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The fourth step of the adoption process is probably the most exciting step along the journey. It usually happens at 9 to 12 months after you’ve started the adoption process and signals that it is almost time to welcome that new member to your family.
During this time you will be doing a lot of final prep working waiting to bring that new member home. If you are adopting internationally you will have to finalize the medical documents that are required. While if you are adopting here in the United States you will be required to finalize all the birth mother’s expenses and any other fees that are associated with the adoption process.
Some states require that as an adopting family you pay for items such as travel expenses, counseling, hospital bills, medications and any other needs that the birth mother might need. Other states do not require this but do require that you pay some form of compensation for the birth mother.
While you are in this stage you yourself are probably buying items, preparing the babies room and getting everything ready for the new member of your family. You do not want to wait until the last minute as that would delay allowing the child to feel a part of the family but you do not want to buy items super early in case the birth mother were to change her mind, which is a possibility.
This is a time in the adoption process where there are a lot of high emotions. What you have been preparing for for almost a year is finally come to a head. In less then a few months the baby will be a new member of your family and you will welcome him or her with open arms.
After all the work and documentations this is also a time of relief and joy that you will have a new member of the family.
