About Us
Conveniently located in the Tampa Bay Area, Heartfelt Adoptions has been providing domestic adoption options for pregnant mothers for 20+ years. Our team of caring and knowledgeable adoption professionals assist expectant mothers and potential adoptive parents with an agency that can help two families make one.
Whether you’re a hopeful adoptive parent or an expectant mom considering putting your baby up for adoption—no matter what the reason, our team is here to help and guide you every step of the way. Heartfelt Adoptions is one of the top private adoption agencies in the state of Florida.
A Long History or Relationship Building
Over the last twenty years, Heartfelt Adoptions has built lasting relationships with our community, expectant parents, and adoptive parents, relationships that are based on trust, empathy and understanding. We recognize that placing a child up for adoption and adopting a baby comes with a great deal of responsibility, extensive planning, and much thought, both for the mother of the child and for the family that will be adopting.
Our staff of compassionate, dedicated, and highly experienced professionals are here to provide you with the in-depth information and hands-on expert advice that will support you through this journey. We can assist you with a detailed adoption plan, life planning, and counseling to help you work thru all the vast emotions you will feel during this journey.
Our combined expertise, unique sensitivity, and comprehensive training are the primary factors in our agency’s success. Every action we take, every suggestion we give, is focused on the child’s best interest. If you are considering putting your baby up for adoption, let our caring staff at Heartfelt Adoptions lend a helping hand in your time of need.
Our staff realizes that placing your unborn child up for adoption is possibly one of the hardest choices you will ever make in your lifetime, and we do not take it lightly. We are here to walk you through every step and help weigh all your options so that you feel confident that you are making the best decision for your baby and for yourself. We are proud and pleased with the dedicated people who work here. We know you will be too.
Expectant Moms
Here at Heartfelt we offer you all the relevant facts about adoption. We are here to listen and help you make the very best decision for you and your unborn baby. A decision that only you can make. We promise to guide you, support you, and answer all your questions truthfully so that you can make your final decision fully informed with all the options and facts.
You should never feel pressured by anyone to choose parenting or placing your child up for adoption. We have counselors on hand for you to talk through your feelings, explain the steps that you will be taking, and to offer you advice on all the choices that are available to you. If you ultimately decide adoption is the best route for you to take, we are happy to guide you through the process so that you feel supported and cared for along the way.
Adoption Options for Pregnant Mothers Today
You might be wondering what adoption looks like today versus what adoption appeared to be many years ago. We can tell you it’s vastly different. Today you have many choices. Let’s look at a few.
Today you can choose the adoptive couple for your baby and even meet and talk with them during your pregnancy. You can ask them questions about their parenting qualifications, their expectations, the home they live in and other queries that you would like an answer to.
In a semi-adoption arrangement, once your child has been placed with the family you choose, you are able to receive regular updates. Or, by choosing an open adoption, you can receive pictures along with regular updates, and we can establish yearly visits so you can watch your child grow.
Today’s adoption can also allow you the opportunity to communicate with your child through the years and share your story, medical history, and memories that you might want to pass on. While in the hospital you can hold your baby, care for your baby, name your baby, etc.
We can also provide you with one of our agency’s social workers for private counseling. And if you need financial assistance, we can assist you with practical needs, such as rent, food, clothing, phone, utilities etc. This assistance is provided through your pregnancy and up to 6-weeks after his or her birth.
Adopting a Child
If you’re considering adoption, you may be surprised at how many options you have here in Florida. Adoption agencies can help you with all that’s necessary from your initial questions to finalizing your child’s adoption. Florida adoption agencies can assist you with legal representation, help you complete your home study and other paperwork, apply for counseling and financial assistance, and walk you through the myriad legal hoops that come with adopting a child.
What Type of Agency is Heartfelt?
Private Adoption Agency
Private adoption agencies, like Heartfelt Adoptions, are considered local agencies. They are located in and serve areas within a particular part of each state. In Florida, we primarily serve the Tampa region, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, and Manatee Counties.
A local private adoption agency like ours can provide families with domestic infant adoptions. Prospective parents can work with any local agency in Florida, as well as national adoption agencies across the country. They both offer a wide range of services to choose from. National agencies provide nationwide coverage, but local agencies offer prospective parents the ability to be close to the agency for personal visits, hands-on guidance, and more locally tailored and personal interactions.
Home Study
Before coming to Heartfelt a completed Home Study is required. A Home Study is designed to evaluate your ability and readiness to become a parent. Regardless of which type of adoption you are pursuing, this Home Study is the first step to adopting a child. Whether you are looking to adopt an infant, a toddler, or an older foster child, all states require that you work with a placement agency to complete your Home Study.
This study is a thorough assessment of the prospective adoptive parent or parents. It is designed not only to educate potential parents, it also offers a complete step-by-step explanation of the adoption process, while also supplying the agency personnel with important financial, emotional, and personal psychographic insights into your family and its members. Our agency does not conduct home studies, however if you live in Florida and need one completed, we highly recommend these two home study agencies.
Loryn Smith from Finally Home Christian Service: (813) 777-0885
Amy Imber from Connecting Hearts Adoptions: (407) 733-8642
Adoption Consultant
The process of adopting a child varies from case to case but from start the finish, background checks, adoptive parent training, home study, and ultimately an adoption can usually be accomplished in less than a year. Just remember that adopting a child takes patience, empathy, and a thorough knowledge of what to expect during the process.
Because the adoption process can sometimes be overwhelming, filled with red-tape and bureaucratic paperwork, Heartfelt Adoptions highly recommends that any adoptive families wanting to adopt a child would benefit from working with one of our adoption consultants.
An adoption consultant only works with adoptive parents. They are experts in the field
of adoption and will help you navigate, make the best decisions, network with those who work with birth parents, help with your home study, and help you create your profile book.
We recommend the following consultants:
1. Nicole Witt with The Adoption Consultancy: (813) 681-6232
2. Amy Twombly with Hello Baby: (508) 523-0303
3. Rebecca Greenspan with RG Consultants: (773) 696-0093
4. Gretchen with The Joyful Adoption: gretchen@thejoyfuladoption.com
Once your home study and profile book have been completed, feel free to give us a call. We are happy to answer all your questions and determine if we are a good fit for you and your family. Because we have been bringing pregnant mothers and adoptive families together for over 20 years, our relationships are built upon trust and compassion that last a lifetime. Whether you’re placing a child for adoption or wanting to adopt a child into your family, our caring and experienced staff is here to guide you on your journey.
The Bottom Line
It is normal to go back and forth when making this decision. It is not one that should be taken lightly. This is a life altering decision and one you will live with forever. Give yourself time to think this through and feel at peace with your decision. If you need to talk to someone while trying to decide, call us and we can assist you in any way possible.
Our agency strongly believes that you are not “giving up” your child, but that you are “giving more.” You are giving your child more then you can provide him or her right now. You are giving him or her the chance at a life you aren’t able to provide right now. Adoption can be a loving decision that allows you to make the best life choices for your child. Knowing that you are doing what is best for your child will provide you the strength you need to come to the right decision for you.
Wherever you are in your decision process, check out www.bravelove.org to watch real life expectant moms talk about their journeys. How they felt during the process and how they feel today. This website is a great resource for expectant moms. Our experienced staff is here to help you make the best possible decisions for you, your family, and your baby whatever type of adoption you and your family choose. Give us a call today and ask what we can do for you.