Candiace Dillard Bassett Reveals How Husband Chris Adjusted to Becoming a Dad... Again

“He has three children (from previous relationships), and I’ve seen him be an amazing father to his kids,” The Real Housewives of Potomac alum told The Daily Dish ​​​​​​in an exclusive interview. “But, you know, a newborn is like a whole other ball of wax. It can be tiring, it can be exhausting, it can be unpredictable. So I was like, how is this about to be?”

Candiace Dillard on Chris Bassett's dad duties: "He knew exactly what to do"

Candiace — who welcomed her son, Jett Maxwell Lee Bassett, in October 2024 — said she was prepared to take on “extra” duties once her baby arrived to ensure her hubby of six years was “not stressed.” 

“He’s almost 50 with this brand new baby,” she recalled thinking. “And I felt all of this pressure on me.”

But it turns out Candiace’s concerns were unwarranted, as Chris stepped up to the plate and took charge once little Jett came home. 

“[Chris], literally, is like, ‘Give me the baby. We’re going over here… The bottles are gonna be made like this. We’re gonna wash them like that,’” Candiace revealed. “He buys him toys and diapers. He’s in charge of formula. He has designated his task. He’s like an army soldier. He knew exactly what to do.”

Candiace sheds more light on her health scare

Chris’ attentiveness and hands-on approach were quite helpful during Candiace’s “horrifying” postpartum health scare. Shortly after giving birth to Jett, the former pageant queen began experiencing abdominal discomfort and was hospitalized with an ovary blood clot. The former Housewife said the pain became so severe that she had trouble holding and feeding her newborn son. 

“I was like a vegetable. I just was laying on the couch,” she recalled. “There was a week and a half where I literally could not hold [Jett]. I couldn’t feed him. I couldn’t pick him up. And Chris is like… he was a soldier. He was getting up in the middle of the night without huffing or puffing or making it seem like, ‘Oh, this is annoying’ or ‘I’m tired.’ He just sucked it up and did what needed to be done.”

Candiace Dillard Bassett on husband Chris' bond with baby Jett: "It's the sweetest thing"

Chris Bassett and Candice Dillard Bassett attend "Real Housewives Of Potomac" Premiere Party at The Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City on April 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. Photo: Getty Images

Candiace also gushed over Chris’ relationship with their son, explaining how he immediately jumps into daddy mode once he returns from his chef/food and beverage consulting job.

“When [Chris] comes home from work, he’s just so excited to see Jet,” Candiace said. “And then Jet is so excited to see Chris. [Jett] looks up, he hears the door... and he’s like, ‘Oh, daddy’s there.’ It’s so cute to see them have their father-son bond. It’s the sweetest thing.”