This post is one I am most proud of and I didn’t even write it. A guest post from a dedicated Leaky, I am honored to share the story of Charity and her nursling Keegan and his relationship with his dad. Desiring to protect and preserve the breastfeeding relationship she worked so hard to establish with her son, single mom Charity explains how they navigated the murky waters of parental visitation with his father. Demonstrating how important community is as not only support but in challenging us and providing resources, Charity details her journey from resentment and anger towards her son’s father to flexibility and sacrifice to be sure her son receives what is best and normal. Knowing that The Leaky Boob community was a part of her story encouraging her along the way brings me great joy. I’m so grateful Charity was willing to share her story with us, it is my hope that as she found support and encouragement from so many through The Leaky Boob, her words will now be passed on to support and encourage others as well.
I remember the strange guy walking up to me with paper’s in his hand. I had known in the back of mind this day was coming. I had hoped and prayed it wouldn’t. I even had my self almost convinced it wouldn’t, but here it was. He asked for me by last name, but it was my married name, I told him no it wasn’t me. Almost as if it would stop this moment. Like it wasn’t happening. Then he asked with my maiden name. “Yup that’s me”, “you have officially been served.” And he got in his car and drove off. I didn’t even have to open the manila envelope I held in my hand, my world was crumbling around me and I couldn’t move. I sat down on the ground right there, and cried. I have two older children by a different Father so this should be easy. I have been through it before. What made this so different, some may ask. This baby had been raised differently than the other two. This was my Attachment baby.
I started to go back to the very 1st moment, sitting right there on the ground. It all started with an email. And then a drive to meet him. He was cute, really cute. We were both nervous but really liked each other. So I stayed the night. And then the next day he said he loved me and I believed him. He moved in not to long after. We looked at houses to move into and talked about getting married. We also talked about having a baby. I wrapped the pregnancy test in a little box with a bow and he came home from base and opened it. He wasn’t as happy as I had pictured he would be. But I pretended he was. Well that didn’t last long and he was gone. I got the it’s not my baby. He saw me once or twice while I was pregnant and then he was born. I called him and told him and he said he might try and make it up. So I sent to two text messages with pictures of the baby and he came up. He teared up a little or maybe that’s my brain playing tricks on me. He looked just like his daddy. He told me he would come back and see him before we went home. The baby ended up in NICU the next morning and he never showed back up. So I brought my little man home and decided I would forget about the daddy. I could do this on my own. I had done it before.
I breastfed exclusively, wore him in a sling, co-slept, and didn’t let anyone watch my precious little man. I had lost a baby 6 months before getting pregnant with him and so I wasn’t going to share him with anyone! But I started to wonder once in awhile if his daddy ever thought about him and when he was 3months old I called him up. He met me at a restaurant held him for a few moments and told me if I wanted to move out of state he wouldn’t stop me. His words “I have screwed up your life enough, I won’t screw it up anymore”, hit me hard. What screwed up my life? You gave me the most amazing child ever. And that was that. He walked away. That is until Child Support got started. I got the it’s not my child a lot. When Keegan was finally 6 months old we had DNA testing done to prove to him he was his. He was. I still wasn’t worrying about visitation. He would pop in when he felt like it and I let him. I figured as long as we weren’t fighting everything would be ok. But then it happened. We fought. And then we didn’t talk at all, for months, no word. Next I am sitting on the ground crying. I called my mom and my dad, and a couple of friends. I was grasping any emotion I could. Anyone to tell me what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear this wasn’t happening. I wanted to hear he couldn’t do this. That wasn’t happening. Why wasn’t that happening. And then I started thinking, what about our breastfeeding relationship. What about our co-sleeping relationship. I have never left him with a sitter for more than an hour or two. He dosen’t even know this man. I don’t want him to know this man.
One of the first things I did was email the creator of The Leaky B@@B. One of my favorite Facebook pages. I thought my fellow Leakies could help out. I wanted to know how to stop it. I wanted to know how I could get it so he didn’t get to see him. I didn’t want to have to hand over my baby. I still didn’t want to share. I wasn’t ready to share. I also started on a frenzy calling attorney’s that dealt with attachment parenting cases, especially breastfeeding cases. To my surprise there wasn’t one. I don’t live in a huge town but it isn’t small ether, and I couldn’t find one damn attorney that would back me up the way I wanted them too. So I found the one attorney that calmed me every time I talked to him. Yup I said HIM. His wife was a fellow breastfeeding, co sleeping, baby wearing, cloth diapering mama. He had this way about him that was so soothing. And then Jessica posted my question anonymously on The Leaky B@@B Facebook wall. It was bitter-sweet when I started reading the comments. I didn’t hear most of what I wanted to hear. I still didn’t want to share. But I did get some AMAZING links. And advice. I also spent the next couple days staring at this amazing little boy I had kept to myself. I only wanted to do what was I felt was best for him. I wanted to shield him from the big ugly mean world. And this big mean daddy that had hurt his mommy. He was an asshole in my book. A looser. I had Keegan’s best interest in my mind. Or so I thought at the time.
I had a Focus on Children class I had to attend through the court system in a couple days, and my 1st thought was the paper says NO KIDS! Well that doesn’t apply to me, I am Exclusively Breastfeeding. I never leave my baby with anyone. How am I supposed to go to this 3hr class and leave him. So I did what any irrational person would do. I called the court house, and argued with the lady in charge of the class. Of course I got the, honey the rules are the same for everyone, NO KIDS. She did let me know it was my choice to show up to the class and if I chose not to I would be the one with the contempt of court charge.
So I got my sitter and, pissed off at the world especially the asshole making me leave my son to go to this stupid class, I headed out to the Focus on Children Class. When I walked into the court room I thought “what a joke.” This is such BS I have to be here. The 1st speaker got up and started talking. I of course was too pissed off to listen, until they brought in the family court judge. Our judge. He went on to explain that it was in our children’s best interest to settle out of court. What? What was this guy thinking. I didn’t want to settle I wanted to fight, I was looking for a fight. He poked the momma bear and this momma bear was mad. He started to tell us why, sharing the effect an ugly court battle had on the children involved. I have never cried so hard in front of people. I was not going to let my little man go through this. And then he said it loud and clear. It was almost like the walls shook, “If the case ends up in court NEITHER parent gets what they want. We make sure of that.” The best interest of the child is now in the hands of a stranger. A STRANGER. Is that what I had thought Keegan’s best interest was, a stranger’s choice? This stranger didn’t carry him all day in the sling. This stranger did feed him at his breast till he feel asleep. This stranger didn’t wakeup 12 times a night making sure he was still breathing. He didn’t know what was best for him. I did. I was his mommy. I was the protester. We watched a video that featured children in it talking about schedules and visitation and some were crying. Heart broken their parents were fighting every time they got picked up and dropped off. They asked why couldn’t they just get along for that moment. I remember the most amazing thing I heard in that class: “Kids know a rock when they’ve got one.” He explained it as there is almost always one parent that is the Splitting parent. The parent that calls the other one names, wants to know what is going on at the other’s house, and having the child be a message carrier. When your child grows up they will turn to the rock when in crisis and in need. They will know that rock is always gonna be there for him/her. I had decided at that moment that I wanted to be that Rock. I didn’t want to be the splitter. I wanted to be the bigger person. I wanted my son to be happy. I didn’t want to have to hand over a screaming child. I learned that almost any parenting schedule will work for children whose parents are cooperating. That’s when I decided that’s what I wanted for my son.
That night I went home and nursed my little man to sleep and the next day I went to see my attorney. He wanted me to write down three things. One was the visitation I wanted to give my son’s father. Two the most visitation I would give him, and three the least amount of visitation I would give him. Well I had a hard time doing that. I still didn’t want to share, but I had some paperwork for my attorney. I had printed off a couple articles that had been suggested to me through my question on The Leaky B@@B. One was from La Leche League International about the breastfeeding relationship and visitation. AMAZING article. I loved it. A must read for anyone facing visitation with their breastfeeding child. One huge thing I took from it was they are only little for so long. Five years go by so quickly. Why is the other parent insistent on every other weekend? Is it because that is the norm? Well In my case it wasn’t going to be. Remember, I wanted the best for Keegan, not just what I wanted or what his father wanted. I just had to convince his dad to feel the same way I did. Ha! You mean the guy I hadn’t talked to in months? The guy that broke my heart? The guy that took me to court instead of coming and talking to me!! Yeah that guy. That same article talks about the kind of parenting style the mother has done with the child under visitation plans. Read it, and then reread it again. Make sure you memorize it. And then just when you think you have it down. READ it again. Because it’s just at that moment when you find something else you were missing. So I highlighted all the points in this article I felt pertained to my situation and gave it to my attorney. Then he brought up the question I had been waiting to hear. I knew it was coming. You know he is a year old now and the courts aren’t huge believers in extended breastfeeding, so when do you plan on quitting so we have a time line we can work with. Well I don’t plan on quitting. I am in this for the long haul. I am going to let him self wean. And I brought a letter for that too, a Letter for Court Cases in support of extended breastfeeding by Katherine A Dettwyler, Ph.D.
I left the office that day feeling pretty good. Keegan had to have surgery and per the court papers I had to let his dad know of the surgery and when it was and where it was. Now did I want him to go, HELL NO. I wanted to be the bigger person. I really did. But that didn’t mean I wanted to face him. That didn’t mean I didn’t want to rip his eyes out. I hated him. He was taking me to court! For my son. My son. I tried to send the email 5 times and all 5 times I hit cancel. But I didn’t want to screw up the case so on the 6th time I hit send. I got an answer very quick. Thank you I’ll be there. NOT the words I wanted to read. So the night before the surgery I of course didn’t’ sleep at all. It wasn’t because I was scared of the surgery. Nope that didn’t scare me at all. This would be the second time we went through this. I was scared because I had to face him. I won’t lie, I prayed all night he wouldn’t show up. I thought in the back of my mind how bad it would for him if we had to go to court. I wished his car would break down on the way. We got there, no dad. They called us back, no dad. Ten minutes to surgery and I heard the nurse say I think they are right here. I swear I almost puked on myself when I saw him walk into that room. And when I was asked who he was I squeakily answered this is bio-dad. Not that he had another dad. But I sure as hell wasn’t gonna give him the credit. They took my little man back and this time I didn’t cry. I was too pissed off that he was there. So we were sitting in the waiting room and I tried to not say anything at first but I couldn’t my stupid mind had played tricks on me, I didn’t hate this asshole that had broke my heart, I still loved him. So after surgery we were headed out to the car and I said “If you would like to come and see him you can.” He said “I would like to sit down with you and talk about the visitation if we can. We don’t have to go to mediation, if we figure it out together.” I said we will see.
We sent a couple emails back and forth about not going to mediation. He couldn’t afford the 120.00 hr. and I only could because I didn’t’ have to pay for it. So I talked to my attorney and he said do it. It will let us know what he wants. So I wrote up what I wanted and printed off the same paper work I gave the attorney, highlighting everything he needed to read. Grabbing the book Focus on Children, it was time for me to convince him everything I felt. I showed up to the library and we sat down. I had asked him to write down what he wanted and asked him for it and he said he didn’t have to write it down he wanted every other weekend. Yeah, NOT! No way I am thinking to myself. One thing I learned from the Focus on Children Class was that in the state of Idaho, in most cases no judge will just hand a child over that does not know the other parent. So I handed him my paper. And it read as follows:
One hour a day for two weeks you must come to my house to see Keegan. This is the fastest way to get a child to know someone. This is on the child’s territory so the child feels safer.
At first he said no and then my tongue moved faster then it ever had. I was quoting the pages I had highlighted. I really didn’t even know I had them memorized. And he got it. He understood that Keegan would only be little for a short time. That soon he wouldn’t be breastfeeding and needing mommy all day. He understood that he needed short frequent visits. He understood that with breastfeeding until Keegan he self-weaned and the attachment parenting I was doing was what was best for Keegan.
After 2 weeks: for 6 months you get Keegan-Tues and Thurs from 5-7pm. I will drop Keegan off at your house.
I chose this time because my older daughter has gymnastics and I would love to be able to watch her once in awhile. That is also one of Keegan’s most well behaved times of the day. Also, I had learned that if you drop the child off then it is less traumatic normally because the child doesn’t have to stop what they is doing to leave. That is when most parents have problems. A child normally doesn’t ever want to stop what they is doing.
Every Sat. from 10-2, time to increase at 6 month intervals (10-4, 10-6).
I know this seems like a lot to some and not much to others. The whole point of a phased in visitation schedule is so the child gets use to going with the other parent. The other point of so many days was young children don’t have the longterm memories us adults do. After 3 or 4 days a very young child won’t remember as well. Then every six months the sat. hours went up. 10-4, then 10-6. They stayed at 10-6 till he SLEF WEANS. That was written in cap’s through out the parenting plan. His dad didn’t want every sat. as he has drill weekends and needed at least one weekend to himself. So in the end we ended up with Tues and Thurs and every other Sat.
All it took was one email sent out and we were in agreement. It started with one person being the bigger person. One person saying “I’m sacred to death to talk to this person, but I have to think about the child involved not my feelings.” It took the other person following the lead and saying yeah it is about the child. You can’t use the excuse well I don’t know his number or how to get a hold of him. If you got served your attorney can get his number, email address. If you can’t put your feelings aside for the sake and well being of your child then you can’t say you want whats best for your child. A child knowing and interacting with both of their parents is one of the best things for them. I say lets grow-up, lets take back our parental rights and leave the courts out of making the life changing decisions for our children. Put your excuses away!!! So Keegan went to his dads house for a couple Tuesday’s, and Thursday’s and he just cried and screamed when I dropped him off so his father and I decided for the time being he would come to my house to see Keegan. I can say that sitting in the same room with Keegan’s father kills me every time as I still love him, but we have a happy, healthy 18 month old son and his happiness is what matters to us. We will make the sacrifices necessary to do what is best for him.
This was an amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing. I became a single mom when my daughter was 5 weeks old. My ex-husband did not see her for 6 months…until I hired an attorney and my ex had to pay child support. Suddenly, he had an intense interest in her. Unfortunately, he has no actual interest in what is best for her or even what her basic needs are. We battled in court for over a year on the breastfeeding issue. The mediators went so far as to tell me I was breastfeeding simply to try to limit his visitation. I was able to keep visits to 4 hours until 22 months. Then they gave him one overnight per week. It was the most heartbreaking time in my life…for her, not for me, because I knew what was being taken away from her in terms of comfort and security. I weaned her a month later (too soon for her) because the transitions were just too hard for her. I’m so very grateful to my attorney who DID see the value in what I was doing for her and am sad that my story did not have as pleasant of an ending as this. But I can say I have done everything I can to make sure she is going off on a “happy visit” and not being sent away to spend time with an evil man. Her feeling secure in the situation is so much more important to me than her knowing his character flaws at this age. I really hope other women can use your experience to help them through the difficulties of breastfeeding and custody arrangements 🙂
I know what this is like. My husband left me almost 2 years ago when our daughter was 8 months old. I was breastfeeding and co-sleeping with her. Even though I was working, I tried as much as I could to attachment parent. It killed me more than anything to realize that when he left, it also meant that she would be leaving me for extended periods of time. I decided to be the bigger one and suggest days he could visit and that he could take her for a few hours on tues and thurs and also fri/sat every other weekend and sundays every other weekend. This way, she could be exposed to him frequently, But still be able to nurse often. In the beginning it was hard for me to be friendly and welcoming him into our home. But the last thing either of us wanted was a court battle. Over time, I’ve also realized that nothing makes her happier than seeing us get along. So as much as I hate what he’s done to us, I’m always courteous and even at times joke around. I think she sees her mom and dad as friends. Even though deep inside it still hurts bc we were together for ten years and I guess I still feel for him. I know i’m doing the best thing for her by not being bitter or saying mean things about her dad to her or around her. I can’t say I don’t do it when she’s not around. haha. She’s 2 and a half and is one of the happiest kids I know. My only issue that started about a month ago is she’s very verbal and has started to express her disappointment when she has to leave me. She’ll tell him she doesn’t like him and she’ll tell me she doesn’t want to go, unless i go. She never seemed unhappy at leaving or even once he takes her. Its always when transitioning from me to him. Not sure what to do there…
I wish you the best of luck though! Laura
Mama, you are a brave woman and I congratulate you on being able to swallow your hurt in order to do right by your son.
My parents fought like caged creatures when I was growing up and I always wished they would break up (so I could live with my father, who wasn’t crazy). When I asked my mother recently why she didn’t leave him when she seemed to hate him so, she told me it was because she couldn’t bear not to see me for a single day, and if they broke up, she would have to let me visit him. For the first time, looking at my son, I really understood what she meant, and why she didn’t leave.
Wow, what a powerful story. Thank you for having the courage to share it with us. I’m so pleased that Leakies were able to help you. I remember seeing the post about your situation. I didn’t have any advice, and I still don’t, but please know that I am in awe of the strength of your conviction to do what is right for your son.
Way to go, mama!!
Brava! You can’t imagine the number of times I have tried to convince mothers of the necessity of negotiating, of giving up some things you want instead of risking the near certain deprivation of much more by a judge. You made good and strong choices here and your child obviously benefited.
Wow, that brought back memories and tears to my eyes! You are so strong to make the best of the situation for your son, even if it isn’t what you would have wanted.
I ended up being a single mom too, when my son was 2 months old. Though I ended up getting full custody (due to ex-husbands mental health issues and living situation), he still has regular visitation. Luckily he was supportive of breastfeeding and we were able to ease in unsupervised visits at around 18 months, though not without some tears. We didn’t do overnights until 3, and even though he still nurses at bed time at age 4, they have worked it out just fine.
My heart goes out to all moms who have to deal with not only being a single parent, but also an unsupportive or undermining ex. Great links for legal info, and a great post; thanks!
Beautiful story, thank you for sharing. His dad is better than most, as most are more selfish than anything.
Kudos to you for working through this difficult situation. I’m so glad you were able to work this out for everyone! Thanks for sharing your inspiring story.
wow does that ever hit home! I went through the court thing 11yrs ago and am going to be going through it again in the future sometime… Ex said he is taking me back to court but said this back in July and I still have not heard anything from him… Its still really hard no matter what the age. 🙁 I am so happy that you guys got everything worked out.
Amazing. I forwarded your article on to a friend who is a family law attorney for their “things that may come up one day” file. I think this is an issue that all family law attorneys should think about and the law should think about as well. I am really really proud of your ability to stifle your feelings about bio dad to do what is best for K. And I’m really happy he was able to reciprocate that too. What you are both doing for your child is truly truly amazing.
I very nearly wound up as a single mom, and I couldn’t bear the thought of not having my son in my life…thankfully, neither could my boyfriend! We managed to work things out between us and are happy today, planning things like buying a house and (possibly!) one day getting married. You are a far stronger woman because you have done this entirely on your own… and you did the necessary research to get things done in a way that is best for your son. WTG mama!
Wow! I remember our conversation about this on TLB, and I’ve wondered if you found the guidance and support you needed and how things had turned out. I am beyond delighted to hear how your strength as “Mama Bear” translated into such a balanced and thoughtful example of true nurturing.
As a CLC and AP advocate, I have tried to keep close at hand those resources that might prove valuable in cases where women are facing a parent who would rather fight than come to an agreement- and especially in cases where the Mama is accused of using BF or AP as a tool to manipulate (something that, sadly, happens often to extended breastfeeding Mamas in particular). I have often lamented that the most helpful resources and some support on how to use them is not more centralized, and now you have remedied that by so thoughtfully sharing your personal journey.
Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations on your true victory- it sounds like everyone benefitted from your proactive approach. Even the attorney (EVERY family attorney should have those documents you mentioned on hand!)… But most of all your child, who will likely grow up valuing family highly and expressing a strong sense of compassion and empathy from the great example you set.
Oh- and GO Leakies! This also stands in the face of all who called us unnecessary and tried to shut us down as an example of how vital our support is to not only BF Mamas, but also children, families and society as a whole.
I just read through your story, and just wanted to say that you are a strong and brave woman. You swallowed your pride and anger, and put your child first. That is a wonderful thing. One day, your son is gonna understand just how much his momma did for him, and how much she loves him. Also, as angry as you were feeling with your baby’s daddy, and as much as he did some awful things, it really sounds like he is trying to do right by you (as much as possible in this situation), and your son. That is also wonderful. Good for you, and for him!
This story has helped me a lot. However, my son’s father has a drug habit which he got a medical license for. How do I deal with this? He already has 4 hours of supervised visitation a week, but I know eventually the time and supervision will change. We go back to court tomorrow and I seriously have been having anxiety attacks about it. I am so unsure of everything.
This story was so HONEST, and so heartfelt. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your story – it is going to help a lot of moms and other people understand that the breastfeeding relationship is very important and should be supported by everyone involved – parents and courts alike. I’m so glad you guys figured it out and that you both had the best interest of your child in mind.
Wow. This is so powerfully written … I wish I knew this article existed before today! I’ve worked with families as a child advocate, as a lactation consultant, and as a expert in lactation. I could have sent this link to several mothers in similar distress. These cases are always heart-wrenching, for all the mama-bear reasons you so eloquently describe. But as the late, great Liz Baldwin said (author of that great article you got from La Leche League): The parents need to Work it out, Work it out, Work it out. You *are* a rock, and your child will be oh-so-the-better for it. And, I venture to say, your relationship with his father, though of course different and perhaps often strained, is focused now on the mutually agreed benefit of providing safety, security and love for your son. You are one heckuva mom.
Thank you!!
Sounds like my life story up to the point of visitations…his father has a crazy schedule so we work with what we have. Thank you for sharing!