What to know about making an adoption hospital plan

When you have chosen to place your child for adoption, you will have many important decisions and plans to make. One of them is the adoption hospital plan, in which you can decide what you want your birth experience in the hospital to be like. In addition to the traditional aspects of birth planning – including things like whether you want an epidural and what music you want playing in the delivery room – you can also decide many other things about your hospital stay when planning adoption.

What’s included in an adoption hospital plan?

An adoption hospital plan is a document that allows you to decide about many things related to your time in the hospital – before, during and after your baby is born. Our experienced Florida adoption counselors will help you create an adoption hospital plan that respects your wishes and makes you feel most comfortable. Planning adoption can be an empowering experience for you, and taking control of your delivery and hospital stay is an important part of that.

When thinking about the things you might want to include in your adoption hospital plan, think about what you want your experience in the hospital to look and feel like.

• Do you want to be listed as a “no information” patient?
• Will the adoptive parents be invited to the hospital?
• Do you wish to meet with the adoptive parents at the hospital? If so, where?
• Who would you like to have with you in the delivery or labor room?
• Who would you like to support you during the delivery?
• What kind of pain control do you want for the delivery, if any?
• If you need a C-section, who is the one person who will be allowed into the room with you?
• Who would you like to cut the baby’s umbilical cord?
• Who would you like to have visit you during your recovery?
• Do you want to see and hold your baby after he or she is born?
• Do you want the baby to stay in the recovery room with you during your time at the hospital?
• If you do not want to see your baby, who should be the first person to do so?
• Do you want photos with the baby and/or adoptive parents?
• Do you want to feed your baby yourself during your time in the hospital? How would you like the baby to be fed?
• What name do you want on your baby’s birth certificate?
• Do you want your baby to receive the hepatitis B vaccine?
• What mementos do you want to keep from your child’s birth? Do you want the adoptive parents to have copies to keep?
• Do you want to be discharged from the hospital on your own, before or after the adoptive parents?

Planning adoption and delivery puts you in control

Many pregnant mothers are surprised to learn that they have such a great deal of control over every aspect of planning adoption. Making a hospital adoption plan is just one area where you can empower yourself to shape not just your child’s future, but your own birth experience.

Our Florida adoption counselors are happy to walk you through the many decisions related to your time in the hospital. We admire your bravery and want you to have the best possible birth and adoption experience. Contact us to learn more about making an adoption hospital plan.