It’s an incredible challenge to take care of an infant. It’s even more difficult when you and your partner are getting divorced. Trying to figure out how to address the many needs of a new human while ending your marriage at the same time requires professional and personal support. It is possible to get divorced when you have an infant – the split just might not proceed like a typical Michigan divorce when it comes to custody and parenting time.
Challenges of Getting Divorced with a Newborn
Divorcing when you have an infant is a practical matter in many ways. Infants need around-the-clock care. They are programmed especially to need the person who is their food source, so it may not be possible for them to be separated from that individual in a traditional parenting time split. The pros and cons of breastfeeding alone are major factors in the divorce court’s decisions.
- When a mother must pump breast milk so she can leave home for a few hours, that can be a challenge. Pumping enough milk for a weekend or overnight with the other parent is a hurdle for many.
- Attachment issues can come into question if one parent has more time with the infant. If attachment is inconsistent or disrupted, a child may struggle presently and later in life.
- Parents must agree to honor the child’s eating preferences and schedule, whether that’s breastmilk alone or supplemented by formula.
- The baby will have his or her say too – some will take a bottle and both breastmilk and formula, some will not. This will influence how much time the baby spends with each parent.
Newborns, simply enough, are difficult to share. Divorce courts make decisions in the best interest of the child and, for babies that are nursing, that often means keeping the infant with the nursing mother most of the time and giving the other parent visitation rights or shorter bouts of parenting time.
The Question of Custody
Children need routine, structure, and consistency to thrive no matter what age they are. For them to sleep well, play well, and just be, they need a place to call home and a face they can rely upon. When you and your partner split up and you share an infant, child custody is much more difficult to work out because a baby requires all your attention and energy.
- Every Michigan divorce court determines what’s best for your unique divorce case.
- Parents should share child custody, but sometimes the mother must be the default choice when you have a baby.
- It may be necessary for the other parent to wait for the baby to get older before consistent parenting time can be established and enjoyed.
- Sometimes couples arrange more equal custody when their child gets a little older and does not rely on the mother’s care as much.
Parenting and divorcing are two major milestones and doing them together is a challenge. Get support from an established family law attorney. Contact Michigan Divorce Help in Mt. Clemens to schedule a consultation.