Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Tampa, FL

Written By: Erin Jones

Once you’ve truly decided you want to place your baby for adoption, preparing to take the next few steps in the Florida adoption process can be intimidating. Fortunately, there’s a solution. This blog is a great place to start for all the birth mothers out there who are struggling to move forward with the process. Below, Adoption Choices of Florida — with locations in both Jacksonville and Tampa — has listed the next three steps you need to take to continue in your adoption journey. 

3 Steps to Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Tampa, FL

1. Choose and Contact an Adoption Agency in Tampa, FL

You’ll need to choose and reach out to an adoption agency like Adoption Choices of Florida. Choosing an adoption agency can feel like a lot of pressure, especially at first. There are a lot of adoption agencies to choose from in the state of Florida, even just in the city of Tampa! To help you narrow your search, make sure the adoption agencies you’re looking at offer assistance and resources specifically for birth mothers, including the following:

• Financial assistance and services
• Medical and prenatal care and services
• Safe housing and residency services
• Supportive counseling services

It’s important for you to ensure that whichever adoption agency you choose offers these kinds of services. Birth mothers who choose adoption need not have to worry about adoption-related costs, medical expenses, and so on. You’ve made an incredibly brave and selfless decision by choosing to place your child for adoption. Thus, your biggest focus should be on keeping yourself and your baby healthy — not on money and expenses.  

2. Create Your Adoption Plan

Creating your adoption plan is perhaps the most important step in the adoption process. Once you’ve chosen an adoption agency, you’ll work with an adoption professional or social worker to begin creating your adoption plan right away. Like choosing an adoption agency, creating your adoption plan can feel like a lot of pressure, but that’s OK! The fact that you feel pressure, and even a little bit of stress, just proves how important your adoption decision and plan are to you. It also shows just how much you love and care for your child. To give you an idea of what to include in your adoption plan, here a few  suggestions from Adoption Choices of Florida:

• Which type of adoption you want
• Your preferences regarding your child’s adoptive family
• Which family members and/or friends you’d like to accompany you on your adoption journey/people in your support system
• Your birth and hospital plan(s)

3. Surround Yourself with Loved Ones Who will Support Your on Your Adoption Journey

It’s not uncommon for birth mothers to have to go through the adoption process alone. However — and if possible — you should try to include trusted family members, close friends, and other members of your social circle in your adoption plan. The more support you have throughout your adoption journey, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be in your adoption decision. 

Some birth mothers also find it helpful to have insight from family and friends in addition to the expertise they receive from their adoption agency and team. Remember, most people value the insight, opinions, and support of their loved ones the most, so it might be nice to have some of these people by your side for these reasons as you go through the adoption process!      

Ready to Place Your Baby for Adoption in Tampa, FL?

Now that you’ve gotten a better understanding of your next few steps in the adoption process, are you ready to move forward? If you’re still experiencing a little hesitation when it comes to placing your child for adoption or contacting an adoption agency, don’t fear! This is extremely common and totally natural! You can fully understand the adoption process of placing a child for adoption and still be scared or nervous to do so. In fact, most birth mothers are. 

But, as aforementioned, this stress, fear, or nervousness is a result of how much you truly love and care for your child, and how important you know this adoption decision is. So, try your best not to overthink your nervousness or hesitation. Instead, focus on who and what your adoption decision is really about — your child and doing whatever’s in their best interest.  

If you are a pregnant woman in Florida considering adoption, and have any questions or concerns about the adoption process, please don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information on adoption, visit us at Adoption Choices of Florida or call us at: (833) 352-3678