Your Rights as a Birth Mother in Las Vegas
Your Rights as a Birth Mother in Las Vegas
One of the many aspects of the adoption process is the legal side of it. The side that determines what you have the right to do and what not to do. This can vary from state to state, and sometimes agency to agency, making it very difficult to get a firm grasp on what’s okay and not. After all, the decision to place your child for adoption is personal, and you’re the only one who can make it.
Adoption Choices of Las Vegas understands this frustration and are here to help. As our adoption agency is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the following information will be about your rights as a birth mother in the state of Nevada and anything specific to the city of Las Vegas.
Important Birth Mother Rights You have in Las Vegas
The Right to Make All Decisions in Your Adoption Journey
A beneficial aspect of choosing adoption is that you are in charge of your choices. You can choose the adoptive family, the level of openness for future contact, and you can create your birth and hospital plan. Not only does this help reduce your stress and anxiety levels, but it also helps you feel confident in your decisions and know what to expect as you navigate through the adoption process.
If you would prefer to keep your adoption process confidential, that is up to you as well. We will support and respect whatever decisions you make. Your adoption journey is all about what’s best for you and your baby.
The Right to Name Your Baby
If you have a name picked out that you’d like to give your name, you have the right to give this to him or her after they are born. The adoptive parents are not legally obligated to keep the name you choose, but it will forever be recorded on your baby’s Original Birth Certificate (OBC), along with your name, and the name of your child’s birth father, if you wish to include it.
This aspect of your adoption journey is very personal and the choice is completely up to you. There is no pressure either way. If you’ve agreed to an open adoption with the adoptive parents, you have the right to discuss sharing your child’s name. For instance, one of you taking the first or middle name. The name you agree on will then be legally awarded on the Amended Birth Certificate (ABC) when the adoption is finalized.
The Right to Change Your Mind
While this is a rare occurrence, it’s still important for you to be aware of. After all, you are your baby’s primary and legal guardian until you sign away your parental rights. You have control over what happens in your adoption journey until the adoption has been finalized. This includes your hospital experience. Even though the adoptive parents may be present with you, and excited about holding their new son or daughter, if you want to spend time alone with your baby, that’s completely okay. Let your adoption caseworker know and the arrangements will be made for you. Or, if you choose not to and want the adoptive parents to be the first ones to hold the child, that’s okay too. The choice is always yours.
In the state of Nevada, you have 72 hours after your baby is born to sign away your parental rights. This means you can also change your mind in this amount of time as well. However, because you’ve gone through the adoption process and selected the adoptive family who will raise your child, you’ve already come to terms with your decision. You know what’s best for you and your child. For this reason, while you have the right to change your mind, doing so isn’t a common choice this far into the adoption journey.
Your Rights as a Birth Mother in Las Vegas
Understanding the more legal aspect of the adoption process may feel overwhelming — and understandably so. However, when you work with Adoption Choices of Las Vegas, you will never be alone. Your adoption caseworker will walk you through every step of the adoption journey and answer any questions you may have. We also have in-house legal representatives available if you want to learn more about your rights with your specific circumstances. Not only will this give you further insight into the adoption process, but it will also set you up for success and ensure that you have a positive and empowering adoption journey overall.
To learn more about birth mother rights or starting your own adoption journey, feel free to contact us! We are always here to help you in any way we can.
Adoption Choices of Las Vegas has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across in Las Vegas since 2012. For information more general to Nevada, please visit our mother site Adoption Choices of Nevada. For information specific to Reno, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Reno. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: CALL OR TEXT 702-474-4673
Meet the Author: Cynthia Knott is pursuing her English major and Educational Studies minor at Siena College. As President of Siena’s Best Buddies club and secretary during sophomore year, she was always writing and editing emails or flyers. She not only loves reading, but also enjoys researching any topic that intrigues her. Ever since she was 12 years old, Cynthia would watch every documentary on YouTube and then excitedly summarize each one for her family.
Along with various volunteer work at soup kitchens and schools, Cynthia has worked as a telephone marketer and childcare employee. She is grateful to these experiences, as they have allowed her to meet all types of people and developed her communication skills through them. This, in turn, has enhanced her writing skills.