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Need Some Advice About Custody Dispute Over 9 Month Old

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Not sure where to post this, but I figured I'd try here. It got removed from divorce subs. Location: Texas

So my soon to be ex is, I feel, being very unreasonable. For context he has been traveling often for work in these first months of our baby's life. I stayed at home solo with her so we wouldn't have to put her daycare right away. He filed a few months ago, and there was no wrongdoing on my side like cheating or anything like that. I was blindsided and still healing from my C-section.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago he was able to stop traveling. We have been "separated" this whole time even though we were cohabitating. He moved out, there was no discussion he just did it.

He then demanded a 7/7 schedule. I said absolutely not, it's not appropriate for her age and mentioned how he has not been consistently here. My solution was that we should ramp up slowly to 4/3, which would be fair to everyone and let her adjust. He agreed but he refuses to do any nights here with me. He will only do bedtime and overnight care if I allow her to stay overnight with him. He says he is "uncomfortable" staying overnight at the marital home where I still live, and he will not elaborate.

So right now he drops her off and I do bedtime after he spends the day with her at his new place, which is on his mom's property so she is nearby in the main house to help him. I have no friends currently and am estranged from my family. The only support I have is a part time nanny and I have to use that time to clean and handle life things, so I don't spend much time with my baby when the nanny is present. I also am trying to find a job, which is proving difficult since I have been out of work for years. I'm currently finding job training to begin in the next few weeks.

He mostly works from home now so he gets help and quality time as his mother is mostly retired. Yesterday I was distracted and tripped over my dog's stairs and twisted my ankle. It was his day to take her, so I asked that he stay the night and watch her when he brings her back. I am uncomfortable with overnights so soon, but he refused and insisted on keeping her overnight with him, again citing how he's "uncomfortable" with no reason given even when I pressed him. I had no choice but to agree, otherwise I'd be completely solo all night. He lives 45 minutes away with no traffic, so doing bedtime and going back to his home and coming back if there's an issue isn't an option. Today I stupidly asked him to bring her back this weekend and take care of her here, since I usually have her on the weekends and he refused. So she is staying overnight again.

Am I being a paranoid mom? Or is he being unreasonable? all I can do is just wait to see her tomorrow and hope I can do everything solo safely, or he'll keep her again overnight. I am just at my wits end. Still setting up an attorney consultation because I am just so overwhelmed with everything I barely have time. I know I need to get a move on, but I wish he'd just cooperate with me. Or am I asking too much? Please help. Am I just stuck dealing with this until I get an official custody agreement? Mostly I'm asking if I'm being unreasonable, and if a 7/7 schedule would even be allowed for a baby this young?

submitted by /u/wildxfire
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