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. I go over lactation consultants, pumping, tongue and lip ties, myths around low supply, and why avoiding early formula matters more than most people realize. This isn't about perfection or blame. It's about showing up with intention and protecting your partner's confidence during one of the most vulnerable seasons of parenthood. 👇 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 Get 15% Off IQ Bars: https://www.eatiqbar.com/DADICATED15  👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/  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