Can I Change My Mind or Get My Baby Back After Adoption in Indiana?

By: Grant Kirsh

Two of the most important questions a birth mother can ask are these: Can I change my mind about adoption? And can I get my baby back later if I regret it? You deserve clear, honest answers, because this is one of the most serious parts of the entire decision.

At Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C., we have guided Indiana birth mothers through this for nearly 50 years. We are a family-run Indiana law firm, and we will always tell you the truth, even when it is hard. Here it is.

Can I Change My Mind Before I Sign?

Yes, completely. Before you sign the consent to adoption, you can change your mind about anything: the family, the plan, or adoption altogether. Nothing you do beforehand is binding. You can explore adoption, choose a family, accept financial help during your pregnancy, and still decide to parent your baby. None of those steps lock you in.

And remember, you, the mother, cannot even sign the consent until after your baby is born. So you always have until after birth to be sure.

If you have decided you want to keep your baby and parent, that is your right, and we will respect it completely. Choosing to parent is never a failure.

What Happens After I Sign the Consent?

This is where you need to understand the law clearly. Once you sign the consent to adoption in Indiana, it is legally effective and legally binding. There is a 15-day window under Indiana Code 31-19-10-3(a) during which you may attempt to withdraw your consent, but this is very difficult to do and is not a true revocation period. Once signed, consent is effectively final.

In some cases, a birth parent chooses to confirm their consent before a judge, which can be done by phone under Indiana Code 31-19-10-3(b). Doing this waives even that 15-day window. It gives the adoptive family added peace of mind that the decision is firm.

Can I Get My Baby Back in a Few Years?

No. We need to be very direct with you about this. Once an adoption is finalized, it is permanent. You cannot get your baby back in a few years. The adoptive family becomes your child’s legal parents, fully and permanently.

We tell you this not to scare you, but because you deserve to make this decision with full understanding. Adoption is forever. That is exactly why we take so much care to make sure every birth mother is fully informed, never pressured, and genuinely at peace before she signs anything.

This Is Why We Do Things the Way We Do

Because adoption is permanent, we built our entire approach around protecting you before that moment. We were the first adoption professionals in Indiana to offer birth mothers their own independent attorney, paid for by the adoptive family, so you have someone whose only job is to make sure you understand what you are signing. We make sure you have counseling, covered 100% by the adoptive family. And we never, ever pressure you.

If you are not sure, you should not sign. It is that simple. We would rather you take all the time you need than sign before you are ready.

Make This Decision With Full Information

Whether you are leaning toward parenting or toward adoption, you deserve to understand exactly what each choice means. Whether you are in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Carmel, Fishers, Bloomington, Hammond, Gary, Muncie, Lafayette, Terre Haute, Kokomo, Anderson, or Greenwood, we are here to talk it through honestly. Our services are 100% free.

Call or text us at 800-333-5736. Visit us at IndianaAdoption.com. Everything is free and confidential.

About the Author
Grant Kirsh is a second-generation adoption attorney and owner of Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C., a family law firm in Indianapolis, Indiana that has been serving Indiana families since 1981. Grant graduated from Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 2013 and has personally handled nearly 3,000 foster care adoptions and his law firm has handled over 5,000 private newborn adoptions. He practices all forms of domestic adoption, with a deep personal commitment to expectant mothers considering adoption in Indiana and Indiana’s foster care system and the families and children it serves.