Parents in California who are tasked with raising an infant after ending their relationship may face a variety of challenges. However, the top priority should be to create a schedule that preserves the best interests of the baby. Ideally, visits will be scheduled with the child’s feeding and sleeping schedule in mind. Furthermore, visits should be no more than 30 minutes long and take place about three to four times a week.
This should give a noncustodial parent enough time to bond with the baby and learn how to best care for the child. Shorter visits may be an especially good idea if the mother is still breastfeeding. However, if the child is able to take a bottle, it may be possible for a noncustodial parent to have a young son or daughter overnight. If there are issues creating natural milk for the child, it may be worth supplementing it with formula.
Overnight visits can be beneficial for a custodial parent because it will give that person an opportunity to catch up on his or her sleep. In most cases, courts will not order that overnight visitation occurs until the child is a few years old. If a custodial parent is resistant to longer visits without a court order, the noncustodial parent is urged to determine why that is and find a way to overcome it.
Individuals who are denied child custody rights are still generally entitled to visitation rights instead. If parents cannot negotiate a parenting plan on their own, it may be necessary to have a judge create one on their behalf. An attorney may help a person gather evidence or take other steps to prepare for a court hearing. This may maximize a individual’s chances of obtaining more parenting time with a child.