“Can I get money if I adopt out my baby?”
“Do birth mothers get paid for choosing adoption?”
“Can I get paid for making an adoption plan?”
These are a few of the common questions about money that women ask when they’re thinking about adoption. You can’t get paid for making an adoption plan for your child, because it’s illegal to trade a child for money.
But if it’s legal in your state, you may be able to get help from the adoptive parents with your pregnancy expenses. So actually, rather than being compensated for placing a child, you can receive financial assistance.
“How Much Will Adoption Cost Me?”
It doesn’t cost you anything to choose adoption. Adoptive couples are responsible for paying adoption fees though, and they might even be able to give you financial help if allowable in your state.
“What Kind of Financial Assistance Can I Receive?”
It’s common knowledge that having a baby is expensive! When you’re pregnant, you’ll face doctor’s bills, buy clothes that fit your expanding belly, and get pregnancy gear such as a belly support band. Plus, you might have to take a sick day away from work if you have pregnancy issues like bad morning sickness.
The adoptive family that you choose can typically pay for the extra expenses that you face. Allowable living expenses will differ based on your state’s laws. Here are a few of the items that you could receive assistance with:
Rent & Living Expenses
Many women dealing with an unplanned pregnancy find that since they’ve had to call in sick to work, they can’t pay rent. If a birth mother can’t afford this living expense due to pregnancy, the adoptive family she chooses can pay her rent (in most states). You can also get help with living expenses like your cell phone bill, utilities, and transportation.
Medical Expenses
It’s very important to continue having regular prenatal visits throughout your pregnancy. And women with high-risk pregnancies will require extra care, more doctor’s appointments, and even prescription medication. Whatever the medical costs during your pregnancy might be, an adoptive family could cover those.
Food
Having a healthy, well-balanced diet is important not just for your health, but for your baby’s health too. And it’s pretty common to eat more food during your pregnancy-you are eating for two, after all! Typically, the adoptive family can help out with any food expenses that the birth mother incurs during pregnancy so that she can maintain the health of her baby.
Counseling
For your mental health during the adoption process, Lifetime strongly recommends getting therapy. The sooner you start the process of healing, the better off you’ll be in the long run.
Lifetime can connect you with a licensed therapist or a peer counselor, or both! A peer counselor is a woman who’s already made an adoption plan for her child. As she’s been where you’re at right now, she can give you valuable tips on what to expect. The adoptive family will be responsible for paying for these counseling services.
Legal Expenses
When you choose adoption for your baby or child, you don’t need to pay for legal help from adoption attorneys. The adoptive family you’ve selected is responsible for paying legal fees.
State Laws About Adoption Expenses
Every state has its own laws about which expenses can be paid for or repaid by an adoptive family. Your adoption lawyer will know which financial assistance options are available to you during the adoption process.
No matter what your situation is, an adoption attorney can help you understand what expenses the adoptive family can pay for to ease your financial strain.
Many pregnant women who are thinking about adoption for their baby wonder, “Are babies that are put up for adoption always adopted?” They worry that no one will want to adopt their baby.
Choosing adoption for your baby is a major decision, and one that you might be on the fence about. Many women thinking about adoption worry that they might come to regret this decision. Right now, you might be wondering, “What if I change my mind about adoption? Can I adopt out my baby and get her back if I want to?”
Question: “My girlfriend is pregnant and is thinking about adopting out our baby. I think she’s crazy for even considering it and I’m totally against adoption. It’s my baby too. Do I have any control over this? Can I stop her from putting our baby up for adoption?”
Are you pregnant and considering adoption? You’re not alone; we’re here to help you. Lifetime Adoption Agency helps expectant mothers in Florida and across to the U.S. explore adoption in a supportive, safe, and personalized environment. We’re here to provide you with up-to-date adoption information and support.
When you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy and thinking about adoption for your baby, you might have a lot of questions. One of your questions might be “what are the reasons why women choose adoption for their baby?”
Today, Lifetime Adoption Agency is sharing one birth mother’s story. While every open adoption is different, it can help to hear from others who have been where you are now. Here’s one birth mother’s experience with coming to adoption:
“I’m 35 weeks along and I’m thinking about adoption, but I’m really on the fence. My Mom raised my brother and I all by herself, and I saw how hard that was. I love babies but I’m not ready to be a mom, so I’m wondering if I should give my baby up for adoption. Do I need to decide right now, before my baby’s born? How do I decide? Help!”
Here’s a common question we get here at Lifetime Adoption Agency: “My girlfriend is pregnant, and wants to adopt out our baby. What can I do if my girlfriend is choosing adoption?” 
“When I discovered I was pregnant, I was terrified and confused. I was a freshman in college. My boyfriend and I talked about our options. He knows I am pro-life, so he didn’t even suggest abortion. We both agreed that adoption was the best decision. I called my parents from school to tell them this life-changing news. They were very supportive of my decision to adopt out my baby.
