Independent Adoption

During an Independent Adoption in Florida, you can choose to go through an agency or you can also look for a birth mother yourself. If you are doing this on your own, there are many things you are prohibited from doing, such as advertising yourself for a birth mother. You are also prohibited from doing certain things as far as reimbursements or payments to a birth mother. It is best, once you have identified a birth mother, to contact an attorney immediately. The advantage of these kinds of adoptions Is that the parties know each other and the process is more open.

However, it is important to have an early understanding of what will happen at the hospital, and whether or not there will be some post-birth contact. Therefore, each party should have consulted with an attorney as to their rights and responsibilities in an independent adoption. Some hospitals are more supportive of these adoptions than others, so careful planning is important. At Almeida & Gordy, P.A., the attorneys can help guide you with what you can and cannot pay for during a pregnancy of a birth mother. It is important early on to deal with a father through an independent adoption plan if possible. Not taking into account a potential father can be a problem during the actual adoption.

Above all, you must remember that no consent is binding on a birth mother until 72 hours after birth or in certain circumstances, the date of her release from the hospital. The father cannot consent until after birth. That means you can have planned for a child, and the birth mother or father may change their mind. It is heartbreaking, but you have to be prepared for that possibility. It is also very important to have a social worker retained during pregnancy to assure as health a baby as possible. Due to the complexity of these cases, you want to talk to an attorney as early in the process as you can.