The Adoption Process in Maryland | Step By Step

If you’re pregnant and considering adoption in Maryland, it’s important to realize that choosing adoption isn’t about “giving up” your baby. Instead, it’s about crafting a loving plan for both you and your child. It’s about deciding what’s best for your child, even when that decision is tough.

While some aspects of adoption might seem daunting, A Baby Step Adoption is with you at every step to ensure that you feel comfortable and content with your journey.

The information provided here offers a quick summary of the adoption process in Maryland. If you have more questions, we’re here to guide you through your options.

1. Consider Your Options

When dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, it’s important to carefully evaluate every possible choice. Think about the most suitable path for you at this moment, whether it’s raising your child, considering adoption, or thinking about abortion. A Baby Step Adoption is dedicated to helping you explore these choices in a supportive and unbiased manner, aiming to find the most joyful journey for you and your loved ones. Our case workers will walk you through all your options, not just adoption, answer your questions, and provide you with any help or information you need to make the best choice for you and your baby.

Should you choose adoption, it’s essential to select an adoption agency that honors your choices and respects you. Your comfort and welfare should be the biggest concern of any agency you decide to work with. Remember, adoption in Maryland should be free of cost for you, so there should be as little stress as possible.

2. Find Your Adoption Agency

If you decide parenting is not the right course of action for you right now, there are different methods of putting your baby up for adoption. In Maryland, you can either go with an agency like A Baby Step Adoption, or go through the process privately with an attorney. Either way, you’ll be protected and matched up with prospective parents. Whichever method you choose, just make sure that you feel comfortable throughout the entire process.

If you have any questions, you can also call the national adoption hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION, and they will help address any concerns you have before formally starting the process.

3. Contact Birth Father

In Maryland, you have to try to get the birth father’s approval before putting your baby up for adoption. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable getting in touch with him, or simply do not know who he is, an adoption agency can attempt to contact him on your behalf. 

There are different situations depending on whether or not you know who the father is. Here are some common scenarios:

You Know Who The Birth Father Is

If you know the baby’s biological father and can contact him, it’s necessary to inform him about the pregnancy and your adoption plans. In such situations, the birth father must also agree to the adoption and give up his parental rights. Birth parents can do this after the baby is born.

You Do Not Know Who The Birth Father Is

If you’re not sure who the baby’s biological father is, or if there could be several potential fathers, an adoption lawyer will help you try to reach out to them. 

In Maryland, it’s important to try and inform any possible fathers about your plans to adopt. If you don’t, you can’t legally go ahead with the adoption. If the birth father doesn’t answer when you reach out, the court will give him 30 days after the baby is born to claim he is the father. If he doesn’t make contact within those 30 days, he will lose his parental rights automatically, and you can continue with the adoption process.

4. Create an Adoption Plan

After picking an agency, think about whether an open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption suits you best. The kind of adoption plan you choose will shape how much you’ll be in touch with the adoptive family and your baby during the adoption and even after. Consider key questions about the kind of connection you want with your baby, and what sort of home you’d like for them.

5. Select a Family

After you’ve figured out the answers to those questions, you can start choosing a family for your baby. This decision is completely yours, and it should be an exciting part of the process! A Baby Step Adoption offers a lot of loving families that are waiting, and you can look through them to find the perfect fit for you and your baby.

You’ll have the chance to talk to the parents over the phone, through virtual meetings, or face-to-face, depending on where they are and other factors. Use this time to learn about the potential parents, find out what you have in common, talk about how you both imagine your child’s future, and share any worries you might have.

6. Create a Hospital Plan

Your adoption caseworker will help you create a plan for your hospital stay in order to deliver the baby. Be sure when making your plan that you provide your medical history and information to the caseworker beforehand to be certain that your health remains a priority.

Consider details like who you may want with you in the delivery room for this process, who you’d first like to hold the baby, and what kind of contact you’d like to have with the baby in the hospital, and your caseworker can help you plan accordingly.

7. Finalize the Adoption

After you’ve given birth, you will be discharged from the hospital, usually within 72 hours. Around that time, an adoption professional will give you the Consent to Adoption forms to sign, which will make the adoption final. Up until that point, you have the option to change your mind, but once the Consent To Adoption is signed, it is official.

At that point, you should feel proud of yourself for making a bold, selfless decision for both you, your baby, and their new family.

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If you’re considering starting the adoption process in Maryland, reach out to an agency, like A Baby Step Adoption, that has your best interests at heart. 

Picking the right family for your baby is a big step. At ABSA, we have families ready and waiting. Most times, birth mothers pick a family for their baby before they are born. After your baby is born, the agency helps make sure your baby goes to their new family safely and supports you afterward.

If you have any more questions, call us at 610-906-8877 or send a text to 610-376-9742. We’re here to help every step of the way.