• How can adoption be good for my baby and I?

If you are not ready to be a parent, you can still give your baby the gift of life by choosing adoption. Adoption allows your baby to be loved by a family that desperately desires a child.

• Do I need an attorney/lawyer?

You do not need an attorney and there are no costs to you. The adoptive family or the agency involved will handle all the legal details on your behalf.

• Can I choose a family for my baby?

YES! You can choose a family from profiles of adoptive couples who have been waiting to become parents.

• How can I make sure my child will not be neglected or abused?

Adoptive couples must have adoption home studies that meet state standards completed by a social worker. All home studies include FBI & ABI background checks, fingerprints, financial and medical reviews, as well as interviews of the couple and inspection of their home.

• I keep hearing the term birth mother, what does that mean?

A birth mother is the word used to describe the biological mother.

• What is an adoption plan?

An adoption plan is how you choose to interact with the adoptive parents during and after your pregnancy.

• How soon after the birth can my baby go to the parents I choose?

Upon discharge from the hospital, the baby goes directly home with the adoptive couple. This allows you the opportunity to immediately regain control of your life.

• How much contact can I have with my baby?

You may have as much contact with your baby as is comfortable for you. This will be discussed with the adoptive couple that you choose. Most common terms used to describe contact are closed, semi-open and open adoption.

• How much will my child know about me?

We encourage you to pass medical and social history on to your child. You may choose to share your identity and where you live with the adoptive parents or you may choose to remain anonymous.

• Can my child find me if he or she wants to search for me someday?

In Alabama, when you sign your Consent For Adoption, you indicate whether or not you are willing to have the Alabama Department Of Vital Statistics provide information about you to your child, if the child decides to initiate a search when they obtain the legal of adulthood in Alabama.

• Are there any costs to me?

There are no costs to you as the birth parent.

• Does the birth father have any rights?

In Alabama, the father has certain rights, however, they are not necessarily automatic and they depend on the legal situation of the father. If the father is legally married to the mother, his consent is required. If the father is not legally married to the mother, the father has the burden of establishing his paternity. If he does not come forward and establish his paternity within a specified time period, he waives his rights to the child.

Have more adoption questions? Contact Adoption Rocks any time at 251-639-4148.