Oh no! is this how my baby looks?
It is something few would openly admit to but a new survey in the UK has revealed that almost a fifth of new parents secretly believes their baby is ugly. Far from the widely held belief of parents falling in love with their offspring at first sight, the survey showed that 18 per cent of new mothers and fathers owned up to being privately disappointed with the looks of their new arrivals.
But a loyal 82 per cent said they proudly believed their new baby was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. The poll quizzed 1,000 parents on their feelings and reactions when they first set eyes on their babies. Of the 18 per cent who admitted being disappointed by the looks of their child, more than half had discussed their feelings with their partners but only eight per cent said they had spoken to anyone else about it. Instead it seems the vast majority suffer their disappointment in silence, choosing to put on the brave face society expects.
One father of two who asked to remain anonymous said: ‘There is a lot of pressure on new parents in all kinds of ways and this is something that remains taboo and just isn’t talked about. ‘Everyone seems to think they have the most beautiful baby on earth and as a new parent you feel you have to say the same even if you privately believe your baby is ugly. ‘My daughter is three now and she is gorgeous but when she arrived she was the most disgusting little thing I’d ever seen. She had a face only a mother could love, but even my wife admitted she was ugly. ‘It doesn’t mean you love them any less of course. In fact it brings out some very intense feelings of protection. You really feel you have to root for them in life because they aren’t as good looking.
‘I totally understand why all parents say their child is gorgeous even if they really think they fell out of the ugly tree and got hit by every branch on the way down. ‘It’s just not something you ever feel you can admit to anyone else and you do get offended if anyone ever dares to suggest your baby isn’t beautiful.’
A spokesman for PromotionalCodes.org.uk, who conducted the survey, said: ‘As human beings we are wired to love our babies and the poll overwhelmingly supports the theory that we all fall in love with our offspring at first sight.
‘But interestingly loving your baby doesn’t have to mean that you think it is beautiful. It seems that every parent feels a pressure to say their new baby is beautiful but only four out of five actually believe it. ‘Yet the remaining fifth who secretly feel their baby is ugly don’t love them any less and may even feel the need to spoil them more than they would a good looking baby.’
(© Daily Mail)
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