Expectant Parent
Adoption Process for Expectant Mothers
Contact Hopeful Beginnings
If you are pregnant and considering adoption, call us. You can talk with a counselor who will ask you some basic questions. You should feel comfortable asking the counselor questions as well. You won’t be pressured. From this call on (even after your pregnancy), you and your needs become a priority to us. Our services are free, and you are under no obligation to work with Hopeful Beginnings. Making the first call is an important step to getting reliable, unbiased information about your options and the support you need to make a plan that is best for you and your baby.
Meet With A Counselor
You might have felt scared or unsure of who to talk with about your pregnancy. When you work with Hopeful Beginnings, your counselor will be there for you whenever you want to talk. She will travel to a location that is most convenient for you, and together, you can explore your options and talk about your feelings and concerns related to your unplanned pregnancy – all in an effort to help you and your baby. Your counselor also will talk with you to make sure you are informed of your Birth Parent Rights and Responsibilities and are aware of adoption facts.
If You Choose To Make An Adoption Plan…
If you decide to place your baby for adoption, Hopeful Beginnings will help you create an adoption plan specifically tailored to your needs. You can choose the adoptive family for your baby and have the option of meeting with them prior to the baby’s birth.
Hopeful Beginnings thoroughly screens and educates prospective adoptive families to ensure that they will provide a loving and stable home for your child. If you wish to have continued contact following placement, Hopeful Beginnings will help you establish an ongoing relationship with your baby’s adoptive family through pictures, letters, phone calls, and visits. The level of openness in your relationship in which you are most comfortable with will be respected. Whichever adoption plan you choose, Hopeful Beginnings counselors are here to support you for as long as you might need assistance.
When Your Baby Is Born
Understandably, birth parents often become overwhelmed with emotions surrounding the birth of their baby. Your counselor will come to the hospital to provide you with support and counseling during this time. As your advocate, your counselor will work alongside the hospital staff to ensure your needs are met during your hospital stay. If adoption is still your plan, your counselor will proceed at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Illinois law states that birth mothers must wait 72 hours after the baby’s birth before signing any legal adoption paperwork. Your counselor will discuss your options for the baby’s stay during these three days, as well as the next steps in your plan.
Placement
Your level of involvement in placement is up to you. Some birth mothers choose to have a placement ceremony, while others decide that they would rather not be at the child’s placement. Regardless, your Hopeful Beginnings counselor will be there to support you.
Keeping In Touch
Although making an adoption plan is a selfless, loving decision, it can also be a difficult one. Your counselor is available to meet with you after placement for as long as you need help in the healing process. Hopeful Beginnings has other birth parents who you can talk with about your feelings, as they likely experienced something similar. It is important to remember that Hopeful Beginnings is always a resource to you, regardless of when your adoption occurred. We understand that adoption is a life-long journey, and we will be there for you throughout the entire trip.
If you are pregnant and would like to speak to someone immediately, please call or text HOPE1 to 67076.
Reach Out to Us
Contact Hopeful Beginnings regarding our services or any general questions you have. One of our counselors will be in touch with you shortly. You may also call or email information@hopefulbeginning.org for additional information.
Real Stories, Real Feedback
Insights from Birth Moms and
Adoptive Families
Hopeful Beginnings is a truly remarkable organization that is making a real difference in the community. Their commitment to helping women and children is inspiring, and they approach their work with passion, dedication, and integrity. The agency is incredibly professional, compassionate, and driven to help those in need. I’m proud to support their mission and encourage anyone looking to make a meaningful contribution to get involved. This nonprofit is truly making a lasting difference!
Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary's is a remarkable organization that truly makes a difference in the community. Their dedication to supporting families through various life challenges is inspiring. From offering counseling and parenting support to providing adoption services, they seem to offer an incredible range of resources for those in need. While I haven't personally used their services, I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the compassionate care they provide. It’s clear that they are deeply committed to helping families thrive and offering hope to those who seek it. If you're in need of support or guidance, Hopeful Beginnings of...
We adopted 2 children through St. Mary's in 2014 after waiting less than a year. We had looked at 2 other agencies and felt the most comfortable with them. They really looked at us as people and not just another waiting family or a number in their pool. Out of all the agencies, we felt they had the most heart then and still do to this day. Their staff is wonderful and was with us every step of the way - through up's and downs. They were easy to work with and made the process as easy as it could...
Over the past few years I have referred many clients to Saint Mary's Services. Everyone that I have referred to them always has the utmost praise for their professionalism, counseling services and heartfelt desire to help. Saint Mary's is more than an adoption agency. They provide options counseling for women with unplanned pregnancies, emotional support for birth mothers and adoptive families, parenting classes, postpartum depression counseling and a host of other community related services. They open their hearts and arms to everyone.
A wonderful group of professional women who counsel and work here with heart and compassion. You will always find open arms to all and a listening ear.
Wonderful people and a wonderful cause. Very helpful to birth mothers through tough times, also great for couples looking to add to their family. Love them.
As a board member for St. Mary's Services for 8 years, I have had an excellent view of the growth of the agency. The staff is passionate about the mission, "Every child deserves a good home". Our executive director is a visionary. She has created an environment that encourages inventive solutions and programs to support the women, children and families in the community. From the volunteers to the board of trustees, the focus is always how best can we help create loving, caring and stable families.
There couldn't be a group of more passionate, caring people as there are at Hopeful Beginnings. They all truly love what they do. Everyone who comes in contact with this team can really feel it.
They offer numerous services for birth moms as they navigate the adoption journey. The attention they give and care they provide for waiting families is wonderful. My wife and I chose them in late 2011 because they were smaller and really felt comfortable. Personal touch is paramount during this process for both birth moms and families waiting. St Mary’s provides this on an ongoing basis. ... I will forever be thankful .... to this organization for fostering the unconditional love my nearly 7 year old daughter provides my wife and I since we... brought her home at 3 days old....
In the past ten years, I've reconnected and am proud to now serve on the board. The caring staff are true to the founding sisters' vision that every child deserves a good home. In addition to adoption, outreach to high school teens, workshops for parents, and many types of counseling for women continue to provide listening and guidance with dignity and compassion for women, children, ... and families. ... Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary's continues to make an enormous positive difference in many people's lives as it has in mine.
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St Mary’s Services DBA Hopeful Beginnings is a 501c3, registered under EIN #36-2167889.