Giving Baby Up for Adoption in Colorado [A Complete Guide]
Navigating an unexpected pregnancy is hard. You will need to make decisions for yourself and your baby while managing everything else going on in life.
It’s okay to reach out for support. American Adoptions of Colorado can help you determine if giving your baby up for adoption is the best choice for you. As one of the largest licensed adoption agencies, we offer one-on-one counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Here are the five general steps for giving a baby up for adoption in Colorado:
-
Step 1: Consider if Adoption Is a Good Fit
-
Step 2: Create an Adoption Plan With Your Colorado Adoption Specialist
-
Step 3: Identify the Ideal Adoptive Family for Your Baby
-
Step 4: Prepare for the Birth and Petition the Court
-
Step 5: Move Forward After Adoption and Stay in Touch
We’ll go over these steps in more detail below. However, if you’re looking to learn even more, you can call us at 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our easy form.
5 Steps for Giving a Baby Up for Adoption in Colorado
If you’re navigating an unplanned pregnancy, you may be wondering what to do next. Here is our guide for placing your baby up for adoption in Colorado:
Step 1: Consider if Adoption Is Right for You
Unplanned pregnancies can bring your life to a halt. You might not want to be a parent, or you might not be ready because of education plans, career goals or other life situations. Although you may feel overwhelmed, you are in control. Deciding what to do is a personal choice. No one else can make it for you.
There are three options you can choose from when it comes to unplanned pregnancy in Colorado:
-
Adoption
-
Abortion
-
Parenting
This guide mainly focuses on adoption, but it’s good to know that you have choices.
Does Giving a Baby Up for Adoption Cost Money?
No, you don’t need to pay anything when giving your baby up for adoption. Unplanned pregnancies are stressful enough without worrying about the financial burden of childbirth. So, let us get you the support you need. At American Adoptions of Colorado, our adoption services are completely free to you. This includes:
-
Adoption planning
-
24/7 counseling
-
Help finding the right family
-
Coordinating with legal and medical professionals
-
And more
You can also receive financial assistance from the adoptive family throughout the adoption process.
Step 2: Create an Adoption Plan With Your Colorado Adoption Specialist
If you decide the best choice is giving baby up for adoption in Colorado, then you can rest assured that you will be in charge. American Adoptions of Colorado is here to provide support and ensure that the adoption goes smoothly.
One of our adoption specialists will act as your partner and counselor and help you create an adoption plan. This involves talking with you about your decision, asking what you’re looking for in an adoptive family, determining how much contact you’d like to have and figuring out what the birth will look like.
Step 3: Identify the Ideal Adoptive Family for Your Baby
Think about the kind of family you envision for your baby. Do they have other siblings? Are they practicing a specific religion? Where are they located?
Your adoption specialist at American Adoptions of Colorado will help you sort through hundreds of adoptive family profiles to find the perfect adoptive parents. These profiles include photos and videos, personal and directory information and letters about their lives and relationships. All of these inclusions help you get to know the families before choosing one for your baby.
The adoptive families who work with us are ready for children and incredibly thankful for your selfless gift. You can be confident in these families’ commitment when giving baby up for adoption in Colorado.
Browse adoptive family profiles now.
Once you find the adoptive family that’s best for your baby, your adoption specialist will facilitate contact. It’s normal to feel nervous and excited about meeting your child’s adoptive parents for the first time. But if you decide it’s not the right fit at any point, your specialist can provide you with more profiles to view.
How many kids are up for adoption in Colorado?
There are more than 200 available adoptees in Colorado, and most are between the ages of 5 and 18. However, American Adoptions focuses on newborn adoptions. We have lots of waiting families that are ready to bring a new member home.
Step 4: Give Birth and Complete the Legal Steps for Adoption
Your adoption specialist will help you develop a plan as you get ready for delivery. You can determine where the birth will be, who will be the first to hold your baby, how much time you’d like to spend with the baby, and more. You will be in control throughout the hospital stay.
Once your baby is born, you can consent to the adoption at any time, according to Colorado laws.
To place a baby for adoption in Colorado, you must work with a county department of social services or a licensed child-placing agency like American Adoptions. We can help you petition the juvenile court and provide information regarding all involved parties, including you, the birth father, and the adoptive family.
Step 5: Move Forward After Adoption and Stay in Touch
Modern adoption practices mean you don’t have to say “goodbye” to your baby. Open adoption allows you to get to know the adoptive family before and after placement, and it lets you maintain contact with your child. You can choose what level of communication you want and what methods work best.
For instance, you could interact with your child and their adoptive family via:
-
Phone calls
-
Video calls
-
Emails
-
Texts
-
Social media
-
In-person meetings
If you’d rather pursue a mediated semi-open or closed adoption, those avenues exist too. It all depends on what you feel would be best for you and your baby.
Can You Make Money Giving Your Baby Up for Adoption?
No, you cannot receive money in exchange for placing your baby for adoption. Doing so could result in severe criminal penalties. However, while you can’t make money giving your baby up for adoption, you can receive financial assistance when you work with an agency. How much financial assistance you can receive will depend on your state’s laws, but can cover:
-
Rent
-
Bills
-
Groceries
-
Medical expenses
-
Legal fees
-
And more
Relying on our free adoption services means you don’t have to shoulder the financial burden of pregnancy alone. Adoptive families in Colorado are responsible for attorney fees and medical expenses, among other things. Through adoption, you can take care of pregnancy costs and focus on providing your baby with a bright future.
How Will I React to Giving Baby Up for Adoption?
It’s hard to say how you will feel when giving baby up for adoption because everyone’s experiences are different. Just know that the emotions you might feel are normal and that you’re not alone. Your adoption specialist can offer emotional support throughout the adoption process.
Many of our staff members are adoptees, adoptive parents and birth parents; they intimately understand what you’re going through. Choosing our agency can let you ask a birth mother, “Did you regret giving your baby up for adoption?”
“Over the years I have been able to see all the wonderful things [my son] has been able to do. He plays basketball, baseball, soccer and even has tried wrestling. He also had had the opportunity to go on a jet ski and go on the boat at his parent’s lake house. He has all these opportunities because of adoption. If I were to have made the decision to try and raise him, he would not be able to have all these wonderful opportunities that he has been able to experience. Even though I do miss him a lot, seeing his smiling face in the pictures makes all my fears and doubts go away.” –Michelle, birth mother and adoption specialist.
How Hard Is Giving Your Baby Up for Adoption?
You may be asking yourself, “How do I feel about giving my baby up for adoption?” This is a tough decision for prospective birth mothers. Many navigate feelings of fear, guilt, anger, sadness and loss. But there is hope. After all, “giving up” a baby for adoption doesn’t mean you’re giving up — you’re providing the best possible opportunities for your child while giving a family the ultimate gift.
While the emotions of giving your baby up for adoption may be difficult, the process is not. Our adoption specialists will be by your side every step of the way to answer questions and provide support. You can call our 24/7 counseling line to talk to receive emotional support, guidance or just for a shoulder to lean on.
A Future Full of Hope, Love and Opportunity
Choosing adoption means choosing a bright future for your baby. Because you’re in control of the entire process, you can give them every opportunity they need.
If you’re ready to talk with an adoption specialist and learn more about giving baby up for adoption in Colorado, give us a call at 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our easy form.
Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.