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What are my financial responsibilities before a baby is born?

The general answer is “No”.  You would not be obliged to pay for the mother’s missed time at work.   The Ontario Family Law Act imposes financial support duties on both parents only after a child is actually born, and in this case the mother would have the added difficulty of proving that her missed work time is sufficiently connected to the unborn child’s wellbeing.

That said, as the father of the unborn child, in some uncommon situations you could be subject to some court-imposed financial obligations.  For example, the mother of your unborn child could theoretically ask the court to make an order for the expenses related to the baby’s prenatal care and birth, although this can depend on the nature of your relationship with her. On the Shulman Family Law website we have a comprehensive article on this and other rare situations that could potentially apply to make you financial responsible.  Click the link here.  [Amiliah, the link is:  https://shulman.ca/uncategorized/can-i-get-child-support-for-an-unborn-child/]

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