how does being married protect you from any of this:

yeah but i wouldn't want to bring a child into "as long as we are happy."

it's a family thing to me. no one in my family had a successful marriage, it sucks being a single mother, it sucks dating while being a single mother, it sucks having a person around that you really can't stand because of the kid.

even the poster says none of her married family stayed together

avoid a worse breakup and don't get legally entangled in the first place