A lot can happen between the time parents conceive a child and the child is born. Parents who are no longer together can find themselves needing to discuss a parenting plan even though they just brought their baby home from the hospital.
You’ll want to account for various factors when discussing a parenting plan for your new baby, including their developmental, sleep and feeding needs. The following tips can help you develop a parenting plan that might work for you and your little one.
How breastfeeding can complicate custody of a newborn
Child psychologists often highlight how important it is for kids’ development to have both parents in their lives. This often motivates judges to award joint custody.
That type of custodial arrangement isn’t always workable for parents of newborns due in part to breastfeeding. Moms may need to have more custodial time with their kids at their earliest stages as they’re getting their baby on a feeding schedule.
Fathers or non-breastfeeding co-parents who lack confidence in their parenting skills may benefit from initially doing short visits with their child. You may want to structure it around your newborn’s sleep schedule or feeding routine so that you’ll be able to get in good quality time with your child once you are together.
Initially, doing 30-minute visits at your co-parent’s home in case you need their help may be ideal. You might want to increase those visits, maybe taking your child to the park or your home as you grow your parenting confidence and extend your visitation time.
You may want to bring up the idea of doing overnights with the baby you gain more confidence. You will want to learn more about your baby’s daily schedule and ask your ex to store up milk if you plan to keep them for an extended time.
Co-parenting a newborn isn’t likely to be easy to do. You may want to consult with your pediatrician to ensure that whatever choice you make is ideal for their development. An attorney can help you put your plan on paper once you decide what’s right for you and your baby.
