Though it is unfortunate when it happens, there are times when parents split up before the birth of a child or shortly thereafter. In those cases, it is still important to have a custody plan in place, even though an infant will be restricted in where they can go or who they can be with for extended periods of time.
If you will be parents to an infant, it’s a good idea to sit down and talk about the parenting plan that you think would work best. If you’re getting along well, you may want to have a custody plan where the father can come to visit the infant whenever both parties’ schedules allow. If you don’t have a good relationship, then having monitored visitation with a third party present may be a good way to allow the child and their parent to bond.
When you make a custody agreement for an infant, you have to put your child first. They do need to see both parents regularly to bond, even if those visits aren’t long. The nonprimary parent may wish to see the infant three or four times a week for between two and four hours at a time, for example. The number of visits that happen in succession are more important than the time spent during each visit at this young age due to the need to build recognition and a parental-child bond.
Your attorney can discuss other options for visitation and custody schedules that may work for your child if you aren’t sure. Discuss the situation carefully, and you will come up with a reasonable solution.
