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AdoptHelp

Putting Up Baby for Adoption in Florida

Putting Up Baby for Adoption in Florida

Explore your choices, learn what's possible

We are here to empower, support, and guide you

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and thinking about adoption in Florida, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to make this decision on your own. At AdoptHelp, we provide information and nationwide support for expectant mothers, including those in Florida who are exploring private open adoption.

Florida birth parents can work with any licensed adoption agency or attorney in the country. Many choose national programs like ours because we offer access to more adoptive families, flexible resources, and personalized guidance. We also work with experienced Florida-based attorneys, Florida adoption agencies, and Florida adoption professionals, making the process seamless and fully supportive, wherever you live in the state.

What Does It Mean to Put a Baby Up for Adoption in Florida?

Modern open adoption calls this placing a baby for adoption and it means that you are making a personal and courageous decision to provide your baby with a future filled with love, stability, and opportunity. There are millions of families who struggle with infertility and are hoping to be selected. If you’re living in Florida and exploring adoption, the law allows you to choose whichever program you want, to select any family you want, and make a personalized private adoption plan anywhere in the United States.

At AdoptHelp, our nationwide team is available 24/7 to help create an adoption plan that fits your needs. You’ll have the option to select a family, outline your preferences for contact, and receive assistance from licensed professionals every step of the way. We also work with experienced Florida adoption attorneys who will ensure your rights are protected and that all legal steps are handled properly.

How to Put a Baby Up for Adoption in Florida – Step by Step

Here’s how the adoption process typically works for birth mothers in Florida:

1. Contact Us Anytime

Call, text, or email us day or night. All conversations are confidential, and there’s no obligation to move forward until you’re ready.

2. Create Your Personalized Adoption Plan

We’ll help you build a plan that reflects your wishes, from choosing the adoptive family to deciding the type of adoption you prefer (open, semi-open, or closed).

3. Choose a Family

We work with adoptive families across the country who are fully screened, home-study approved, and ready to welcome a child. You can choose a family from Florida or out of state, it’s completely your choice.

4. Get Legal and Financial Support

We work with Florida-based adoption attorneys who can explain your rights and handle the legal paperwork at no cost to you. We also will assist you in receiving financial assistance to cover pregnancy-related expenses such as housing, food, transportation, and medical care.

5. Delivery and Placement

When the baby is born, you’ll have time to recover, the family you select typically will be with you and the baby and then after you are discharged from the hospital you will make your final decision. Placement only happens when you’re fully ready and have signed legal consent documents.

6. Post-Placement Support

If you choose an open or semi-open adoption, we’ll help arrange post-placement contact with the adoptive family. Ongoing support is available to you even after placement.

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Is It Free to Put a Baby Up for Adoption in Florida?

Yes. There are no costs to you for making an adoption plan. Florida law allows adoptive families to assist with reasonable and necessary pregnancy-related expenses. These may include:

  • Rent and utilities
  • Food and groceries
  • Transportation
  • Maternity clothes
  • Prenatal medical care
  • Counseling services
  • Phone service, toiletries, and other basic needs

These forms of support are available to help relieve financial pressure during your pregnancy and typically for up to six weeks after birth.

General Information about Florida Adoption Laws and Your Rights

In Florida, you have full legal rights and control throughout the adoption process

Adoption laws are in place to protect your interests and ensure that all decisions are made voluntarily, ethically, and with a clear understanding of your options.

You are entitled to be represented by an experienced Florida adoption attorney, at no cost to you, who will guide you through every legal step, answer your questions, and help ensure that your rights are protected at all times.

When Can You Sign Consent in Florida?

Florida law allows you to sign legal consent for adoption no earlier than 48 hours after birth, or upon medical discharge from the hospital, whichever comes first. This waiting period gives you time to recover and reflect on your decision in a safe, supported environment.

Once consent is given, it is typically legally binding and irrevocable, unless a court later determines that it was obtained through fraud or duress. Your attorney will go over every detail with you to ensure you understand exactly what you’re signing, and that you feel confident and at peace with your choice.

What About the Baby’s Father?

Florida law also addresses the rights of the baby’s biological father. His level of involvement in the adoption process depends on several factors, including whether he is married to you, has established paternity, or has taken steps to assume parental responsibility.

  • If the father is known and involved, he may be asked to consent to the adoption. We will work with you and your attorney to determine the best way to move forward based on your circumstances.
  • If the father is unknown, uninvolved, or has not legally established paternity, the court may proceed with the adoption without his consent after due diligent efforts are made regarding notice.
  • Florida maintains a Putative Father Registry, which allows an unmarried biological father to preserve his rights, but only if he files a claim before the child is born or shortly thereafter.

At AdoptHelp, we’ll help coordinate with your attorney to address the birth father’s role with sensitivity, discretion, and legal accuracy, always with your safety and comfort as the priority.

You’re in Control of the Adoption Plan

Putting up a baby for adoption in Florida doesn’t mean giving up control; it means choosing what’s right for you and your baby. You get to decide:

  • Who the adoptive parents are
  • What kind of contact you want (if any) after placement
  • What support you need during and after your pregnancy
  • Whether you choose a family in Florida or out-of-state

We’re here to help you make choices that feel right for you, on your timeline, with no pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Putting Up a Baby for Adoption

1. How old do I have to be to make an adoption plan?

Most birth mothers are over 21, so age usually isn’t an issue. But if you’re under 18, Florida has a few special rules:

  • If you’re under 14, a parent, legal guardian, or court-appointed guardian must be present when you sign your consent.
  • If you’re 14 to 17, you can sign the adoption consent on your own — no need for your parents’ involvement.

In every case, a birth mother signs adoption consents in front of a notary and a witness, and must follow Florida’s legal process.

2. Can I have an open adoption?

Yes, many birth mothers choose open adoption. That means you can stay in touch with the adoptive family and your child after the adoption, as long as everyone agrees.
Florida law allows for this kind of post-adoption contact. It needs to be in the child’s best interest and something agreed to by the adoptive parents. If you want post-adoption contact, let us know, and we will require the family you select to be open to continuing contact.

3. When do I sign the legal paperwork?

In Florida, you can’t sign adoption placement documents until at least 48 hours after the baby is born, or the day you’re told you’re ready to be discharged from the hospital or birth center, whichever happens first. This gives you time to rest and recover before you sign legal documents. This means you have the right to change your mind about the adoption up until you sign the legal paperwork.

4. Can I change my mind after signing?

Once your consent is signed according to Florida adoption law, it is legally binding and can’t be taken back — unless a court finds fraud or coercion. That’s why it’s so important to have a trustworthy and experienced team supporting you, to have a connection with the family you select, and to be certain with your decision before you sign your consent paperwork.

5. What kind of financial support/living expenses can I receive?

Florida adoption laws provide that adoptive families are allowed to help you with reasonable and necessary expenses during your pregnancy and for up to six weeks after the baby is born, including:

  • Living Expenses – rent, food, utilities, phone service, transportation, clothes, toiletries, etc.
  • Medical Costs – prenatal care, hospital bills, and related health expenses
  • Counseling – before and after the adoption
  • Legal Help – to make sure everything is done properly and ethically

These types of support are available if you’re unable to work or don’t have the financial resources to cover them yourself.

6. Can I choose a family from another state?

Yes, you can! You have the freedom to choose any adoptive family in the U.S., not just ones in Florida. Many birth mothers choose families through national programs like AdoptHelp because of the wide range of amazing, fully screened families we work with.
If the adoptive family lives outside Florida, the adoption has to follow something called the Interstate Compact For The Placement Of Children or “ICPC” — an agreement between all 50 states to make sure interstate adoptions are legal and safe. Our program and the attorneys we work with will take care of that paperwork for you. Also, you can choose to deliver out-of-state or have the family you chose travel to Florida to be at the hospital. It is your choice as to where you want to deliver the baby, which family you choose, and who travels to whom.

You Have Options – and a Voice

As a birth mother in Florida, you have the legal right to choose the adoption plan, adoptive family, and program that’s right for you—even if it’s based outside of Florida. At AdoptHelp, we’ve helped hundreds of women like you connect with families across the country to build a plan that reflects your values and hopes for your baby.
We’re here to provide guidance, emotional support, and a team of trusted professionals—including Florida attorneys and agencies we work with—to help bring your plan to life.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is unique, and laws may change or be interpreted differently. If you would like legal guidance, we can refer you to a licensed Florida adoption attorney who works with our program.

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