12. How to be a Rockstar Pregnant Father: A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing Up During Pregnancy

For me, fatherhood began the day my wife knew she was pregnant. But what could I do? What was my role?  I decided I was going to do everything I could to join in the pregnancy, embracing the idea that she wasn't the only one pregnant, WE were pregnant. Of course men cannot actually be pregnant and we will never understand what women go through. But I set forth to handle the planning, prepping, feeding, listening, and learning—in every way and every moment possible. In this solo episode, I break down what I think it means to be a "pregnant father" and why emotional support, logistics, and snack delivery can be so critical. I dive into what I wish someone had told me before pregnancy: how to not take mood swings personally, how to build your village of dads before the baby arrives, and why feeding your partner is straight up the most important job you'll ever have. I also share my go-to postpartum plan, what birth classes are actually worth it, and why hiring a doula—even if you think you can do it all—is a must. This one's for the men who want to be all in. In this episode, we answer: What I mean by "pregnant father" since men can not ever fully understand what it means to cary a baby? What's the best way for dads to emotionally support their pregnant partners? How should dads prepare for postpartum before the baby arrives? What does a "pregnant father" actually do? Should every couple hire a doula, even for hospital births? Resources That Got Me Through Our Pregnancy  IQ BAR: https://www.eatiqbar.com/DADICATED15 Book - The First Forty Days: https://amzn.to/4ev3LIt  The Afterbirth Plan: https://www.informedpregnancy.tv/ Being dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media  Instagram: @dadicatedjoe  TikTok: @dadicatedjoe  YouTube @dadicatedjoe