BLOG

pregnant woman in black dress in front of ocean backdrop

Adoption: When Can You Change Your Mind?

The decision for birth mothers to place their babies for adoption is one of the hardest they will ever have to make, and the path is definitely not a straight one. In fact, it is probably about as zig-zagged as you’ll ever see, as the birth mom wavers between giving up her baby and not.

AIM Adoptions is a Houston-based adoption agency. We help birth moms who do decide to give up their babies for a better home by coming alongside and supporting them, from providing medical care and transportation needs to helping with housing and food assistance if need be. As a non-profit, Christian-based organization, we then find good homes for these babies. Below, we’ll go over the Texas law with regards to when you can change your mind about adoption. Contact us today to learn more!

CHANGING YOUR MIND ABOUT ADOPTION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

Making the decision to place your baby for adoption is one of the hardest you will have to make. It is fraught with emotions, and it’s okay to feel them all. In the state of Texas, you can change your mind about placing your baby for adoption at any point during the adoption process, even after you’ve chosen and met the adoptive parents. Remember, this is your baby, your decision, and your life. This is one of those decisions that will impact you the rest of your life, no matter which decision you choose. You will either choose to become a parent for the rest of your life, or you will place your baby with another family. Either way that baby is a part of you, and you can choose the relationship you wish to have as that baby grows.

In the state of Texas, the birth mother is in complete control of the process, from choosing the adoptive parents to the birth plan. Any adoption agency that makes you feel like you have no choice at any point should be done away with.

In the state of Texas, a birth mother cannot even give up her rights to her baby until at least 48 hours after the birth of her baby. This is because, statistically speaking, seeing your baby for the first time, holding them in your arms, and not being able to let go is the time when most mothers change their minds about adoption. The state of Texas wants to give you time to make sure that adoption is the right, permanent decision for you.

In this highly charged emotional time, it’s crucial that you have support. You will probably be feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt, of loss, grief, shock, and denial. It’s difficult to say since everyone is different. AIM Adoptions will be your support should you need it. For over 30 years, we’ve been placing babies with loving homes and helping birth mothers get through the process. Our phones are answered 24 hours, so when you wake up in the middle of the night feeling an overwhelming sadness, we’re there to take that call.

After the 48 hour waiting period is over, the birth mother may consent to an adoption. It is crucial that the birth mother understand that once she signs the paperwork, her consent is rarely revocable, meaning the decision to place the baby for adoption is permanent. Thus, before you sign, search your heart and soul and make sure that this is the right decision for you. The feelings you are experiencing and will experience are normal and most likely will fade with time.

It is also during this time that you will most likely sign a contact agreement with the adoptive parents, which states what type of contact you will have with your baby and the frequency. This contract is only enforceable in the state of Texas and only under certain circumstances. The adoption agency in Texas also usually facilitates contact as well. However, oftentimes, the adoptive parents and the birth mother enjoy a close relationship and contact with the child is much more lax than formal.

Birth Moms in Texas - Get The Support You Need

CHOOSING AIM ADOPTIONS IN HOUSTON FOR YOUR ADOPTION NEEDS

AIM Adoptions has been helping birth mothers for 30 years place their babies in loving homes. As such, we understand the turmoil of this decision, and we’ve seen it all. You will never feel any sort of pressure on our part to sign the adoption consent forms after birth. This decision is yours and yours alone to make, and it has to be the right one for you.

AIM Adoptions also helps those looking to adopt qualify. In the state of Texas, the requirements to adopt include:

  • You must be at least 21 years old
  • You must be financially stable
  • You must be responsible and mature
  • You must complete an application to adopt
  • You must share background and lifestyle information
  • You must provide references
  • You must provide proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable)
  • You must complete a home study
  • You must pass a criminal background and child abuse check on all adults living in the household

After the baby has been placed, there is a supervision period before the adoption is finalized. Texas requires five post-placement visits to ensure the health and welfare of the baby.

In addition, AIM Adoptions requires that the baby goes to a traditional home with a husband and a wife team, and we require that the couple be Christian. We encourage you to find the adoption agency that is right for you. Once you complete our application process, along with fulfilling the state’s application process, you will move to our waiting families list. While we cannot promise you a timeframe, most of the wait times are under a year. However, since the birth mother chooses the adoptive families, you can do everything you can by being open to the process and what the birth mother is seeking in an adoptive family. This can speed up your wait time considerably.

If you are in the Houston area and are interested in adoption, or if you are a woman dealing with an unexpected pregnancy and are looking for options, give us a call. We can help.