3 days ago
Mom Blends Families 'So Hard' Newborn Needs Both Her Baby Daddies
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A family online is leveraging their connections for a newborn's needs in an act of all-hands-on-deck parenting.
An Instagram reel posted by friends Megan Stortz and Tiffany Paskas has offered a glimpse into the unique support system of Paskas, a new mother who is being helped by her husband, her husband's ex-wife and her new husband. Paskas and Stortz, both 30, spoke to Newsweek about the viral moment of co-parenting beyond societal expectations.
"Blended so hard sometimes she needs both my baby husband [and] my ex," Stortz captioned the video. "Every dad is on duty here." The video captures Paskas' baby being lovingly attended to by her husband, Michael, and Michael's ex-wife's current husband, Travis.
Photos from Megan Stortz and Tiffany Paskas' Instagram reel, which show their husbands engaged in co-parenting.
Photos from Megan Stortz and Tiffany Paskas' Instagram reel, which show their husbands engaged in co-parenting.
@momsoftampa/Instagram
This scene illustrates the blended family thoughtfully created by the pair of now-best friends Paskas and Stortz.
"We are a blended family that came about when Michael and Megan divorced," Paskas explained. Initially navigating the complexities of co-parenting, Stortz reached out to Paskas, seeking a healthier path forward. This outreach blossomed into a genuine friendship between the two women.
Through this friendship, both husbands on each side ended up creating a friendship and all four adults found a healthier way to communicate for the sake of coparenting—as well as including their children from the new relationships into the mix.
They said this inclusive approach shapes their daily lives, with regular gatherings for their sons' sports activities, shared family outings and casual meetups that allow all the children to connect. Michael and Stortz have two sons from their marriage, the oldest of which the four share custody of—and Paskas now cherishes the arrival of her daughter, her "rainbow baby," a joyous moment previously covered by Newsweek after Paskas' long journey with fertility issues.
While co-parenting with four people naturally presents differences in opinion, the friends say the rewards of their blended family are significant.
"The biggest joy is having such a big family to support and love our kids, so our kids truly have a village as well as having each other without needing to be bonded by blood," Paskas said.
The Instagram reel, with both father figures present and caring, communicates the strength and unity of their blended family—and through sharing their story, they said they hope to offer a hopeful perspective on life after divorce.
"We aren't trying to glamorous divorce, but trying to show people one of the positive possibilities that can come from a divorce," Stortz said. "It isn't always easy, and it isn't always perfect, but even the little benefits make it all worth the effort we put in."
