The thread on babies’ looks got me thinking about one my small, irrational fears. That if I had a young infant, I wouldn’t be able to pick it out of a line up of other infants of a similar age and complexion. Now I know most people never have to do this, (that’s why it’s my irrational fear) so people would have to take their best guess. I’ve been around small babies, and to me, it seems like it takes at least a couple of months before they resemble anyone other than other babies, even though I will pretend to see some family resemblance if that’s what’s expected. So, is it different when it’s **your **baby?
No answer because I’m not a parent, but I’d be curious to know the answer. I remember someone commented about sheep not knowing their own babies, and I remember thinking, “Can humans?” I mean, you probably don’t usually need to since they’re always with you but if you had to…well, they all look alike to me.
After the sprog is born, you may or may not get a chance to get a good look at it. Depends on circumstances, y’know? Bonding right then helps with later ID.
My son was a hulkin’ bundle and he was easy to spot. My hospital roommate’s baby, even at a day old, was obviously a miniature of his Daddy. Some newborn babies are more identifiable than others.
However, IMHO it doesn’t take very long until parental units and offspring can recognize one another across a crowded room. Maybe it’s imprinting?
an seanchai
Are you talking 15 minutes after birth, or six weeks? 15 minutes after birth when everyone is tramatized and smeary and exhausted and on hormone overload is really very different than six weeks in. I can’t imagine it’s hard to recognize your baby at six weeks. Not even a little bit.
Did I get a look at the baby after it was born, or am I trying to identify a child I’ve never seen on family resemblance alone?
If it’s the first, I would absolutely been able to pick both my kids out of a room of newborns. Within a few minutes of first seeing them I knew exactly what they looked like. And I suspect I would have had a fair chance of identifying them even if I’d never seen them before.
I first met my niece when she was less than a week old and despite spending hours with her, would not have been able to identify her by looks from other babies.
No, you’ve seen the child before, and then maybe it’s taken to one of those hospital nurseries with the glass window for families and friends to look in on, like they used to in the past. Or maybe you’ve come to pick your three week old up at daycare, and need to figure out which baby to take home. As for the question of how old the baby is, I don’t know, like I said, they all look pretty much the same to me* for the first couple of months, but I’ve never been around a new baby every single day. Let’s say a month and younger.
Excluding complexion and hair color, of course. If I had a black haired baby in a room full of blonds, I obviously know I’d find mine.
Irishbaby weighed 6lbs 3oz and looked just like me- I’d have picked her out no problem.
The longest time she was ever out of my sight in the hospital was when I was getting sewn up after the c-section, and irishfella had her in his arms the whole time. Apart from quick visits to the bathroom and my daily shower she never left my side.
Since the first thing a new parent does is study their baby’s face intently, I think I would have realised pretty quickly if someone gave me another infant (assuming they could find another little baby to swap with- all the other women on my ward seemed to have 9lb bruisers).
I was with my sister when she had her last kid. I saw his little face as soon as they cleaned him up and I noticed little thing like, he had my nose and my mom’s mouth or my BIL’s eyebrows. I had no problem picking him out in the hospital nursery window to point him out to family as they arrived. There were no names on the bassinets and he was wearing a little hat, but he was still recognizable to me. Maybe I’m just good with faces…
I didn’t answer the poll because I’m not a parent.
When Little Miss was born (has it already been eight weeks?!) we were the only patients at the midwife center, so there was no issue, but I could have picked her out of a thousand female Caucasian babies. She looks SOOO much like her daddy, but has ears from my father’s side, and definitely has my toes (long enough to resemble an extra set of fingers,) and red hair and the longest, most beautiful fingers I’ve ever seen on such a little girl. It’s definitely different when it’s your own child.
That said, though, I did worry about that kind of thing before I had my first child. Afterwards, though, I realized that it’s the kind of silly fear that plagues all expectant moms. I could’ve picked out any of mine pretty immediately.
I can’t even recognize adult friends and relatives, if I haven’t seen them in a while. I doubt I could have picked my newborn baby out of the crowd for the first few months. At age 6 months, though, she was the most distinctive, special, beautiful human being on the planet!
Certainly I wasn’t sure in the first week or so - at 2 weeks I would have known her without problems. But I did think when I was in the hospital that if she was taken away, would I know whether they brought the right one back??
If the baby is like my side of the family, it’ll be bigger than the other babies (I, a girl, was over 8lbs, my bro more than 10lbs, and Grampy was 12lbs, so it looks like big babies are a family trait - with no diabetes in the mothers, either) and quite possibly a redhead. So, probably.
The first day while we were still in the hospital room, probably not, after we had her at home for a few days/weeks, no problem.
I would have, easily. My oldest has a rare type of birthmark on one ear, and a blotch on her back. My little one has a fire brand vivid red birthmark on her forehead. She also had her daddy’s toes. Both have Frodo feet. These features were obvious from birth so I’d know them anywhere.
I’m pretty sure I could have: I remember holding her when she was about an hour old, and noticing little things like the shape of her mouth, things that are unique to her.
As soon as I held my kids I immediately started memorizing features- a crumpled toe nail, a bruise on his head, the shape of her eyes etc, not for nostalgia but to be sure I had the right kid later on!
I voted for “Yes, of course,” though I almost didn’t. At first, I thought, “Huh - I’m not sure.” But then I thought of the unique shape of my daughter’s hands, her super long fingers, meaty little thumbs, the heart-shaped stork bite on her left eye lid and moon-shaped stork bite on her right nostril and uniquely-shaped ears and thought, “Yeah, I’d know that girl anywhere.” I’m glad she had so many distinct markings. She actually looked a lot like Mel Brooks when she was first born.
When my first son was born, from the day of his birth, besides the fact that his face was a little swollen from his journey through the birth canal, he was the spitting image of his grandmother - identical mouth, chin, and cheeks. His eyes are the same as my father’s. After seeing him once, I could have instantly picked him out of a hundred babies. Plus, the voice is unique, too.
My second son looked exactly like Dom DeLuise!
I get what the OP is saying - when I see my kid at a Little League game, and the kids are all in the same uniform, wearing baseball caps, all roughly the same size, from a short distance they all look identical. And yes, a baby is a baby is a baby. But they are all unique in countless ways, from a chin dimple to eyelash length, finger and hand shape, a “Spock” ear or a rosebud mouth…yes, you can definitely tell them apart.
How?