My ex-girlfriend is pregnant and due in a couple of months. I do not want a relationship with her but would like to be friendly for the baby's sake. I want joint custody of the baby and she wants sole custody. I want to make sure my rights are protected. Can I get joint custody if we are not married and will the fact that she may breast-feed affect anything? I really want to be involved in my child's life. I feel she is using the baby to get back at me. Help.

My ex-girlfriend is pregnant and due in a couple of months. I do not want a relationship with her but would like to be friendly for the baby's sake. I want joint custody of the baby and she wants sole custody. I want to make sure my rights are protected. Can I get joint custody if we are not married and will the fact that she may breast-feed affect anything? I really want to be involved in my child's life. I feel she is using the baby to get back at me. Help.


Yes, once your rights are established BY THE COURT, then you have rights - visitation AND child support.

You may or may not get joint custody but there is no way the Court is going to take a nursing baby away from the mother for any lengthy periods - obviously.

So go to Court when the baby is born, get DNA testing, prove you're the father and go to Court to get your rights assigned.

There are two types of custody, legal and physical. You stand a small chance of getting joint physical custody, but, once paternity is established, you shouldn't have a problem with joint legal custody.

The difference between the two is legal custody means having a say in how the child is raised, physical custoidy means having the child live with you.

You should, however, not have a problem getting visitation. While the child is a baby, visitation may be more curtailed, a couple of hours at a time with the mother around. As the child gets older, you will be able to get overnights, vacations etc.

Start shopping around for an attorney. Have the attorney prepare a petition to establish paternity and file for joint legal custody as soon as the child is born.