Having children does not always bring a couple closer together. In some cases, pregnancy or the challenges of living with a newborn can push a relationship past the breaking point. High stress levels, an uneven allocation of responsibilities and even infidelity can lead to divorces while children are still incredibly young. Sometimes, parents assume that sole custody is the only real option for caring for an infant.
Contrary to what people might believe, sharing custody is often feasible even when children are very young.
Shared custody may start with visitation
Infants lack a sense of object permanence. If they cannot see something nearby, they may worry that it no longer exists. Lengthy separations from a primary caregiver can therefore be very damaging to newborns and infants.
Frequently, shared custody of infants starts with visitation, where the non-custodial parent spends time in the home of their other parent. As the child grows older, separation from the primary caregiver poses less of a developmental risk.
As the child slowly grows and develops, they can be away from their primary caregiver for longer periods. By the time they are in grade school, they can likely spend weekends or possibly alternating weeks during the summer with their other parent. Other factors, including whether or not the mother breastfeeds the child, can also influence the optimal division of parenting time when a child is still quite young.
Thinking carefully about a child’s needs is important for parents working out a shared custody arrangement. With the right focus and adequate flexibility, parents can share custody even if their children are still infants.