What a strange article. I have two children, both boys. Both were born by c-section, the first, emergency. My older son was almost ten pounds at birth, was extremely fat, and looked like Buddha. My younger son was very long and skinny, totally bald, had a slightly scrunched face, and rather resembled Micky Rourke (prior to all of his plastic surgery). Their appearance in no way affected my love and devotion, and after a couple of weeks, they lost the somewhat lizard-like look (especially the rather gangly second son) common in newborns. Both my children giggle at their newborn pictures now, and ask to see them again and again, because, fresh out of the oven, babies frequently look like they could use just a bit more cooking.
But this article isn't talking about "ugly" babies, in my opinion. It's talking about "abnormal" babies, which is, I guess, a PC way of describing infants born with obvious physical deformities. I would expect many women to glance away hurriedly. As a society, we are taught not to stare at those w/ obvious malformations. As humans, we have an atavistic reaction to avoid those who are different, especially if the difference is threatening to the species. Some might experience empathy, and some revulsion. And some might thank their gods or genetics or luck that it wasn't their child. Men react differently because their evolutionary/biological role is different (please, spare me the nonsense that men and women are essentially the same, because it just isn't so). Women, due to biology, are the mothers. Female mammals frequently reject, or even kill, abnormal offspring. At one time, human mothers did as well. Before anyone starts screaming "Eugenics!" I am NOT advocating this. As a civilized society, we can now help many such infants. But for many women to look away quickly is both a natural AND learned reaction.
I just know I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but as with all humans, babies do have varying appearances. And I have seen babies, especially newborns, that were, um, funny-looking. I am awaiting the lightning strike now. No, nothing yet. My older son was so late in arriving he didn't really look like a newborn. The younger one was mottled red and purple, somewhat slimy, had squinchy eyes, no hair and was very indignant at being dragged into the light, sound and cold. He yelled continuously until placed under a heat lamp. He sprawled lizard-like beneath the warmth, and bellowed indignantly whenever removed. He was the loudest baby in the nursery. I, and his daddy, loved him unconditionally. Cafemom misrepresented this article quite a bit in the title. This has nothing to do with "ugly" babies. It should have been titled "Can a mom love an deformed baby?". That would have been honest. Many do, and do their best to get them the help they need. But many abandon such babies to their fate, sometimes because of social pressures, or poverty, or even, sadly, disgust and revulsion.
