Q&A for How to React to an Ugly Baby

That's okay! They kind of do. Just be polite and pay the baby a compliment in front of its parents like, "What a cute baby!" You could also just opt to compliment the baby's clothes if you want something specific to say, like, "What a cute onesie!" Parents like compliments like this because they probably chose the child's outfit.

You can laugh with the parents, but this behavior should stop as the child grows.

Don't comment on it at all yourself. Aside from that, you can't really prevent people from bringing the topic up, but you can quickly redirect the conversation if they do. Simply smile and change the subject. Most people aren't going to flat out call your baby ugly to your face, anyway.

You can compliment the baby's eyes by saying something like, "(S)he has your eyes!"

If you feel the need to laugh, excuse yourself and let it out in private. Once you're composed, explain that you remembered something funny from earlier, to avoid appearing rude. Try to focus on other aspects of the situation to distract yourself from the initial reaction.

You still have to love him and care for him. Remember that a newborn's appearance changes rapidly and so will your opinion.

That's okay. Kids can be very loud and opinionated. Don't let it bother you. If the child is repeatedly making rude comments about your appearance, talk to their parent(s) about it.

Not necessarily. A person's appearance can change drastically over time. Some ugly babies grow up to be beautiful adults, some don't.

If you don't have a strong aversion, consider holding the baby briefly and then return them, mentioning that you're concerned about holding them incorrectly. Parents are often enthusiastic and might feel offended if you refuse.

Immaturity might be a factor. People often have various expectations, desires, and fears regarding children, leading to different reactions.

Well, think hard about it and do what you think is right. You should not reject your child simply because it doesn't meet your physical standards, but if you really can't get past it and know you will be unable to love and care for the child, you can give it up for adoption.

Many babies aren't really "attractive" when they're born. But as time progresses, they will start to look great. Don't get hung up on appearance, just love the little bundle of your love made real and care for it. It's a baby, it's not meant to be winning a beauty parade.

If it's your baby, then the baby has a face only a mother could love. Because if it's your baby you will see the beauty in it even if other people don't and it'll be beautiful to you no matter what other people think. And whether or not it's your baby, most ugly babies grow into decent looking kids, some of them even beautiful.

That's actually very true. If you can't find some outward appearance that's nice (i.e. the eye color makes you want to run off and hide), make a polite comment about the outfit.

An ugly baby is a baby that doesn't exactly look the way your kind of perfect baby would be. If you can't find anything in the appearance that's nice, make a polite comment about the baby's outfit or start a conversation as to where that kitty onesie was bought at.

Remember that it can’t hurt you and that creepy is subjective and is you interpretation of the baby's facial movements. If you must, avoid looking at its face and look at its arms or legs instead.

Apologize sincerely to the parents and ask for their forgiveness. In the future, be mindful of your words and avoid saying anything negative about the baby's appearance.

If a baby smells bad, they may need a diaper change due to spit-up or a dirty diaper. It's also possible the smell comes from their environment, such as strong household products or smoke. It's best to be polite and discreet, perhaps making an excuse to move to another room or leave if necessary.

Ignore such comments, as they don't have the right to make such unkind remarks about you or your child.