36. Dad’s Role in Breastfeeding: How to support without making it worse
Moms spend between 400 and 650 hours breastfeeding in the first six months alone. When my wife, Serenity, started breastfeeding our daughter, I had no idea how hard it actually was. How many things can go wrong.
I’ve always wanted to be an involved father, but like a lot of men, I assumed breastfeeding was mostly her thing and that my role in it would be minimal. Watching her deal with pain, latch issues, and the emotional weight of it all was eye-opening.
I was involved in every other part of our daughter’s life, so why would feeding her be any different? Breastfeeding turned out to be a team sport, and my role mattered more than I realized. In this episode, I share what Serenity and I learned during our breastfeeding journey, the mistakes I made as a dad, and what actually helped us move through it with more calm, confidence, and connection.
In this episode, we explore:What is and isn’t normal about breastfeeding
What dads might get wrong when trying to support breastfeeding
How dads can help without micromanaging or checking out
What breastfeeding really demands from moms
When dads should step in and when to step back
When to hire a lactation consultant or other professional
Why to avoid “topping off” with formula
How to protect your partner’s confidence in the early months
Resources Mentioned
Get 15% Off IQ Bars: https://www.eatiqbar.com/DADICATED15
Skds Formula
Sining Prairie meat sticks
La leche league
Watch the Full Episode
Joe Carr is an entrepreneur, advocate, and passionate educator on fatherhood and partnership. Driven by a desire to provide high-quality, nutrient-dense baby food for his daughter Della, Joe and his wife founded Serenity Kids baby food brand after experiencing their own health transformations through clean eating. Now, alongside his work in revolutionizing baby nutrition, Joe is on a mission to help new dads navigate the transformational journey of fatherhood. Through his podcast and social media platform Dadicated Joe, he shares real, honest conversations about showing up for your children, supporting your partner, and embracing the identity shift that comes with becoming a dad.
👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/
