This might be one of the hardest questions you're asking right now. It's natural to wonder—and worry—about your baby's future.

Here's what happens: Your baby will go home from the hospital with the loving family you chose. Not foster care. Not strangers. Parents you selected, met, and trust.

When you work with American Adoptions in Oregon, you stay in control. You decide who raises your child, how much contact you want, and what support you need throughout your pregnancy and after placement. That control means your baby's future is one you helped create.

Contact an Oregon Adoption Specialist

This page walks you through what happens after you place your baby for adoption in Oregon—from hospital discharge with your chosen family to the screening process that protects your child, to your ongoing contact options and the support available to you for years to come.

Common Worries Oregon Birth Parents Have

Oregon birth parents often have similar concerns when considering adoption. Here are direct answers to the questions we hear most often.

Will My Baby Go to Foster Care?

No. Your baby will never go to foster care when you work with American Adoptions. Unlike many other adoption situations, when you work with our agency, after you give birth, your baby goes home directly from the hospital with the adoptive family you selected—the family you reviewed, met, and approved. There are no temporary placements, no waiting periods with strangers, and no uncertainty about where your child will be.

This is one of the most important differences between working with a licensed adoption agency and other placement options. You choose the family before your baby is born, so the transition from hospital to home is immediate and secure. Your baby will be loved from day one.

Will I Ever See My Baby Again?

That's entirely up to you. What if you could watch your child grow up through photos, videos, and visits? Open adoption makes that possible. Most birth parents who work with American Adoptions want some level of ongoing contact—and 97% of birth parents choose open adoption arrangements. These contact agreements are honored for years, allowing you to remain connected to your child's life.

Oregon has a strong culture of open adoption, and many families in our Oregon network actively embrace ongoing relationships with birth parents. Whether you want annual photos, video calls on birthdays, or in-person visits, we help you find a family who shares your vision for post-adoption contact.

What If I Change My Mind?

In Oregon, you can sign consent right after birth. After consent is signed, Oregon law generally does not provide a revocation period absent fraud or duress.

We never pressure you to make a decision—that's a core value at American Adoptions. Your Oregon specialist will give you space to process your feelings and will talk through your options without judgment. You'll have 24/7 text and phone access to your specialist. If you're uncertain at any point, we're here to listen and help you understand all your rights.

Will the Adoptive Family Take Good Care of My Baby?

Every family you review has already passed rigorous screening requirements. They've completed background checks, medical evaluations, home safety inspections, financial verification, and personal reference interviews.

American Adoptions has facilitated thousands of successful adoptions nationwide, and every family in our program meets the same high standards. Our national scope means you have access to more fully-screened families than agencies that only work locally.

You'll have the chance to learn about their parenting values, lifestyle, and plans for your child's future before making your decision. Many birth parents meet the family in person or through video calls to feel confident about their choice.

Start Your Oregon Adoption Journey

Hospital Discharge and Placement with Your Chosen Family

Your baby goes home directly from the hospital with the family you selected—no foster care, no waiting periods.

After you give birth in Oregon, your baby will be discharged from the hospital directly into the care of the adoptive family you selected.

Whether you deliver in Portland metro hospitals like Legacy Emanuel or Providence St. Vincent, at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart in Eugene, St. Charles in Bend, or at coastal community hospitals like Samaritan Pacific Communities in Newport, the process works the same way.

Who Is Present at Discharge

• You decide who can be in the room (partner, friend, specialist, adoptive parents)
• Your American Adoptions specialist manages timing so you are not rushed—we coordinate with hospital staff to ensure your preferences are honored every step of the way

If Your Baby Needs NICU Care

Most placements still proceed without foster care. The adoptive parents can begin visiting and caring for your baby in the NICU as approved by hospital policy.

"I was so worried about saying goodbye," Sarah, an Oregon birth mother, remembers. "But my specialist stayed with me the whole time, and seeing my baby go home with the family I chose—not strangers—made all the difference."

Learn more about Oregon's hospital planning process and how your specialist coordinates every detail.

How Birth Parents Select Adoptive Families

You choose the family who will raise your child—not the state, not the agency, not anyone else.

The adoptive parents caring for your baby aren't strangers, state workers, or a foster family. They're the family you chose. When you work with us, you select who will raise your child. You review their profiles, learn about their values, and can meet them before making your decision.

Typical Matching Steps

1. Review family profiles that align with your values and lifestyle goals.
2. Request a phone or video meeting to ask questions about parenting, culture, and contact.
3. Outline a hospital plan and post-placement contact plan together.
4. Confirm the match in writing. You may pass on any family and continue looking.

Choosing a local or out-of-state family is up to you. Some women prefer nearby visits; others prefer privacy and distance. Either approach can work.

Adoptive Family Screening and Home Study Requirements

Every family you review has already passed rigorous background checks, home inspections, and personal interviews before you ever see their profile.

At American Adoptions, our national network means families have already completed extensive screening before you ever see their profile—unlike smaller agencies where screening may still be in progress when you're asked to make a match.

What a Completed Home Study Typically Verifies

• State and federal background checks, including child-abuse registry searches
• Medical statements from physicians
• Employment and income verification
• Personal references and interviews
• Home safety review (sleeping space, smoke/CO detectors, water temperature, emergency plan)

Ready to review Oregon families who've completed this rigorous screening process? Browse Family Profiles

Oregon's Adoption Consent Timeline

In Oregon, you can sign consent paperwork at any time after your baby's birth. Oregon's consent laws are designed to give you time to hold your baby, process your emotions, and make your decision with clarity. Your Oregon adoption attorney will walk you through every detail before you sign. After signing, legal custody transfers to the adoptive family you selected.

Can You Change Your Mind After Signing Consent?

Oregon generally does not provide a revocation period once consent is signed, except in cases of fraud or duress. This means your decision becomes permanent after you sign the consent documents. Your attorney will explain this timeline thoroughly and make sure you understand the finality of consent before you sign.

When Does the Adoption Become Final in Oregon?

Adoption finalization occurs in Oregon court after all post-placement requirements are met. At the finalization hearing, the adoptive parents' names are added to your child's birth certificate, and they assume full legal responsibility. You don't need to attend the finalization hearing unless you want to. Our team will guide you through every step and help you understand every document before you sign.

Open Adoption Contact Options After Placement

Most Oregon birth parents maintain some level of contact with their child and the adoptive family—photos, updates, visits, or video calls are all possible.

Open adoption looks different for every family. Some arrangements include letters and photos, while others involve emails, phone calls, video chats, or in-person visits. An ongoing relationship lets you watch your child grow up, answer questions they may have about their adoption story, and maintain a connection throughout their life.

We can help you identify families who share your preferences for post-adoption contact. You'll have the chance to discuss expectations with prospective families before making a match. Semi-open or closed adoptions are also available if you prefer more privacy.

At American Adoptions, we help facilitate these relationships for the long term. Every adoptive family who works with us must agree to have ongoing contact, if that’s what the birth mother wants. That means the choice and style of contact is entirely your choice. And, unlike agencies that only help establish initial contact agreements, we provide ongoing mediation and support to help maintain healthy communication for years to come.

Want to see what ongoing contact looks like for your situation? Connect with an Oregon Specialist to discuss your preferences.

Post-Adoption Support for Birth Parents in Oregon

American Adoptions provides free counseling, financial assistance during recovery, and mediation services for as long as you need support.

Placing a child for adoption is an emotional experience, and we provide ongoing support to birth parents long after placement day. Many agencies stop providing services after placement, but American Adoptions offers lifetime support.

Post-Placement Counseling and Financial Assistance

Counseling is available at no cost whenever you need it—not just during placement, but for months and years afterward. These sessions are a space to work through your feelings, process grief, and adjust to life after adoption.

Financial support doesn't immediately stop after placement either. Oregon law allows assistance for birth mothers to continue for up to six weeks following placement—one of the more generous timelines in the country. This support helps cover living expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries during your recovery period.

Ready to learn what financial support is available for your situation? Contact an Oregon Specialist to discuss your needs.

Mediation Services for Adoption Contact Agreements

Communication challenges sometimes arise after placement. If that happens, we can help mediate conversations between you and the adoptive family. While contact agreements aren't legally enforceable in Oregon, most families honor the arrangements made during the planning process. Our Oregon-based mediation services help facilitate healthy communication so everyone's needs are met.

Your Journey with American Adoptions: Before, During, and After

From your first phone call to years after placement, we're here to support you. Our services include answering questions, providing resources, and helping you navigate the adoption process—if that's the path you choose.

If you decide to move forward, we'll work with you to create an adoption plan that reflects your values and priorities. You choose the adoptive family and decide on the level of openness. Financial assistance for pregnancy-related expenses is available as allowed by Oregon law.

American Adoptions stands out because we handle every aspect of the process—from matching to legal coordination to hospital planning to post-placement support—under one roof. Your dedicated Oregon specialist stays with you from beginning to end, and beyond.

You're not giving up—you're making a plan for your baby's future, and we're here to help you create it.

Begin Creating Your Oregon Adoption Plan

Connect with Us Today

If you're considering adoption in Oregon and want to learn more, we're here to talk. Our Oregon adoption specialists understand the unique aspects of Oregon's adoption process. You can get answers to your specific questions without any pressure to decide.

You don't have to navigate this alone, and you don't have to make any decisions before you're ready.

Start Your Oregon Adoption Journey

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