Are you facing an unplanned pregnancy in North Carolina? You might be considering adoption to give your baby a bright future, but you aren’t sure what the process involves.

Below, we'll walk through exactly what happens to your baby after adoption in North Carolina, from the moment you sign consent to the years that follow. We'll cover who cares for your baby, how adoptive families are screened, what your legal rights are and how you can stay connected if you choose.

If you'd like to learn more about your options, fill out our form for free information. You can also call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with one of our experienced adoption specialists.

What Happens to My Baby After Adoption in North Carolina?

At the hospital, you'll have time with your baby if you choose. Some expectant parents want to hold and care for their newborn before placement. Your adoption specialist will help communicate your wishes to the hospital staff and the adoptive family.

Once you're ready and have signed the necessary legal documents, the adoptive family will take physical custody of the baby. In North Carolina, you can consent to adoption any time after your baby's birth. You'll have seven days after signing to change your mind.

Your Baby's Care Following Adoption Consent

One of the biggest fears expectant parents have is that their baby might end up in foster care or with strangers who haven't been properly vetted. That's not how adoption through American Adoptions works.

Your baby will not enter foster care. Instead, they go straight home with the adoptive family you've chosen — a family that has already been thoroughly screened and approved. These are people who have spent months, sometimes years, preparing to become parents. They've proven they're financially stable, emotionally ready and committed to providing a loving home.

You get to choose this family yourself. Through American Adoptions, you'll review profiles of waiting families and select the one that feels right to you. Maybe you're looking for a family with certain values, a particular lifestyle or a home in a specific part of the country. Whatever matters most to you, you have the power to make that decision.

The Vetting Process: How Adoptive Families Are Screened

Every family in our network completes a rigorous home study process before they can adopt. This includes background checks, home visits and interviews to ensure they're ready for parenthood.

The home study process takes several months and covers a lot of ground:

• Every adult living in the home gets checked for any criminal history or past issues with child safety.

• A licensed professional will visit the family's home to make sure it's safe for a child.

• The professional doing the home evaluation also sits down with the prospective parents for detailed conversations.

Every family who adopts through American Adoptions has passed this comprehensive evaluation. By the time you're looking at family profiles, you can trust that each one has been carefully screened and deemed ready for parenthood.

Understanding North Carolina's Adoption Finalization and Parental Rights

Understanding the legal timeline can help ease some of your worries about what comes next.

In North Carolina, you can consent to adoption any time after your baby's birth. Once you sign, you have seven days to change your mind. During this week, you can take back your consent by putting it in writing and either delivering it in person, using an overnight delivery service or mailing it via registered or certified mail with a return receipt.

After seven days pass, your decision becomes permanent. You can no longer change your mind, except in rare cases where someone pressured or tricked you into consenting. Important note: If you change your mind during those first seven days and then later decide adoption is right after all, you won't get another seven-day window. The second consent is final immediately.

Once the seven-day period ends, court finalization typically takes a few more months. During this time, the adoptive family has full legal responsibility for your baby, and a professional will check in with them periodically to make sure everything is going well. The final step happens in court, where a judge officially approves the adoption and the adoptive parents' names get added to the birth certificate.

Staying Connected: Your Open Adoption Options

One of the biggest misconceptions about adoption is that it means saying goodbye forever. Today, most adoptions include some level of openness, which means you can maintain contact with your child and their family. If you want to stay in touch, we can help you find a family that shares your contact preferences.

The level of contact is something you'll discuss with the adoptive family before placement. While open adoption agreements aren't court-ordered in North Carolina, they're built on mutual commitment and respect between families. That's why we help you find a family whose values and communication style align with yours.

Many birth parents find that maintaining some connection helps them heal. Knowing their child is happy, healthy and thriving provides peace of mind that wouldn't be possible in a closed adoption. If you're unsure about how much openness you want, your adoption specialist can help you think through what might work best for you.

Support Resources Available for Birth Parents After Adoption

American Adoptions’ counseling services are available whenever you need them. We're here to support you through the emotions that come after placement, not just before. Grief, relief, doubt, peace — all of these feelings are normal, and you don't have to navigate them alone.

Financial support doesn't end at placement, either. In North Carolina, birth mother financial assistance can continue for up to six weeks postpartum. This means help with rent, utilities, groceries and other living expenses during your recovery period. Our team will make sure you understand what assistance is available to you and how to access it.

We can also help mediate post-adoption contact. Sometimes questions come up about how often to call, what's appropriate to share or how to handle changes in the relationship. Your adoption specialist can facilitate those conversations and help everyone stay on the same page.

Why American Adoptions Stands by You Throughout Your Journey

American Adoptions has been helping expectant parents in North Carolina for years, and we understand the unique challenges you're facing. Here's how we support you before, during and after placement:

• Free information about your adoption options with no obligation

• Guidance in choosing the right adoptive family for your baby

• Help understanding North Carolina's adoption laws and your legal rights

• Financial assistance for pregnancy-related expenses

• 24/7 emotional support from adoption specialists who truly care

• Hospital plan coordination to ensure your wishes are respected

• Mediation for post-adoption contact arrangements

We know this isn't an easy decision. That's why we're committed to walking alongside you through every stage of the process.

Take the Next Step: Connect With American Adoptions Today

If you're still not sure what happens to your baby after adoption or have other questions about the process, we're here to help. American Adoptions can provide the guidance and support you need. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your questions, walk you through your options and help you create a plan that feels right for you and your baby.

Fill out our form to get free information, or give us a call at 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with an adoption specialist today. Your baby's future can be bright, and we're here to help you make that happen.

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