The court heard that in 2006 the women approached two male friends who, like them, were in a long-term de facto relationship. After holding a ''baby summit'', the men agreed to provide their sperm on alternate months.
Baby E was born in 2008 and lived with his mother and her partner in Melbourne. The men relocated to Melbourne before his birth and saw him regularly.
Within months, however, disagreements arose about their responsibilities and sharing E's time. When mediation about this ''unchartered territory'' failed, the couples went to court.
''Not surprisingly, none of the adults were prepared for the flood of emotions occasioned by E's birth,'' Justice Dessau said. ''The emotions, the yearning to share and spend time with him, and the allocation of responsibilities was spread in four directions, not just in two.''
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