How has Dad Always helped you redefine fatherhood after your loss?

When you’ve just heard “there’s no heartbeat,” even a casual “congratulations” can feel like the world is refusing to acknowledge you and the reality you now inhabit. That moment is where trust breaks, grief compounds, and dads default to silence and isolation.

Today I’m joined by Dr. Nina Paidas-Teefey, MFM/Fetal Intervention & Director of Psychosocial Programs at The Institute for Maternal Health Fetal Care Center at Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, DE, to unpack what “loss” really means in pregnancy and baby loss care. We talk about loss as the loss of normal, the loss of the future you expected, and the loss that starts the minute a family gets referred to a fetal center. We also get specific about the ultrasound room experience: the darkness, the waiting, the facial expressions you try to read, and the questions you don’t ask because you’re not sure you’re allowed to.

From repeated miscarriage trauma to the next pregnancy after loss, we explore how partners protect themselves through detachment, how clinicians can return control with simple choices, and why clear language matters when outcomes are uncertain. Dr. Paidas-Teefey also shares what providers carry home, how peer support and debriefing can prevent burnout, and why teams need to be trained not just in medicine but in listening.

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If you are a bereaved dad who's quietly struggling to cope with baby loss and you'd like to talk one-on-one, let's have a private 20-minute conversation by emailing info@dadalways.com.

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Theme Music: "Love Letter” was created using AI as a creative tool, with lyrics and direction shaped by the personal experiences and emotional intent of the host.

Show Music from Soundstripe

We Know by Aaron Sprinkle

Going Home by Emorie

Friends by Demure