Adoption Resources for Birth Mothers in Missouri
By Blessing E. Ikhimokpa
You’ve been thinking about putting your child up for adoption. But you don’t know where to start. The blogs you’ve read all say the same things. They tell you to “start here, or start there.” But you don’t know what they mean. “Start where?” At Adoption Choices of Missouri, we’ll give you the answers to questions you may have. Don’t know what to ask? Just inform us. We’ll guide you in the direction you need to find the right adoption resources for birth mothers in MO. We won’t know what you need unless you tell us.
Don’t know where to start when putting a child up for adoption in Missouri?
Before considering putting a child up for adoption, make sure this is your decision. Once you’ve placed your newborn up for adoption in Missouri, you cannot regain custody unless the adoption is done under fraud, coercion, or duress. So, to not have to go through that. So, make sure that placing your birth child up for adoption; is a decision you’ve gone over.
When deciding to place your child up for adoption. First, find an agency in your state that specializes in adoption. At our local adoption agency, we specialize in helping birth mothers with unplanned pregnancies or unwanted pregnancies. Birth mothers who have decided becoming a parent isn’t for them. Who would like to place their birth child up for adoption?
Second, search up the different adoption methods. Like in other states, there are the three main adoption methods in Missouri. There’s an open, semi-open, and closed adoption. Open is where both the birth and adoptive parents have shared custody of the adopted child. The birth parents have the option to always be around the birth child on the adoptive parents’ time. All these methods are both the birth parents and the adoptive parents’ decisions. They make these decisions with the birth child in mind. What method you choose will determine how much you’ll see the birth child.
Semi-open adoption is when the birth parent (s) have decided they don’t want complete contact. Or the adoptive parents have kept their information anonymous. Since you don’t have the adoptive parents’ information, the adoption process will be done through the agency of choice.
Closed adoption is where the birth parents have decided not to be involved in the adoption process. They wanted everything involving the process to be done through the agency. They didn’t want to know anything concerning the potential adoptive parents. Once you’ve signed the adoption papers in Missouri, you can’t change your mind. You can’t decide this isn’t what you wanted. This is why choosing the right adoption method is important.
Is there a time limit for placing a child up for adoption in Missouri?
In Missouri, after you’ve given birth. You’ll have to wait for 48-hours before the adoption process can be completed. This is the case because in those 2-days you could spend it with the birth child. Or the adoptive parents can spend that time with the birth child. During this time, you could decide to place your birth child up for adoption isn’t something you want, which is why the state has given you this time. Once the documents are signed, you can’t say you made a mistake.
What is the hospital birth plan for placing a child up for adoption in Missouri?
Once you’ve picked the adoption method, you’d like to take. Next, it’s time for the hospital visit. When you get to the hospital, tell the nurse your plans if you’ve chosen a counselor from the adoption agencies of choice. You could have them inform the nurse instead. Depending on the adoption method will determine who will be in the room with you. If you’re doing this pregnancy alone, the counselor will be there for you.
After you’ve given birth, you’ll have to wait for 48-hours before the adoption process can be completed. This is done so that the birth parents can spend some time with the birth child. If you’ve chosen open adoption, this time is just extra time. You’ll be a steady figure in the birth child’s life with open adoption. But if you’ve chosen closed adoption, this time might not be something you’d like. This is why having the adoptive parents spend this time is an option. Once the 48-hours are complete, you and the adoptive parents can sign the adoption papers.
Finding the Right Adoption Resources for Birth Mothers in MO
Now that you have some insight into what to do. The next step is up to you.Adoption Choices of Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call us toll-free at 877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at 816-527-9800