Moms, Is There Such Thing as an ‘Ugly’ Baby?
Photo: Veer / The Bump
This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but when my first son was a newborn, I entered him in some baby modeling contests. This is even more embarrassing because I came across the photos recently. I was shocked. Not because my baby is now in first grade. (How did THAT happen?!) Not at how tiny he once was. I was shocked that he was – how to put this nicely? – not quite as cute as I remembered.
Now, wait. Before anyone gets their nursing bra in a twist, let me just say that my son is adorable now. Shaggy hair, smooth skin, big brown eyes. And, of course, I thought he was adorable then, as every new mom does. But looking at the photos, I noticed things I hadn’t then. Like his bad case of baby acne. And the skinny little chicken legs. And just how BALD he was.
Maybe it’s the hair. Both my babies were cue-balls for the first year or so, just like I was. My mom says she used to tape a bow on my head to keep everyone from thinking I was a boy. This was before Velcro barrettes and elastic headbands, apparently. Some people can rock the bald look – like Bruce Willis or Taye Diggs – but most of us look way better with hair, don’t you think?
I’ve heard people say there’s no such thing as an ugly baby. I happen to agree with that, but there certainly are such things as funny-looking babies. In fact, a lot of them fall into this category. Mine did. The baggy skin, the double chins, the too-big eyes, the patchy hair. I heard one mom say she feared she had given birth to a baby ape when her daughter came out covered in a fine layer of dark fuzz! And depending on how your baby emerged from the womb, his or her head may have that lovely conehead look. C-section babies come out looking far less smushed.
Anyway, unless we’re on “Toddlers & Tiaras,” we all know a child’s looks aren’t what’s important, right? Although someone should have clued me in to that in my delusional new-mom days before I sent out those cringe-worthy baby headshots.
Were your babies gorgeous from the get-go or more funny-looking cuties?
Plus, more from The Bump:
10 Weird (But Totally Normal) Things About Your Newborn
Best and Worst Things About Having a Newborn
The Knot Blog
The Nest Blog
[...] Now, wait. Before you write me off like one of those “Toddlers & Tiaras” moms, read the rest at TheBump.com. [...]
my brother came out blue/purpleish, with baby acne, and fur. i’m 14yrs older than him so i remember how shocked i was. he wasn’t a particularly cute baby until his toddler years. but now hes an incredibly handsome 17 year old young man
Ok I know this is awful but when I was in high school I worked at a gas station and on slow days to pass the time me and one of my coworkers used to pick the ugliest baby out of the new arrivals in the news paper. When I got preg many years latter I was scared to death I was going to pay for all the awful things I said I was blessed with a beautiful daughter I do remember when she was 1st born I just boo hooed because she was soooo BEAUTIFUL I look back at the pics and bless her little heart her eyes were bugged out she had an alien shaped head and was a blue/ purpleish color with no hair but she was mine and I made her along with a little help from daddy and of course gotta give credit to the big guy upstairs she was perfect and now that she is over the crazy colored skin has a full head of hear and her head is a normal shape I can say I do have one of the cutest kids out there
When they first showed me my baby boy I have to admit that I thought, “Poor thing’s got my nose, not such a cute kid, but that’s OK.” I was just overjoyed that he was a boy and healthy. Turns out after six months he started to get his looks and now I am amazed at how beautiful he is at 3 yrs old. You just never know, but you love them no matter what…
I have only ever seen one “ugly” baby. It was a close friend’s little boy. I felt horrible, but there’s just no other way to say it. He’s cute as can be now, but for the first few months I had to watch what I said around her.