Mastectomy Photos Banned in Another Facebook Fail
Arrest in Etan Patz Missing Child Case (VIDEO)
A Chilling Past Life Experience Recounted
3 Red White & Blue Cocktails
Controversy: Gwen Stefani Bleaches Her Son's Hair
A '50 Shades of Grey' Shortcut for Busy Moms
Latest on Baby in Washing Machine Case (VIDEO)
Are People Who Eat Organic Judgy & Mean?
A Dad's Perspective on Playdates
Bagged Salad Recall Sparks New Fears
Help Dying 4-Year-Old Fulfill His Bucket List (VIDEO)
Melissa McCarthy & Sandra Bullock's Buddy Cop Movie
Do Working Moms Have It Easy?
Your Morning Coffee Could Save Your Life
Join the Fight Against Toxic Kids' Products
What a cutie!
Do you know a cute baby when you see one? Psychologists at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland did some research and found that women can spot "cuteness" in a baby better than men. What makes a baby cute? Chubby cheeks, button noses, and big eyes.
The researchers showed men and women computer-generated composite images of babies with and without these "cute" features. Young women were more sensitive to differences in infant cuteness than men, who didn't really notice a difference in the babies. Menopausal women rated cuteness at the same level as men. The findings suggest that reproductive hormones might have something to do with "cuteness sensitivity."
That's kind of scary. If a heightened awareness to cuteness is being linked to reproductive hormones/maternal instinct, does that mean a mother who has a baby without chubby cheeks, a button nose, and big eyes won't be as devoted to her child? Wouldn't our natural instinct do the opposite—make us think our baby is cute no matter what so that we care for it?
There's more: The scientists are going to do further research to see if cuteness sensitivity is related to postpartum depression. In other words, they're going to study whether women who suffer this kind of depression have "ugly" babies.
What do you think? Is there such a thing as an ugly baby? Is linking "ugly" babies to postpartum depression scientific or stupid?
I Named My Kid SpongeBob!
Emma Lives with Severe Food Allergies
How to Pack a No-Waste Lunch
Memorial Day Survival Guide
Comments (26)
My three boys were "ugly" babies. They had very little fat, were wrinkly and red. But after working with newborns in a maternity ward, I realized that this was the norm. Babies don't get that "cute" look like newborns on movies and tv, because those babies are at least a couple of months old! My boys all got super cute, once they fattened up a bit and grew. I think my boys are the cutest kids ever, and they get lots of comments.
I think if any one gets depressed because of the looks of their babies, it's because they grieve the image they held of their child. They had this dream and vision of what their newborn would look like, and are disappointed when the newborn looks like a angry old man.
I agree with the previous responder. My son was very red and wrinkly and had a smooshed nose, and I kind of expected to see him like you see "newborns" in a movie. But I still thought he was the cutest thing ever. How could someone give birth and not think their baby was adorable?
Interesting study. I've never known a mom who didn't think her newborn was perfect, even if years down the road she laughs and says, "Wow, he looked ____!" But the new mom... I personally don't know ANY that don't think their child is the cutest ever, or that admit it.
I DO think there are ugly babies though. Come on, there are ugly KITTENS.
i find human behavior fascinating! this is a very interesting thought between the possible link with ppd and lack of baby cuteness. i think a further study in this would be a great idea, seeing as so many women struggle with ppd. whether we like to admit it or not, society gets first impressions based on appearances. it's human nature...built in our subconcious.
i read somewhere once that there might be another subconcious link between a mother's/father's behavior based on a child's appearance - that if the child resembled themselves or someone they set in a negative light, they may play on that image subconciosly, which would lead to being "tougher" or have even higher expectations. they link themselves or that person to a possible failure, so to ensure that child's sucess, they push them harder....not meaning to, just subconcious. not necessarily that they love that child less, just that that particular child's appearance brings forth a negative reminder of someone who has dissapointed them in the past.
thank you for posting! :)
I do not intend to be mean here but YES there is such a thing as ugly babies, in my opinion and im CERTAIN I am not alone in thinking and feeling this way. There are plenty of babies out there that you take one look at and become speechless and you just dont know how to respond or what to say to the parents....its sad that people feel that way, believe me I dont WANT to feel that way or think that but I just cant help it!!!
I think there may be a link in postpartum depression and relative "cute" or "ugly"-ness.
But I don't think it has as much to do with science.
I think a mother who suffers from PPD in some cases may not be as attentive to her child in one way or another, causing the child to not totally "flourish" (for lack of a better word) You can typically tell the kind of care a child gets by their looks--cleanliness obviously, a look of confidence, curiosity, or interest or an overall happy appearance.
And happy babies are usually viewed as cuter than unhappy ones.
Just my opinion.
I think that's pretty ridiculous, personally. You might look at someone else's child and think, "Hmm, well there's a homely one", but it's totally different when it's your own child.
Perhaps they should do a study of new mothers & ask them how cute they think their new babies are at birth (scale of 1 to 10). Then follow up each month to a year monitoring for PPD.
Just a thought.
I don't know if there's actually a link, but there is a difference in cuteness. My first born came out looking absolutely perfect. I assumed it was because I was his mom, but looking at pics, I still think so. My second... he came out quite ugly. It was hard, because I prepared myself for an ugly baby with my first, and not finding my second cute made me question my worth as a mother. I DID have a LOT harder time bonding with him, too. Now, is that because it wasn't all new? Because my life overall was not in a good spot? Because the pregnancy was stressful and unplanned? I don't know. I certainly struggled with PPD a lot more (still do).
What I DO know, is that he won me over BIG time. He is the most amazingly cute child now. He has a smile that melts your heart, and I did end up bonding with him - more slowly, but he won me over. :D