A Act of Love Adoptions

Free & Confidential, 24/7

Giving a Baby Up for Adoption

You're Not Giving Up. You're Choosing What's Best.

If you're pregnant and considering adoption, you deserve real answers without pressure. A Act of Love is a licensed non-profit adoption agency serving birth mothers since 1993. Everything is confidential, everything is free, and every decision stays yours.

Get Free Adoption Information
4.8· 129 reviews
Licensed Non-Profit in Utah

Guide Written By

Laraine, social worker and options counselor at A Act of Love Adoptions
Laraine

Social Worker & Options Counselor — she answers these questions with women every day

Clinically Reviewed By

Isaac Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of A Act of Love Adoptions
Isaac Thomas, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker · Chief Executive Officer

Last updated: July 16, 2026

What Giving a Baby Up for Adoption Really Means

TL;DR: Placing a baby for adoption is free for the birth mother, and every decision — the family, the level of contact, the hospital plan — stays hers. Adoption laws differ by state, but consent is always signed after birth — many states require a waiting period of 24 to 72 hours — and until she signs, she can change her mind at any time, in every state. Support is free, confidential, available 24/7, and continues after placement.

This guide covers the whole journey honestly: how the process works step by step, what it's really like at the hospital, the pros and the hard parts, your legal rights, and what other birth mothers say about the choice they made. It was written by a counselor who has these conversations every day and reviewed by a licensed clinical social worker — not by a marketing department.

Read it in order, jump to the section you need most, or skip the reading entirely — a real counselor is available right now, day or night, and asking a question commits you to nothing. However you get your answers, they should be honest ones. That is what this page is for.

Searching “How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption”? You're in the Right Place

If you typed “giving a baby up for adoption” into a search bar — maybe late at night, maybe scared — there is nothing wrong with the words you used, and there is nothing wrong with you for asking. This page answers exactly that question, honestly and completely.

One thing you'll learn along the way: what you're considering isn't really giving up at all. In the adoption community it's called making an adoption plan or placing a baby for adoption — because you stay in control of every part of it. You choose the family. You choose how much contact you want as your child grows up. You choose the hospital plan. And until you sign consent — after your baby is born, never before — you can change your mind at any time.

Whether you're early in your pregnancy, due next week, or have already delivered, a licensed counselor is available right now, day or night, to talk through your options with no pressure and no judgment.

Expectant mother considering giving her baby up for adoption, sitting in a calm, sunlit room

How It Works

How Does Giving a Baby Up for Adoption Work?

The adoption process is simpler than most women expect, three steps, at your pace, with a counselor beside you the whole way.

  1. 1

    Reach Out, No Pressure

    Call, text, or send the form below. A licensed counselor listens to your situation and answers your questions. Talking to us doesn't commit you to anything.

  2. 2

    Make Your Plan, Your Way

    You decide what the adoption looks like: the family, the level of contact, your hospital plan. Your counselor handles the details and supports you at every step.

  3. 3

    Choose the Family

    Browse waiting families and pick the one that feels right for your baby. Many birth mothers stay in contact through letters, photos, or visits, if that's what you want.

Licensed counselor listening to an expectant mother while making her adoption plan

Every step happens in conversations like this one — at your pace, on your terms.

How to Give My Baby Up for Adoption: What Actually Happens

Giving your baby up for adoption follows seven steps: a free first call, counseling, an adoption plan, choosing the family, a hospital plan, consent signed after birth, and post-placement support. Every step is free for the birth mother, and every decision is hers. Here is what each one really looks like.

  1. The first call (or text)

    You reach out — by phone, text, or the form below — and talk with a licensed counselor. This first conversation is free, confidential, and commits you to nothing. Many women call just to ask questions, and some decide adoption isn't for them. That's okay too.

  2. Counseling and your options

    Your counselor walks through all of your options — parenting, adoption, and the support available for each — at your pace. Counseling is free and continues for as long as you want it, whether or not you choose adoption.

  3. Your adoption plan

    If adoption feels right, you build the plan: the kind of family you want, the level of contact (open, semi-open, or closed), and your wishes for the hospital. Nothing is decided without you.

  4. Choosing the family

    You browse profiles of screened, home-study-approved families and choose. You can meet them, talk by phone, or ask your counselor to suggest families matching your preferences. The choice is always yours.

  5. Your hospital plan and delivery

    Before your due date, your counselor helps you write a hospital plan: who is in the room, how much time you want with your baby, whether the adoptive family is present. The hospital staff follows your plan — you are the patient and the parent.

  6. Consent — after birth, never before

    In every state, consent to adoption is signed after birth — never during pregnancy — and many states require a waiting period first. In Utah, where we are licensed, the earliest is 24 hours after birth, with a 72-hour revocation period unless waived in writing. Your own attorney — provided at no cost — explains exactly which rules apply in your state before you sign anything.

  7. After placement

    Support doesn't end at the hospital. You'll have free counseling for as long as you want, birth mother support groups, and the contact plan you chose — letters, photos, calls, or visits as your child grows.

Want it in even more detail? Read the step-by-step adoption process for birth mothers.

Does It Cost Anything to Place Your Baby for Adoption?

No. Placing a baby for adoption never costs the birth mother anything. Counseling, adoption planning, matching with a family, and 24/7 support are all provided at no cost, before, during, and after placement.

Beyond that, depending on your situation and the state law that applies, support may be allowed for pregnancy-related expenses, things like medical care, housing, and living expenses. Your counselor will tell you exactly what your state permits, so there are no surprises.

You Set the Contact

Open, Semi-Open, or Closed: You Decide

“Giving a baby up for adoption” sounds final, but in most modern adoptions it isn't goodbye. You choose how much contact you want as your child grows up, and it's written into your plan.

Open Adoption

Ongoing contact with your child and their family: visits, calls, photos. Most birth mothers who work with us choose some form of openness.

Semi-Open Adoption

Letters and photo updates shared through the agency, without exchanging personal contact information. Connection with privacy.

Closed Adoption

No ongoing contact. Some women prefer a fresh start, and that choice is respected completely. You can often open contact later if you change your mind.

Learn more about the types of adoption and what each one looks like in real life.

Counselor supporting a birth mother giving her baby up for adoption at the hospital

Giving Your Baby Up for Adoption at the Hospital

Yes — you can make an adoption plan at the hospital, during delivery, or after bringing your baby home. Many women call us in their last weeks of pregnancy or from a hospital bed, and a counselor can start a plan the same day.

If you're in the hospital now, tell a nurse or social worker you're considering adoption and call or text us. A counselor will handle everything from there: the plan, the family, the paperwork, and your wishes for those first days.

Call Now: 1-800-835-6360Text a Counselor

What It's Actually Like at the Hospital

The questions women ask most — answered honestly:

Will I hold my baby?

If you want to. Some mothers spend hours holding, feeding, and taking photos; others prefer not to. Your hospital plan states your wishes, and the staff follows it — you can also change your mind in the moment, in either direction.

How much time do I get?

As much as you want during your stay. Every state requires consent to wait until after birth — in Utah it's at least 24 hours — and no one will rush you.

Who is in the room?

Only who you choose. The adoptive family can be down the hall, in the waiting room, or not at the hospital at all — your plan decides.

What do I tell the nurse?

Simply that you're working with an adoption agency, or considering adoption. Hospital staff handle this regularly and will contact us if you ask — or you can call or text us directly, any hour.

Giving a Baby Up for Adoption: Pros and Cons

Adoption is the right choice for some women and not for others, and you deserve an honest picture — not a sales pitch. These are the benefits and the hard parts our counselors discuss openly, drawn from three decades of walking with birth mothers.

The Pros

  • You choose the family, the contact level, and the hospital plan — the decisions stay yours
  • Every service is free, and support with pregnancy-related expenses may be available as allowed by state law
  • Open adoption means placement doesn't have to mean goodbye
  • Your child grows up knowing their story came from love — and can know you
  • You can continue school, work, or plans you're not ready to set aside
  • Counseling and support continue after placement, for as long as you want

The Hard Parts

  • Grief is real. Even women certain of their decision describe deep loss — counseling helps, but it doesn't erase it
  • After consent and the revocation period, the decision is permanent
  • Ongoing contact depends on the openness plan; closed adoption means little or none
  • Some friends or family may not understand your choice
  • Watching another family raise your child, even in a joyful open adoption, carries complicated feelings

Weighing these is exactly what free counseling is for — with someone whose only agenda is what's right for you.

Can I Change My Mind?

Yes — until you sign consent, you can change your mind at any time, for any reason, in every state, and keep every service you've received. Consent is never signed before birth anywhere in the country, and most states require a waiting period after delivery first. In Utah, where we are licensed, the earliest is 24 hours after birth, with a 72-hour revocation period after signing unless it is waived in writing.

Your own independent attorney — provided at no cost to you — explains exactly which rules apply in your state before you ever hold a pen. Consent and revocation laws for all 50 states are published by the Child Welfare Information Gateway, the federal clearinghouse on adoption, and our state-by-state adoption guide covers how the process works where you live.

And if you make an adoption plan at month five and choose to parent at month nine? That is your right, full stop. Our support doesn't depend on your decision — including guaranteed return transportation home, in the same mode of travel, for out-of-state birth mothers, whatever you decide.

Expectant mother by a bright window taking time with her adoption decision
A woman walking a sunlit path, at peace with her adoption decision

Real Stories from Birth Mothers

No one can tell you what this is like better than women who have lived it — in their own words, unedited in spirit and honest about the hard parts.

It's been about seven weeks since my husband and I placed our baby for adoption. We went through our own personal storm, but it's a decision I do not regret. When our adoptive family's profile was delivered to us, we weren't really sure — it's not natural ever placing a child; it shouldn't be. What made us sure was seeing the simple signs that the couple was good people. I felt selfish asking to keep the baby to myself for a day after the delivery — but I have the right to be. We found out we were able to bring home baby pictures, and through our personal storm came a bright sunshine of light. Our son will know he was never a burden — he will have two families that love him dearly. While in Utah, they had someone to drive us, not only as a chauffeur but as a friend to cry with. I walked away with confidence that my son was going to grow up safe. And when he is ever ready to meet his brothers, we'll all be here waiting.
JoslynnBirth mother · shared with our team seven weeks after placement
★★★★★
“I was in a really bad spot — pregnant with health problems, on bed rest, unable to work, with two other kids depending on me. Within 24 hours of reaching out, I had a social worker at my house, an hour away from the agency, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay — and it was. Pregnant mothers thinking of adoption: they understand and they care. You don't have to do this alone, no matter what your situation.”
Destiny N.Birth mother · verified Google review
★★★★★
“Pregnancy is an emotional time, and these women supported me even through my most ridiculous moments. They gave me many potential parent profiles and, just like they said, when I viewed the profile of the family I chose, I immediately knew they were the ones for my little boy. The peace of mind I have — knowing he will be loved and safe, and that I will still see him grow into an amazing man — is immeasurable.”
Gina B.Birth mother · verified Google review
★★★★★
“I placed my daughter for adoption through A Act of Love and they are absolutely amazing. I had support from the entire staff throughout my pregnancy, and now that I'm no longer pregnant I still have wonderful relationships with all of them. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was also the most amazing and incredible experience of my life.”
Robyn B.Birth mother · verified Google review

Reviews

What Birth Mothers Say

Verified reviews from women who stood exactly where you're standing.

“Within 24 hours of reaching out, I had a social worker at my house reassuring me that everything was going to be okay — and it was.”

I was in a really bad spot — pregnant with health problems, on bed rest, unable to work, with two other kids depending on me. Within 24 hours of reaching out, I had a social worker at my house, an hour away from the agency, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay — and it was. Pregnant mothers thinking of adoption: they understand and they care. You don't have to do this alone, no matter what your situation.

Destiny N.
Birth Mother

Common Questions

Questions About Giving a Baby Up for Adoption

Does it cost anything to place my baby for adoption?+

No. All services to birth mothers are confidential and at no cost, counseling, planning, and 24/7 support. Depending on your situation and state law, support may also be allowed for pregnancy-related expenses.

Do I get to choose the adoptive family?+

Yes, always. You can browse waiting families, read their letters, and choose the family that feels right. A counselor can also help you narrow it down based on what matters most to you.

Can I still see my child afterward?+

If you choose open or semi-open adoption, yes. Most modern adoptions involve some level of ongoing contact, from letters and photos to in-person visits. You decide the level of openness in your plan.

Can I give my baby up for adoption at the hospital?+

Yes. Adoption plans can be made during pregnancy, at the hospital, or even after you've brought your baby home. Counselors answer 24/7 and can start your plan the same day you reach out.

What if I don't know who the father is, or he's not involved?+

You can still make an adoption plan. Birth father situations vary by state, and our team coordinates independent legal counsel, at no cost to you, to handle the legal side correctly.

Can I change my mind?+

Until you sign consent, you can change your mind at any time, in every state — there is no obligation. Consent is always signed after birth; many states require a waiting period first (in Utah, at least 24 hours).

Will anyone find out?+

Every conversation is confidential. You decide who in your life knows. We never pressure you and never share your information.

Is giving a baby up for adoption the same as abandonment?+

No, they are completely different. Adoption is a legal, planned, loving process where you choose your child's family and can stay in contact as they grow. Your child will know their story came from love.

What are my options for an unplanned pregnancy?+

An unplanned pregnancy has more than one path: parenting with support, kinship or guardianship arrangements with family, and adoption. A licensed options counselor will talk through all of them honestly — including resources that would help you parent — because the right choice is the one that's right for you, and counseling is free whatever you decide.

Can I place my baby for adoption if I'm under 18?+

In many states, an expectant mother under 18 can still make an adoption plan; some states involve a parent, guardian, or court representative in the process. Utah law does not permit agencies to arrange travel to Utah for minors, so if you're under 18 we'll talk through exactly what's possible in your home state. Calling to ask questions is always safe, free, and confidential.

Support for birth parents seeking adoption may be provided as allowed by state law. In Utah, consent cannot be signed until at least 24 hours after birth and may be revoked within 72 hours after signing unless that revocation period is waived in writing. See our compliance notice.

Free, Confidential, 24/7

Request Free Information

Tell us a little about you. A licensed counselor will reach out within 24 hours. No pressure, no judgment.

4.8· 129 reviews
Are you pregnant looking to place for adoption? *

A licensed counselor will reach out — usually within minutes. All conversations are confidential and without obligation.