When baby Annabelle was born, something didn’t quite look right. Her head was very big, very round, and very different from what her parents had experienced with their first child a year and a half earlier. In fact, it was surrounded by a bubble.
“When I first saw the bubble I was just confused. This didn’t look anything like our son did 17 months earlier," Annabelle’s father, Nathan Burow, tells Love What Matters. “Then I made out her face and got scared for a moment. I thought, ‘This isn’t right! I’ve never seen this.’ I immediately looked at the nurse for reassurance.”
The nurse offered the exact reassurance he needed.
“She said, ‘Quick, take a picture, you don’t want to miss this.’ The lack of worry in her expression leveled me out, and without even knowing what I was looking at, I snapped some shots.”
Nathan was looking at a baby who was born with a caul. This means the amniotic sac remains on the head without breaking like it normally would. It’s typically not dangerous; the translucent caul can simply be slipped off over the baby’s head. But it is rare, occurring in only 1 out of every 80,000 births. When babies are born caul or en caul—when the amniotic sac still fully encapsulates the baby—folklore says it’s good luck.
And in case you were wondering, a caul birth doesn’t affect baby’s appearance at all. Take a look at Annabelle just a day later.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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