Any rules on children who are strictly breastfed and visitation with father?

Question

Hi. I am planning to strictly breastfeed my daughter when she is born. Several people have mentioned this and visitation (with her father) issues due to my breastfeeding. Can anyone tell me if there are any rules or regulations re: Parental rights/visitation for an infant who is strictly breastfed. (no bottles, formula or breast milk via formula)

For example: someone said that If I strictly breast feed then He (the father) would only get her for visitation for a few hours at a time. Is this true? Any help please! Thanks!

Answer 1

its also depends on your clinic and what they consider visitation restrictions, ive never really heard of visitation restrictions...most clinics just require you to follow clinical procedures (safety requirements) like staying quiet and so forth.

its acutally good that you strictly breatfeed your child, in fact bottles are simply easier for mother and infant...the child learns most of their motor skills regardless by the age of 1 years or little after...so right after breastfeeding it will be easy to hand the toodler a sippy cup.

Answer 2

Well, you'd better hope your child isn't one of the many who can't breastfeed successfully then!

You really need to get off your high horse. Your child might need to be fed from a bottle for any number of reasons, either occasionally or permanently. What are you going to do if that happens - starve her because it's against your principles? If dad has visitation rights and you're breastfeeding then can't you stay nearby and go back and feed her when she's hungry? Or maybe he can take her out for a couple of hours, bring her back to be fed, and then take her out again? And when she is a bit older and won't get nipple confusion she can have a bottle - or a cup. There is absolutely no reason why a breastfed baby can't spend time with its dad.

Your daughter isn't born yet. You are not breastfeeding yet. It's bad enough getting this opinionated superior nonsense from people who are exclusively breastfeeding, but from someone who has NO idea what it's like when breastfeeding goes wrong it's really rather offensive.

Answer 3

Breast-feeding is a very healthy choice and an economical choice.  So, good.  There is another solution.  I am assuming you asked this question for 1 of 2 reasons: 1. you don't want your baby daddy to see the child that much or 2. you are earnestly interested in this child having a father and are looking for a viable solution.

Let's assume scenario 2, there is an alternative to the stated arrangement.  You can get a breast pump.  and send the extra milk with your daughter if she is due for an overnighter.  But, this would be fed through some medium, presumably a bottle.  So, if it is altogether impossible to feed your child on a bottle due to some kind of unique dietary restriction, you would need an alternative device for feeding the breast milk.

A breast pump is good because it will allow you to milk yourself, even when the baby is not there and that will keep the milk coming.  If the baby is away too long, and the milk sits in there and does not come out all the way, you are likely to dry up.  If the baby has a small meal and leaves milk in there, you may still use the breast pump to remove the remainder, thereby  instigating a higher level of milk production.

Unfortunately, even the healthiest mothers sometimes find it hard to get their child fully fed on breast milk alone, due to low production, so do not put too much pressure on your mammaries.  Additionally, my nephew almost died due to lack of nutrition, thank God they ran a test and found out he is severely lactose intolerant.

Edit:  Hard plastics leach less than softer plastics.  You may still be able to find some vintage bottles that are made of glass.

Answer 4

The courts will grant him visitation and you will have to pump in order to provide her with breast milk. As the father he has rights to the child. I was not breast feeding and they said it was standard, no over night visits til 2 or 3. I cant remember because he dropped out of her life and it never happened. It would be stupid to expect that you and he run back and forth every 2 hours to feed so you better get a pump and bottle with similar to breast nipples because the courts will award the father visitation. Unless you get a lawyer that will bully him into agreeing with your demands. They are more concerned with the welfare of the child than the wants of the mother. The best interests of the child is having both parents. You may not be able to breast feed anyway, so if you are trying to be vindictive and find excuses for not letting the dad see her, you'll probably have to find another one.

Answer 5

For strictly breastfed babies if the courts agree, then the father would be granted visits at an agreed upon location for only 1-2 hrs depending on how often the baby needs fed.  Some courts though will court order that milk be pumped for visits and allow for longer visits but rarely are there overnight visits before 6 months old and a breastfed baby usually overnights don't start until 12 months old.  It will really depend on your lawyer, his lawyer and the judge deciding the case.

Answer 6

in our state, the visitation law ( i totalyl checked this out) is that visitation may only occur in the CHILD'S home for the first 18 months, because it is a comfortable environment for the child. If the visitation has to be supervised, the court appointed supervisor must be present in the child's home during that visitation. Also, during the first 18 months the visitation guideline here is 3hrs per week~ either all at once or at multiple visits.  Breastfeeding is wonderful. however,you will not gain any points in court for that, and may be told to provide a bottle with mothers' milk in it for the child.

Answer 7

Well what happens if you do not produce enough milk?  Then you have to use a bottle!  Ya breast feeding is best.  But dang if the man wants to be in the child's life he deserves time with his child.  And you can pump which would mean he could see his kid.  There is nothing wrong with a child using a bottle and you pumping.  Unless the father is a loser on drugs then i would say whats the big problem?  It did take two of you too make that baby.  Stop being so selfish and let him be a father!

Answer 8

no if that is wot you want then no one can do anything to stop you hun its well none that breast is best good on you hun

Answer 9

Yeah, I am sure that is c**p.  Just because you feel that the baby should not have a bottle does not allow to you encroach upon the rights of the father.  See if you can get a judge to approve your request.