What Duties Do I Owe Or Will I Owe As A Birth Mother To The Adoptive Parents Of My Unborn Child?

The only duty for birth mothers is to stay healthy and avoid substances or activities that would harm the fetus. If the adopting couple is supporting you financially and just waiting to hear from you, it would be nice to keep them posted on how you’re doing. They’re often anxious to know how you’re doing and anxious for you to have a comfort level with them as the adoptive parents of your child.

Showing strong communication with adoptive parents is a nice thing to do because they are paying bills and offering you and your child a beautiful home. Therefore, staying in touch and remaining healthy is an obligation.

What Mental And Physical Health Information Will I Have To Disclose As The Birth Mother During The Adoption Process?

You’ll want to disclose your full family medical history because it will help the adoptive parents be more informed in raising the child. Everybody’s family has something, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about or ashamed of. Mental illness, alcoholism, and diabetes are examples of details that you should share. The more information you give, the better they can raise your child.

What Expectations And Duties Do The Adoptive Parents Owe To Me As The Birth Mother In Florida, If Any?

Adoptive parents have moral obligations to the birth parents to commit to assisting financially and providing the child with a loving home.

An important note law applying to the state of Florida is that there are no enforceable open adoption agreements. Many people are misled to think there are open adoption agreements. However, there are not. Therefore, it’s vital to get to know your adoptive parents because trust is essential for building a relationship where they send you pictures, letters and consistent updates, if that’s what you want in the future. In my experience, when adoptive parents promise to do this, they have always followed through.

There are websites now that facilitate communication between the birth parents and adoptive parents. One is called Adopt Connect where parents can upload pictures and updates including medical information. Let’s say your mother has breast cancer—it’s good to let them know in case the child might be carrying genetics that are prone to a specific condition. So that’s a nice thing to facilitate the communication but there is a trust factor involved with all these adoptions.

How Much Information Can I Find Out About An Adoptive Family While I’m Starting This Process?

You can find out as much information about an adoptive family as you want to. Some people wouldn’t feel comfortable with you having their last name, address and telephone number. If this is not what you are looking for, then that family would simply not be a viable choice for you. As attorneys for adoption, we try to match people up based on each party’s specific interests. However, birth parents typically meet the adoptive parents. Birth parents can also trust in the home study done by the court or social worker. An attorney such as myself will also complete a background check on the families.

As A Birth Mother, Does The Adoptive Family Have Any Say As Far As My Medical Care, My Diet? How Involved In The Process Would They Be?

There are no requirements or specifications for diet or medical care as long as you remain as healthy as possible. The adoptive family may provide you with a yoga class and extra grocery money for organic foods. They may also attend doctor visits with you, supporting you and trying to make your life as comfortable and healthy as possible. However, they cannot dictate exactly what you must do.“ Adoption, unlike surrogacy, does not include any such provisions in the contract.

I’m Pregnant And Considering Adoption. Do I Need An Attorney?

If you are pregnant and considering adoption, you should have an attorney. You do not have to use the same attorney as the adoptive parents. However, in Florida, attorneys can act as an intermediary, which means we can work with both you and the adoptive parents.

For more information on Adoption Law in Florida, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (561) 330-6700 today.