How to Place a 5-Month-Old for Adoption
And What the Process Looks Like with American Adoptions
There are many reasons why you might consider putting a 5-month-old up for adoption. You may be in a situation where you’re unable to work and provide for your baby at the same time. All of your anxiety and fears may cause you to ask, “Is there still time to put a 5-month-old up for adoption?”
The answer is: yes. Many people think they can only start an adoption plan for their baby before they’re born. But this isn’t the case. In fact, many prospective birth mothers start contemplating adoption after they’ve already left the hospital. If putting a 5-month-old up for adoption is the right choice for you, know that it will always be an option.
While you’re considering adoption for your baby, there are several things you should know. Adoption is a life-changing decision, one that shouldn’t be made quickly. It’s highly recommended that you speak with an adoption specialist that can help answer your questions on how to put a 5-month-old up for adoption. They’ll be able to give you a different perspective based on your situation.
To reach out to one of our specialists, please call 1-800-ADOPTION now to receive free information.
Isn’t Adoption Considered “Giving Up?”
Because of the way society often talks about “giving a baby up” for adoption, you might feel like you’re “giving up” too early by considering adoption for your baby. You might start to think that if you give it just a few more weeks, everything will be back to normal.
Parenting is hard for a number of reasons. And even if you reach out to family and friends, they might not be as supportive as you would hope. If you’re considering adoption for your child, it doesn’t mean you’re “giving up” on them, or on being involved in their lives.
We know that all you want in this world is the best for your child. That’s why you’re not “giving up” on them — you’re giving them life.
Challenges When Placing a 5-Month-Old for Adoption
While placing a 5-month-old for adoption is very similar to a newborn adoption, there are some key differences. Over the past few months, your baby has started to recognize your voice and establish you as their primary caregiver. And at 5 months old, your baby is starting to form a stronger attachment to you, and you to them.
This will make separation harder. You may even start asking, “Can I get my baby back if I change my mind?” or “What if I regret my decision for adoption?” If you’re having concerns like these, it’s important to communicate with an adoption professional. You won’t be obligated to choose adoption if you decide it’s not right for you. They’ll simply help connect you to useful resources to help make this difficult decision.
How to Put a 5-Month-Old Up for Adoption with American Adoptions
Placing a 5-month-old for adoption is very similar to a newborn adoption, with a few exceptions. If you’re thinking about putting a 5-month-old up for adoption, you’ll go through the following steps:
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Step 1: You’ll start by calling 1-800-ADOPTION, where you’ll be connected with a specialist who can help answer all of your questions. Once the adoption specialist gets a good idea of your situation, you’ll be asked to fill out a social and medical history form. Since you’re placing an older infant for adoption, you’ll also need to fill out a form for them.
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Step 2: After filling out the appropriate forms, your assigned adoption specialist will send different adoptive family profiles based on your preferences.When you’re putting a 5-month-old up for adoption, you may fear that your child is too old to be adopted. But don’t worry. There are plenty of families to choose from who would be thrilled to adopt a 5-month-old, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a loving couple for your baby.
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Step 3: Once you’ve decided on a family, you’ll start getting to know them. Your adoption specialist will help mediate the first phone call. After that, how much contact you choose to have is up to you. Most adoptive families and prospective birth mothers choose to communicate through phone calls, pictures and letters, and even visits if they live close enough to one another.
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Step 4: Once you’ve gotten to know the adoptive family, you’ll be able to discuss the amount of contact you’d prefer once the adoption is completed. Open adoptions are strongly encouraged, but the amount of contact you choose to have is always completely up to you.
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Step 5: Lastly, you can legally consent to the adoption whenever you are ready.
Adoption is legally binding. So, once you sign away your parental rights (and your state’s revocation period has passed, if applicable), you can’t change your mind. Your adoption specialist and adoption attorney will make sure you understand all of your rights in an adoption beforehand, so you can feel confident about your decision before completing any legal paperwork.
You’ll likely have many questions about the adoption process even after reading this. To start your adoption plan or request more information, call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with one of our trusted specialists.
Disclaimer
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