Gulf Coast Adoptions serves birth mothers, expectant mothers, and adoptive parents in newborn adoptions in Alabama. There is no cost for birth mothers.
Birth mothers
If you are a birth mother or expectant mother and considering adoption for your baby, we invite you to contact us. Learn about newborn adoptions in Alabama. We answer your questions and listen without judgment. Our services are free for you.
Adoptive families
If you are a person or couple considering newborn adoption in Alabama, we invite you to contact Gulf Coast Adoptions. See how we can facilitate your adoption.
Understanding Newborn Adoption in Alabama
Newborn adoption in Alabama creates a new parent-child relationship for a newborn. It ends the parent-child relationship with the birth mother and father. The adoptive parents become the legal parents of the infant, with all rights and responsibilities of parenthood.
Alabama allows infant adoptions. Gulf Coast Adoptions takes care of the legal steps and guides the process. To learn more and get help now, contact us.
The Newborn Adoption Process in Alabama
A newborn adoption in Alabama starts with the birth mother making the loving choice to place their baby for adoption.
Choosing the adoptive family
In a private newborn adoption, the birth mother may choose who will adopt her baby. The birth mother decides what is important to her in an adoptive family. The State of Alabama is not involved in the choice when it’s a private, newborn adoption.
Planning
Next, the birth mother and adoptive family decide how they want the adoption to work. Alabama newborn adoptions may be open or closed. An infant can be placed directly with the adoptive family at the hospital, but the adoption won’t be final at that time.
Open adoptions
Open adoption means that the birth mother and adoptive family openly share information. Those involved can decide what and how much to share.
Closed adoption
In a closed adoption, a third party acts as a go-between for those involved. An attorney can be the intermediary. No contact information is exchanged. The birth mother and adoptive family have complete privacy. When the adoption is complete, records are sealed, and access is limited.
Alabama has a registry for birth mothers and adoptees who want to find each other by mutual agreement. Adoptees can seek birth parent information when they turn 19, but usually, they need the consent of the birth parent to get it.
Preliminary steps for adoptive families
For adoptive families, the adoption process begins with deciding to adopt.
A major step in a newborn adoption in Alabama is a home study. The study is required, even if the birth mother has already selected the family for adoption.
A home study involves background checks, home visits, financial disclosures, health evaluations, and more. The purpose of the home study is to make sure that the prospective parents are fit to adopt a child.
In Alabama, a pre-placement home study can be done before a specific child is identified. The home study is good for 24 months for a child’s placement. A child can’t be placed in a home until the home study is done.
Relinquishing Rights
In newborn adoptions, the mother may consent to the adoption before or after birth. If done pre-birth, the consent must be signed or confirmed before a judge of probate as required by Alabama code § 26-10-12. If done after birth, the consent must be in writing and state the information required in Alabama Code § 26-10E-11. It must state that the individual understands that by singing, they’re forfeiting their rights and obligations to the child.
Ala. Code. § 26-10E-11, § 26-10E-12.
Can a birth mother withdraw their consent to adoption in Alabama?
Yes. A birth mother may withdraw consent to adoption in Alabama up to five days after the child is born or five days after completing the relinquishment of rights, whichever is later.
Ala. Code § 26-10E-13.
Mother Consent
The birth mother’s consent to newborn adoption is always required in Alabama. The only exception is if parental rights have been terminated.
Father Consent
Alabama law distinguishes between legal and putative fathers when it comes to consent for newborn adoption.
Legal father
A legal father is married to the mother, or attempted to marry the mother, and the child is born within 300 days of the marriage. If the child has a legal father, they must consent to newborn adoption.
Putative father
A putative father must register with the Putative Father Registry within 30 days of the child’s birth. They must respond within 30 days of notice of the adoption proceeding. If they don’t, their consent to the adoption is not required.
A putative father’s intent to claim paternity is revokable. Their consent to adoption is not revocable.
A putative father may sign a statement denying paternity.
Ala. Code § 26-10C-1, § 26-10E-10, § 26-10E-17.
Legal process
Newborn adoptions are legal proceedings in Alabama. The adoptive parents petition the court. There are two important steps: terminating the parent-child relationship of the birth parents and creating the parent-child relationship with the adoptive parents.
Alabama imposes a waiting period before a newborn adoption can be finalized. The adoption can be finalized 60 days after placement.
The legal standard for ordering the adoption is the best interests of the child.
Lawyer for Newborn Adoptions in Alabama
If you are a birth mother or adoptive family considering newborn adoption in Alabama, we invite you to talk to a lawyer. We treat birth mothers with unconditional understanding and respect. We provide a legally sound, personalized experience for adoptive families.
Call or message us now to begin your newborn adoption in Alabama.
Alabama Newborn Adoption FAQs
How do I start newborn adoption as a birth mother in Alabama?
To start a newborn adoption as a birth mother in Alabama, contact an organization that handles infant adoptions, like Gulf Coast Adoptions. The first steps are to create an adoption plan and choose a family to adopt your baby. We’ll help you every step of the way.
Does Alabama allow agreements for post-adoption contact by the birth mother?
The adoptive parents can agree to allow a birth mother to have contact with their child after the adoption is complete. But in Alabama, the court will not enforce it. It can still be helpful to put an understanding in writing to clarify expectations, but the birth mother should be aware that the courts will not enforce it.
Does the baby’s father have to support the birth mother during pregnancy?
If a legal or birth father fails to provide financial or emotional support, or both, for the biological mother during the last four months of pregnancy, when they know about the pregnancy, their consent to the adoption is implied.
Ala. Code § 26-10E-9.
What if I don’t know who the father is?
If the putative father is unknown, the mother must swear in an affidavit that the putative father’s identity is unknown. Then, the father’s consent is not required, unless his identity is otherwise made known to the court.
Ala. Code § 26-10E-10.
What if I am a minor as a birth mother?
If you are a minor placing your baby for adoption in Alabama, the court will appoint a guardian ad litem for you. This is an attorney who is specially trained to represent your interests. If you’re at least 14, you can nominate your own guardian ad litem.
Ala. Code § 26-10E-8.
Can a birth mother stop the adoption after the five days are over?
After the five days, consent can only be withdrawn for fraud, duress, mistake, or undue influence. These grounds are limited to one year after the judgment of adoption and the appeal is entered. After that, the adoption can only be set aside because of adoptee kidnapping.
Ala. Code § 26-10E-14.
Can adoptive parents pay expenses for the birth mother for a newborn adoption?
Yes. Alabama allows adopting parents to pay expenses related to the child for the birth mother. These expenses may include healthcare and hospitalization costs for the pregnancy, living expenses, counseling, and legal fees. Adoptive parents must file an accounting of the expenses.
Can my parents block a newborn adoption in Alabama?
Usually not. Even if a grandparent wants to stop their child from placing a newborn up for adoption, the biological parent usually has the final say.