Child’s Attachment After Birth
Naturally, a child’s attachment to their parents begins immediately after birth. Children develop attachments with their mother through the breastfeeding relationship, whereas the father or non- breastfeeding parent must form an attachment with the child through other means. When families remain in-tact, both parents generally take care to ensure that their child attaches with each of them.
When Parents Of Infants Separate Or Divorce
When parents of infants or young children separate or divorce, the formation of attachment can become more difficult for the non-breastfeeding parent. This is made even more difficult when the mother is breastfeeding the child and maintains that the breastfeeding and it’s frequency is an obstacle to parenting time with the non-breastfeeding parent.
Parenting Schedules With Breastfed Infants
When parents separate, they are obliged to create a parenting schedule for their child(ren). When they are unable or are unwilling to do so , they will seek the assistance of divorce lawyers and sometimes, mediators and/or courts.
Decisions Made In The Child’s Best Interest
When these legal professionals are involved, the parenting plan is viewed from the perspective of the child’s best interest. We often hear breastfeeding mothers claim that they must have primary residence of their child, with limited parenting time for the non-breastfeeding parent, due to the nature and frequency of the child’s feeding.
Bonding With Both Parents Is Equally Important
In recent court decisions, Judges have concluded that breastfeeding should not be relied upon to limit the other parent’s parenting time with the breastfeeding child.
Instead, they often suggest that pumped milk should be provided to the other parent, so they can have frequent parenting time with the child as well since the father or non-breastfeeding parent’s bond with the child is equally as important as that of the breastfeeding parent’s bond.
Creating The Plan
A parenting plan for a breastfed child will usually include temporary schedules that gradually increase with the child’s age and stage of development. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to parenting plans, as each child’s needs and stage of development will be different.
