Should we marry? (legal reasons only)

[MoominIsGoingToBeAMumWaitWHAT]

My boyfriend and I are having a baby, due April 28th. I'm a generally nervous person, like having backup plans in case things go wrong, and I'm a bit nervous about what happens if I'm really ill/die during childbirth. I want my boyfriend to be able to make decisions about the baby's care etc without it having to go through courts, like I read about a case happening a while ago (at the hospital where I'm due to give birth), especially if something awful has happened, but he'll have no PR as we wouldn't be married.

We were planning on getting married in the next few years anyway, we've been together three years and friends for longer. We'd basically see this as signing a contract to make sure he has PR too just in case - our 'wedding' would be a blessing a few years down the line when we have the money to make it what we really want it to be.

Will it be easier for us, legally, to get married at a register office so that he has PR in case something happens? We're really looking at it as an official thing, just the same as signing a contract etc - rather than a shotgun wedding for any 'moral' reasons

I think you should.
If something goes wrong in the pregnancy he'd be able to speak for you (not your parents). It keeps you safe finacially after the baby is here.. tbh ignoring the doom and gloom birth scenerio..it is really quite practical if you were planning on doing it anyway

I'd do it, in fact I did fast track my wedding to when dd was 2 months old. There's been enough info out there now to prove you are better off married. There's lots of miss information out there, particularly with assets etc and with children, I'd want more security too. With PR that only covers the child, your partner won't be your next of kin will he?

100%

I would get married. Being married is not about having a big party or a pretty dress. It is about making a lifelong commitment together and being treated as a unit. It sounds to me like that is what you want, so do it. If I were ill during pregnancy/childbirth I wouldn't want anyone other than my DH making the decisions.

God forbid if anything does happen but you can make a letter of wishes if something terrible were to happen, I m not married to my partner but he's my next of kin. However if I didn't want him to make decision I could make this letter put it on my medical file ; like a declaration. Even if your not married the hospital would not stop him giving medical
Consent especially to a new born baby; PR or no PR

I should say I m a legal beagle and have never come across a hospital to not exert the wishes of a father, pr or not if a mother has died . But with anything if he acted unreasonable they would go to court for an order, they would do this even if you were married and he acted unreasonably or not in the best interest of the child. A letter of wishes , will and appointing a child's guardian could assist .

do it.
you are committed already and want get married in the future.
you can always have the big party (if you want one) later.

There is a thread in relationships at the moment that you might want to read, about wanting to leave but not being married.