There is a lot of information on the internet about domestic infant adoption. How do you know where to start?
Do you know if domestic infant adoption is right for you? I wrote this article to help you with that decision.
With all of the information to research on the internet it can get overwhelming very quickly. You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed.
I’ve got good news for you – there is a way to save a bunch of time and cut through the overwhelm.
Here are the 7 Steps To Domestic Infant Adoption:
1. Research and Learn
The first step cannot be overlooked because you need to figure out what domestic adoption means, who can help you with the process, what child you would prefer to adopt, what the costs will be, etc.
2. Select an Adoption Professional
This is where you choose the right professional to help you on your journey to adopt. You can choose an adoption attorney, agency, facilitator, or a combination of these. Finding the right professional is a HUGE part of having a fast, safe, and successful adoption.
3. Complete Your Profile and Home Study
Both of these are essential parts of the process. The profile is a multiple page booklet you put together. It contains photos and a letter you write to an expectant mother, where you describe yourself and what you can offer her child. The home study is where a licensed professional makes sure you are legally eligible (based on your state’s adoption laws) to adopt a child.
4. Hurry Up & Wait
This is the part of the process where you have all of your paperwork complete and you must wait to match with an expectant mother. In most domestic adoptions, she chooses the adoptive parents, so you will have to wait to be chosen.
5. Match With an Expectant Mother
This is an awesome point in your journey because you get to match with an expectant mother who wants to make an adoption plan for her child. A “match” means that you mutually agree you are the right people to parent her child.
6. Placement: Bring Home the Baby!
After all the preparation and waiting, you are ready to bring home your baby. The placement period is can be complicated, especially if you have an interstate adoption, where you live in a state than where the birthmother lives. This is the most exciting time of the process because you get to bring home the baby of your dreams!
7. Finalization
This is when you finalize the adoption, meaning you become the permanent, legal parents of the child. There will be a period of time between placement and when you can finalize, depending on the laws in your state (typically 6 months). You likely need to appear in court in front of a judge to complete the legal portion of the adoption.
These 7 steps are a quick guide to how the process works to adopt domestically in the United States.
There is much more to learn about each of these steps.
I’ve got you covered. Check out my free ebook –
The 7 Steps To Domestic Infant Adoption.
If you haven’t yet started your adoption journey, I hope you begin soon! May God bless you on the road to building your family.
