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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Registering child's birth after marriage

45 replies

Dinosaurgalore · 28/08/2017 19:37

Not so much aibu more posting for traffic.

Someone mentioned that when you marry you should register your child's birth (if marrying the father)

Has anyone done this? Is it really necessary. Married dh when our d's was 3.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 28/08/2017 20:06

We can't remember if we re-registered or not!
DH was supposed to before we moved house...

Do you automatically get a new certificate or would you have to pay for one?

HotLadybird · 28/08/2017 20:25

We did but we changed their surname too so had to for that reason.

Buck3t · 28/08/2017 20:39

I didn't. My mum did for me, after she and my dad married, but other than the fact my mum had a different surname to me and my dad till marriage, I can't for the life of me think why?

I didn't realise it is a thing since my DH is on my son's birth certificate and has parental responsibility. Can't see what re-registering adds.

Gaggleofgirls · 28/08/2017 20:41

Yes we did. But then we wanted to change the girls surname as well as my own. They had mine originally.

Snap8TheCat · 28/08/2017 20:44

Also my surname is now different on their new BC and so that has made a few ID situations easier.

AVY1 · 28/08/2017 20:49

This explains why me and DB have two birth certificates. I had no idea this was supposed to be done!

DonutCone · 28/08/2017 20:55

It's so horrendously outdated. It's basically, 'we'll give you a chance to cover up the shame now you've done the right thing'.

The idea of legitimate and illegitimate really doesn't have a place in 2017. I wouldn't register out of the principle that my child wasn't born in 'wedlock' so why would I want to try and make it look like they were or that it mattered to me.

DoesHeWantToOrNot · 28/08/2017 21:44

Do you have to do this in Scotland? He's already on the bc and she has her surname.

Osirus · 28/08/2017 23:17

Apparently you are legally required to do this, so technically you do HAVE to. I don't personally know anyone who has and we haven't yet, but do intend to.

fannydaggerz · 28/08/2017 23:46

I haven't and it was nearly 6 years ago for both wedding and baby.

PerspicaciaTick · 28/08/2017 23:50

Yep - it is a legal requirement, although I'm not aware that anyone will bother to track you down if you don't.
But it is very easy to do, only one of the parents needs to attend to re-register (unlike both having to go when you aren't married) and a certificate will cost about £4.

GreenTulips · 28/08/2017 23:59

I never knew this!

mmmle · 29/08/2017 22:59

BLimey. We had no idea. That said I have 2 lovely small people with different dad's so maybe not so relevant for us? Any recommendations for life insurance or wills while we're here (under-prepared!)

mmmle · 29/08/2017 23:00

Oh, my grammar! Sorry, tired xx Blush

badg3r · 29/08/2017 23:46

We had DC1 then got married then had DC2. The registrar said the only reason for re registering was to change my name to my married name since DC1 already has DH's surname. But since my married name is also my maiden name we didn't bother Wink
I think some land and title inheritance does still require the child to be a product of a marriage but these are not likely to be an issue for us!

Sheitgeist · 30/08/2017 00:16

I remember being told a couple of times by some official persons or other that we HAD to re-register our first two DC as we married after they were born.
We didn't. Don't believe that "the law" will regard them differently to their "legitimate" siblings. They are our children, after all.

LittleGreyCatwithapinkcollar · 30/08/2017 00:26

I think it stems from the fact that originally a father could only be named on the birth certificate of he was married to the mother, hence issues with inheritance. Obviously no longer the case so rather out dated.

FuzzyOwl · 30/08/2017 00:38

Is it a different birth certificate or is there anywhere on the birth certificate that makes it clear whether the parents were married at the time or not? I'm looking at DD's and apart from asking my previous surname (I didn't change when I got married) I can see nowhere else that could imply a marriage has taken place.

GreenTulips · 30/08/2017 00:45

I would assum both parents having the same last name would indicate marriage

But you're right about ladies not changing their names!!

HickDead · 30/08/2017 07:12

When we got married we asked the registrar about this and he said that if DH is on the birth certificate and the DC's have his name then there is really no point these days.

I didn't bother as it made me feel quite angry. I'm not embarrassed at all about my DC's being born outside marriage and feel no need to hide it.

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