Can Birth Parents Change Their Minds?

Question

I don't know if this is true or not because people are always giving bad advise or unture information when it comes to adoption because they don't understand why I want to adopt.

Ok, someone just told me that the Birth Parents have 2 years to change their minds. Is this true???

This sounds a bit ridiculous to me...I've never heard of this.

I think if this were true every Birth Mother in America would be taking her child back.

Answer 1

Every state has different laws.  To be sure on the time frame you would have to check your states requirements.

There is also an issue with one birth parent not knowing that their child was put up for adoption, in the case of the birthmother not telling the birth father.  This is a different issue altogether and this also varies from state to state.

Unfortunately, the answer is not black and white.  They are many shades of gray when children are involved.

Answer 2

Two years seems like a lot of time.  I've always heard they had 30 days or something like that.  Then again, that is just something I've heard and not actually looked into.  I'm sure it depends on the type of adoption, the agency and the specific regulations to where you live.

Answer 3

Unfortunately birth parents change their minds all the time and the courts always seem to side with them. I feel this is dreadful and the courts and the birth parents do not have the best interests of the child at heart, only their own selfish wants at the time. IMO< once the birth parents give the child up for adoption, that ise the end of it, period. If the parents give up the child in the first place, that means they can't or won't care for the child, Uprooting little kids from the only parents they have ever known is so traumatic and horrible it is child abuse and scars the child for life.

The laws vary from state to state.

Answer 4

They do have a certain amount of time to change their minds, but it isn't 2 years. If you want to know how much time is allowed, check the state laws regarding adoption, or call an adoption agency and say you are doing research on adoption.

Answer 5

It depends on where the birth parents reside and where the adoption takes place.

Different places have different laws, where I reside the birth parents have a longer period then 2 years to change their mind.  

The birth mother also has the right to put any condition on the adoption she wishes except a monetary amount.

For example she has the right to insist on living with the adoptive parents is she wants and it is then the adoptive parents right to say yes or no.

I went through adoptions agencies to try to adopt and found that out, it shocked us.

Check with an adoption lawyer or agency in the area you intend on adopting from.

Answer 6

A mother has every right to change her mind before an adoption is finalized, of course!

Unfortunately the law does not allow enough time for her to do this (definitely not 2 years anyway) more like 30 days I think in most cases

Answer 7

2 years does seem like a long time.  I do know that before adoption happens, the birth parents rights are terminated...and thats in a court with a judge. Once they're terminated then there is a waiting period that might be 6 months. That gives time for the parent to change mind if its a voluntary termination and time to appeal if an involuntary termination. After the 6 months (maybe different amount of time)  an adoption hearing is scheduled and at that point it is extremely difficult if not almost impossible to back out.

Answer 8

Once a judge has signed off on the adoption there is no going back. The court gives a 30-60 day period of finalization in some areas. (Before they sign off)That is when a BP can request the child back. This is not the case in all states.The laws do vary state to state.

Answer 9

I don't think it's unfortunate if a natural mother decides to parent their child within the appropriate time provided by the law.  She has the right to parent her own child.

Think about it, people change their minds all the time on very mundane things in life.  Shouldn't they be allowed to parent their child if they wish as long as they do so in the legal constraints provided?

Adoption is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  And feelings change once that baby is born.  It is important that mothers think things through once their child is born and tangible before they commit absolutely to an adoption plan.

Many mothers CAN parent well if they have the proper resources.  And many resources are available to parents.  And if they choose to parent their child within the given time frame (usually three months) then that should be applauded not scorned.

With that said, I have never heard of a two-year period of revocation, it's usually one to three months.

Answer 10

Birth mothers usually have 24-72 hours to change their minds after the baby is born.  It depends on the state. Until the adoption papers are signed by the birth mother that baby is theirs and they can change their mind and keep their child. But if they do that then the adoptive parents don't get any money back that they paid. If the father didn't know about the adoption and finds out about it later on down the road he can legally contest to the adoption and get his child if he wants it because the adoption is not legal unless both mom and dad sign their rights away.

Answer 11

Each state is different in the US.  In NJ (at least the way it was 5 years ago), the birthparents had several days to change their minds after the child was born.  However, since our son was already six months old at the time the adoption was occurring, the paperwork was irrevocable at the time the birthfamily signed it.  

My recommendation is to contact a local adoption agency in your area to find out what your state rules are or the state rules where the baby is born.

Good luck to you.

Answer 12

When I was adopted in the early 70's, I believe there was a much longer period where the birth parent could change there mind.  My mother said she was on pins and needles waiting for that period to end.  I wanted to say it was 6 months rather than 2 years but not positive.

Answer 13

In Your State(Texas) they have eleven days after the signing the Papers to change their mind or the adoption is irrevocable.

Answer 14

I'm not exactly sure i believe it varies from state to state. But with my adoption i had time to look at pick the paretns i wanted for my child. Once i did that it took maybe about a month to go in front of a judge and we had to be exactly sure this is what we wanted. He made it very clear that once we gave up our rights she wouldnt be legally ours anymore.

Answer 15

each state has their own laws. in Ohio the birthmother has 72 hours to relinquish her rights (or change her mind), the birthfather has 30 days.

Answer 16

They have until the adoption is final to change their mind.  That is why there is usually a time period to wait.  I don't think it is 2 years.  It is usually more like 6 months.

Answer 17

That might differ depending on where you live. If you are looking into I would ask the adoption agency. I thought was the papers were signed by the parents that was the end of it.

Answer 18

No.  I had signed off on my son, 2 months after he was born.  At that hearing, the judge had to make sure I was absolutely sound in my decision making.  Once it was over, it was final.  However, as others have said, it may depend on the state you live in.  I am in Michigan.

Answer 19

In most states, the natural mom has up to 6 months to change her mind.  However, if the father did not voluntarily give up his parental rights, and was never notified of the pregnancy (or told the pregnancy was aborted) there is no time limit.  Most other limits (father registries for instance) don't hold once tested by a lawsuit because they are unconstitutional.  Think of how stupid some of those time limits are. You have more time to return a lawnmower than to change your mind to parent your own child?