent?
Yes—but only within a very specific timeframe. Under Maine law, you can revoke your consent to adoption within three business days after signing it.
Once those three business days pass, your consent becomes irrevocable except in rare cases involving fraud or duress.
Understanding what does a revocation of adoption consent look like is crucial. You have a clear, protected window to reconsider your decision without providing a reason.
The revocation must be in writing and delivered to the appropriate party. After the three business days, the adoption process moves forward toward finalization.
If you're wondering, can you get your baby back after adoption—the answer depends entirely on where you are in the legal process.
During the adoption revocation period, yes. After it passes, the adoption becomes legally binding.
Why Hormonal Shifts After Birth May Trigger Second Thoughts
The hours and days following childbirth bring intense physical and emotional changes driven by hormones.
After delivery, your body experiences a dramatic drop in pregnancy hormones like estrogen and progesterone, while simultaneously releasing oxytocin, often called the "bonding hormone."
These hormonal shifts can affect mood, decision-making, and emotional responses.
You might feel an overwhelming urge to protect and care for your baby, or experience unexpected sadness about placing them with an adoptive family. These feelings don't mean you're making the wrong choice—they mean your body is doing exactly what it's designed to do after giving birth.
Here's what's important to understand: these intense feelings typically stabilize within a few weeks as your hormones level out. The rush of emotions you experience in the hospital may feel all-consuming, but they don't necessarily reflect how you'll feel once your body has had time to recover.
This is precisely why Maine requires a 72-hour waiting period before consent can be signed.
Doubt Doesn't Mean You Made the Wrong Choice
If you find yourself having second thoughts after your baby is born, take a moment to reconnect with the reasons you chose adoption in the first place.
Perhaps you wanted to ensure your child would have the resources, stability, or two-parent home you couldn't provide right now. Maybe you’re just not ready to parent right now.
Whatever reasons you have are still valid—even when your hormones are telling you something different. We've worked with birth mothers who changed their minds during the revocation period, only to reach out to us weeks later because they realized their initial adoption plan truly was the right choice for them and their baby.
The adoption decision you made came from a place of deep love and selflessness—a recognition that your baby deserved everything you wanted to give them, even if you couldn't provide it yourself right now.
Hear How Other Birth Mothers Knew They Made the Right Choice
Many birth mothers worry about whether or not they will regret giving their baby up for adoption, but hearing from women who've completed their adoption journeys can provide powerful perspective.
Here's what Angelica, a birth mother, shared about her experience:
Caitlin, another birth mother who chose adoption, reflected on what adoption has meant for her and her son:
These women found that their adoption decisions brought them peace—not because the journey was easy, but because they knew they had made a choice rooted in love for their child.
After the Revocation Period: What Happens Next in Adoption?
Once Maine's three-business-day adoption revocation period passes and your consent becomes irrevocable, the adoption moves toward legal finalization.
This process typically occurs between 90 days and six months after placement, depending on court schedules and required waiting periods.
During the finalization hearing, a Maine court will review the adoption case to ensure all legal requirements have been met. Once the judge signs the final adoption decree, your baby becomes the legal child of the adoptive family in every way.
They receive a new birth certificate listing the adoptive parents, and all parental rights and responsibilities permanently transfer to the adoptive family.
This permanency provides stability and security for the child. For many birth mothers, this finalization brings a sense of closure—a recognition that the adoption plan they created for their child is now official and secure.
Why Every Birth Mother Deserves Professional Support Through This Journey
At American Adoptions, we provide free counseling services before, during, and after your adoption journey—because making a choice this important should never feel isolating or overwhelming.
Our counseling services help you process the complex emotions that come with considering adoption, work through any fears or concerns, and develop coping strategies for grief and adjustment.
Maine law requires that birth mothers receive counseling about the effects of adoption consent before it becomes final.
At American Adoptions, we go beyond the minimum legal requirement. Your adoption specialist will connect you with experienced counselors who can provide the emotional support and guidance you deserve.
These services are completely free, confidential, and available whenever you need them.
What If I'm Still Unsure About Adoption?
Feeling uncertain about adoption is completely normal and valid. This is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make, and taking the time you need to feel confident in your choice is encouraged. You don't have to rush.
While there are time-sensitive aspects of adoption (like Maine's requirement that consent be signed at least 72 hours after birth), you can take as much time as you need before that point to explore whether adoption is right for you.
Your adoption specialist will never pressure you to move faster than you're ready.
You can explore adoption without committing. Learning about how adoption works, meeting with an adoption specialist, and even looking at adoptive family profiles doesn't obligate you to move forward.
Maine's laws protect your rights—you have three business days after signing consent to reconsider. Understanding how long after adoption can you change your mind provides important legal protection.
How American Adoptions Supports Birth Mothers
At American Adoptions, we've spent decades supporting birth mothers through every stage of their adoption journey. We understand the fear, hope, and uncertainty you're experiencing because we've walked alongside thousands of women facing the same questions.
Our support includes:
We're here to provide answers, support, and guidance—not to pressure you into any decision. Whether you're just starting to consider adoption or you're ready to move forward with an adoption plan, we'll meet you exactly where you are.
Speak with a specialist today who's ready to answer every question you have—because the support you need to make this decision with confidence is just one phone call away.
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