Breastfeeding needs to be taken into consideration when determining physical child custody disputes. Infants under one year of age who are being breastfed should not be separated from their mother for extended periods of time. Doing so can disrupt the close bond betweem mother and baby that comes with breastfeeding. While it is true that a breast pump can be used in the absence of the child(due to him/her being with the father for parenting time)this should not be allowed to happen for an extended period of time. For example, the father keeping the child more than two days with overnights. A breast pump device is not as effective as a baby is at extracting milk from the breasts. Some breastfeeding women have reported inefficient removal of the milk by the breast pump. This can cause the supply of milk to diminish and for some, they may be forced to discontinue breastfeeding. The breastfeeding relationship is being put at serious risk by having the extended separations that can come with joint custody. Additionally, breastfeeding offers greater nutritive value and health benefits to the child and helps build and strengthen the immune system of a baby, while also reducing the child's risk of allergies, asthma, and childhood obesity.
