Adoption After You've Delivered

While a surprise pregnancy may come as a shock, you are not alone. We have helped many other women who didn’t know they were pregnant until they went into labor!

You still have every option available, including adoption. Contact Adoption Advocates as soon as you feel ready; we can help you understand the process, explain your rights, and support you with counseling and resources.

Some women worry that a lack of prenatal care will make adoption more difficult. Please know that loving adoptive families are prepared for many different circumstances and will absolutely welcome your baby, even if you had no prenatal care or didn’t know about the pregnancy.

Absolutely. You have the same rights as any expectant parent considering adoption. You can review approved family profiles, talk with potential adoptive parents, and choose the family you believe will provide the life you want for your child.

View our current waiting families

There is no set deadline. You may take the time you need—whether that’s a couple of days or longer—to consider your options. You remain your baby’s legal parent until you voluntarily sign relinquishment papers. Your adoption specialist can guide you through the process whenever you’re ready.

If you have not made a decision before hospital discharge, you may take your baby home while you continue to consider your options. Moms working with Adoption Advocates also can request cradle care, a type of private foster care provided by an adoption agency on a short-term basis.

Yes. You can create an adoption plan at any time—whether you’ve just taken your baby home or you’ve been parenting for a while. Adoption Advocates is licensed in Texas to place children up to three years old.

An adoption specialist can meet you wherever you are, explain your options, and help you take the next steps. Until you sign legal relinquishment papers, you remain your baby’s legal parent and have the right to decide what’s best.