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Using TalkingParents to Help You Co-Parent an Infant
How to use TalkingParents to manage infant custody schedules, appointments, information, expenses, special moments, and more.
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A newborn brings a special kind of joy into a parent’s life. Even for those who live together, parenting an infant poses unique challenges, but for co-parents, the difficulties can be far greater. Luckily, TalkingParents can help you and your co-parent handle communication, coordination, and documentation surrounding custody schedules, appointments, important information, payments, special moments, and more.
Infant custody schedules
When co-parenting an infant, one of the most important elements is frequent contact with both parents. You can structure the custody schedule for a baby in numerous ways, but ultimately, the child should never be away from either parent for more than a few days. Some common custody schedules to consider for an infant include the 2-2-3 schedule, the every two days schedule, and the every third day schedule.
TalkingParents can be a tremendously helpful tool when managing an infant custody schedule. You and your co-parent can use Secure Messaging and Accountable Calling to communicate about the parenting agreement or custody schedule, as well as any changes that may arise. From there, you can document and manage the custody schedule with our Shared Calendar tool, which allows you to create repeating events to mark regular occurrences like custody transitions.
Infant appointments
You and your co-parent will likely have lots of doctor’s appointments to coordinate once your baby is born. According to heath.gov, babies need to go to a doctor or nurse for a “well-baby visit” six times before their first birthday.
TalkingParents makes coordinating appointments like this simple. You and your co-parent can use Secure Messaging or Accountable Calling to communicate with each other about the best time to schedule your baby’s appointments. From there, document the appointment days and times on your Shared Calendar using single events.
Documenting infant information
In the first year of life, children grow and change a lot. From clothing and shoe sizes to medical diagnosis and allergy information, there will be a lot to keep track of. For co-parents, documenting important details in one shared place is key.
TalkingParents offers the Info Library, which allows you and your co-parent to create customizable cards to document vital information. As your infant’s weight, height, and shoe size change, you can update the corresponding Info Library cards to keep both parents on the same page. Cards show the date when they were last edited, so you and your co-parent can easily tell if your baby’s information is up to date. The Info Library is also a great place to keep tabs on important medical information such as your infant’s allergies or medications. The tool keeps all details organized, documented, and easy for both parents to access at a moment’s notice.
Coordinating infant expenses
Some studies show that the average family spends between $20,000 and $50,000 for the infant’s first year of life, depending on location and household income. Expenses range from items like a crib, bottles, clothes, and diapers to the cost of delivery, postnatal care, a hospital stay, doctor’s appointments, and so much more.
For co-parents, managing and coordinating expenses in the child’s first year of life can be overwhelming, but our Accountable Payments feature makes the process much easier. You and your co-parent can use the tool to keep track of all shared baby expenses in one place, allowing you to make payment requests and securely send or receive money. All requests and payments are timestamped, so you can both see what was paid, when.
Sharing infant firsts
One of the hardest parts of co-parenting is missing your child when they’re with the other parent. Your child’s first year of life is filled with special moments, and you may or may not have custody of your baby when they happen.
TalkingParents makes it easy for co-parents to document and share special moments with each other, so neither parent ever has to miss a thing. You and your co-parent can take pictures and send them to each other with Secure Messaging, and you can easily view and download these images later through the Attachment Library. We now offer Video Calling as well, so even if your baby is crawling, walking, or talking for the first time, both parents can witness these special firsts as they happen.
TalkingParents is here to help you and your infant
Co-parenting a baby can be stressful, but our tools are built to make the journey easier. At the end of the day, you and your co-parent are both working toward the same goal—raising a happy, healthy baby.