Considerations for Custody Plans for Infants

While the general standard courts will use for determining child custody arrangements is always “the best interest of the child,” there are some unique considerations the court must factor into its custody plans for infants.

For example:

• Frequency: When babies are very young, it is important for them to have frequent interactions and contact with both parents, even if the visits are short. It is much more important for infants to get a small amount of time with the visiting parent, say, four times a week, than it is for the infant to get an extended amount of time with the visiting parent once a week. Frequency is more important than duration.
• Separation anxiety: Infants can easily develop separation anxiety, even when living in homes with two parents. Frequent, routine contact with both parents is important for preventing separation anxiety, so the child can develop a comfort level with each parent.
• Feeding: If the baby is breastfed, that may factor into custody plans but should not interfere with visitation. If the baby also takes a bottle, that allows for some more flexibility with custody plans, but in either case the court will find a way to make a shared custody arrangement work even for a breastfed baby. Ultimately, it is important for both parents to consider the child’s right to breastfeeding, which is more important than either parent’s right to custody.

For more information about some of the considerations that may affect your child custody arrangement during the divorce process, contact an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.