Having a new baby is a joyous experience for most people. For some, this life event comes with the need to figure out a parenting agreement with the baby’s other parent. This will take some work, but it’s possible to come up with a plan that’s best for the baby.
Certain aspects of life with a baby make it challenging to co-parent. Your only priority is making sure that the plan you follow is in the child’s best interests.
What’s the baby’s feeding schedule and method?
Infants are fully dependent on their parents to feed them. If the mother is breastfeeding the baby, she will need to remain with the baby during the first weeks and months of the baby’s life. The mother’s milk supply must become established, which might require exclusive breastfeeding in the early days.
Once her milk supply is established, the mother can begin to pump breast milk for the baby. The father can use that milk to feed the baby using a bottle. In some cases, babies are fed both breast milk and formula. The parents should communicate about this because the baby’s feeding schedule and method must remain consistent.
Some co-parents will spend time together at one home or mutual meeting place so the father can build a relationship with the baby. As the baby gets older, breaks from the mother will be able to be more frequent, and the father will be able to have solo time with the baby.
Set up the parenting plan right away to reflect the child’s needs. Certain points will have to change as the child’s needs change. You can handle those through the modification process when the time comes. Working with someone familiar with child custody matters is beneficial since they can help you devise solutions to any situation.