Can I receive financial assistance during my pregnancy?
Yes, Indiana law allows financial assistance from the adoptive parents for birth mothers for expenses incurred in the second trimester until six weeks after birth.
What if I have medical expenses from the pregnancy not covered by insurance. Can I get help with the payment of those expenses?
Uninsured medical expense may be paid by the adoptive parents. We encourage and assist our birth mother in signing up for pregnancy insurance prior to the baby’s birth.
Can I receive counseling after the baby is born?
Yes, Heartland Adoption Agency will work with you to set up counseling. If the expense is not covered by insurance it may be paid by the adoptive parents.
Explain the difference between an open and closed adoption?
In closed adoptions the birth mother has no contact with the adoptive parents or child after the consent for adoption has been signed and sometimes does not even meet the adoptive parents. When an adoption is considered “open”, there is usually some contact between the adoptive parents and the birth mother after the adoption. Many times the contact is periodic updates and pictures from the adoptive family to the birth mother. Sometimes visits are allowed. The terms of an open adoption are worked out between the birth mother and the adoptive parents.
Do I get to choose the adoptive parents and meet them in advance of the birth?
Yes, we encourage all our adoptive parents and birth mother to establish a relationship prior to the birth of the child. We also encourage the adoptive parents to attend OB appointments, if the birth mother is agreeable, and to talk about expectations in the hospital when the baby is born and the naming of the baby.
We also encourage birth mothers to think about the characteristics that are important to them in adopting parents. Do you wish for the baby to be the same race as the adopting parents, to have siblings or be the first child of the family, to live in Indiana or out of state, to grow up in a religious household or have one or two working parents.
Do I get a lawyer to represent me?
Yes, if you wish to have a lawyer represent you, the fees may be paid by the adoptive parents.
I have been involved with the Department of Child Services in the past, is it possible to keep the Department of Child Services from getting involved with my pregnancy?
If you have an adoption plan at time your child is born, then the Department of Child Services should not interfere with your pregnancy or the birth of your child.
How do I keep the father from finding out?
Under Indiana law, the father must preserve his rights to the baby and the mother does not have to disclose the father’s name, if known, to the adoptive parents or their attorneys.
Does the father have to consent to the adoption?
If the father is known and disclosed to the attorney then he must be given notice of the adoption. His consent is not always necessary but it is preferred.
I already had my baby but now realize I can’t take care of it. Is it too late to place my child for adoption?
No, you may place your child for adoption after the baby is born and discharged from the hospital. You may also be able to receive financial assistance with pregnancy and birth related expenses from the adoptive family. There are many families wishing to adopt and not all family want a newborn baby.
What happens at the hospital when I have the baby.
We encourage you to create a labor and delivery plan with the adopting parents for your hospital stay. You will be able to decide how much time you wish to spend with the baby in the hospital and whether or not you want anyone present during the birth. After the consent is sign, the court will issue an order of custody to the adopting parents and the baby will go home with the adopting parents.