Mum Faced Backlash After Saying Her Baby is “Ugly” in a Viral Tiktok Video

Lucy Baehr didn’t see her daughter Reese as the cutest baby, but a mother’s love transcends mere looks. However, the story didn’t stop there; when she playfully posted her daughter in a TikTok challenge, she encountered a storm of criticism, which Lucy defied with her steadfast maternal affection.

Getting pregnant with Reese had its fair share of ups and downs

Lucy Baehr shared an experience that resonated with many mothers who eagerly anticipate the arrival of their newborn babies, expecting them to be undeniably cute. Hailing from Arkansas, her story took an unusual and humorous twist, capturing the online world’s attention.

Lucy’s journey to motherhood was a real rollercoaster. She’d faced the formidable challenge of infertility and experienced heartbreaking losses. But she was a loving mom to her daughter, Harper, and a dedicated stepmom to Cole. In September 2019, they added a third furry member to the family, a dog, hoping to fill that void in their lives.

Then, in February 2020, she dropped a bombshell: Lucy found out she was pregnant with a baby girl. The news left her overjoyed and, well, a little incredulous. When her daughter, Reese, finally arrived, Lucy’s first reaction was a mix of shock and humor.

She recalls the moment, saying, “I’m pretty sure I looked at my husband and was like, ’She’s healthy?’” It was a perfect way to sum up a surprise that life had thrown her way, making Reese’s arrival a bit less unique than they had anticipated.

“Her nose was incredibly swollen, and her eyes were beady.” The new mom also shared how looking back, not a single person, not even the delivery room nurses, tried to sugarcoat that Reese wasn’t exactly a poster baby for cuteness.

“People just didn’t comment on her appearance,” she laughed.

When Harper, Reese’s sister, got to hold her baby sibling for the first time, even she couldn’t help but notice the striking differences between them. While Baehr’s daughter was likely excited about becoming an older sibling, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at her mother and make a candid observation about Reese’s appearance, describing it as “weird.” Lucy, her mother, reassured Harper, telling her there was some truth to her observation.

The “ugly baby” Tiktok challenge

Most people know it’s almost taboo for mothers to admit their children might not be the cutest openly. Still, Lucy Baehr fearlessly ventured into that territory using TikTok. She joined in on a trend where people shared their experiences of expecting an adorable newborn but being surprised by reality. With a good-natured laugh, the mother of three proudly declared that she had taken the crown in that department!

When Baehr caught the trend of folks sharing photos of their “less-than-cute babies” on TikTok, she couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon. At one point, her video had been seen by almost 24 million people. It all turned into a big laugh, with some users jokingly suggesting that her daughter looked like Mr. Bean or Harry Potter’s Dobby!

Most of the comments from her TikTok followers were all in good fun. One person even quipped that Reese looked “like a villager.”

Another person playfully guessed that the little girl definitely took after her father. Someone else couldn’t help but sympathize with the idea that women endure nine months of nausea and drama, only for their kids to come out “looking like their dads.” Another added, “Newborns are rarely, if ever, cute. They’re a ‘trust the process’ kinda creature.”

However, while many on social media found Baehr’s post to be light-hearted fun, some didn’t share the sentiment. Some believed poking fun at a child was in bad taste and sharing such a clip on social media wasn’t right.

The new mom got a lot of heat for poking fun at her baby

Baehr opened up about the criticism she faced, with some people labeling her a “terrible mom.” Critics were concerned that her viral post might negatively impact Reese’s self-esteem. However, Baehr stood her ground, explaining that she was simply being honest.

The mother of three clarified that she intended to normalize the reality of how newborns often looked when they entered the world. She reassured everyone that Reese was perfectly fine. Baehr even pledged to share the story with Reese one day.

She also believed that her daughter would inherit her sense of humor. Her primary aim was to remind mothers that not all newborns fit the typical “perfect-looking” image, and that’s perfectly okay. She emphasized that her video wasn’t meant to be mean-spirited, and she knew Reese wasn’t ugly.

Lucy also shared an Instagram picture of her newborn baby, adding a heartfelt caption explaining the significance of Reese’s name. She deeply loved the little girl, saying, “You were loved long before you got here.”

The glow-up is real

But as a respectable princess, Reese has grown into a beautiful baby. Her mom finally gave her Instagram followers a peek at Reese almost three years after her birth, sharing more photos and even a video clip showcasing how pretty and lively her daughter had become. People in the comments couldn’t help but gush, calling Reese a “beautiful baby girl,” “absolutely precious,” and “a doll.”

Then, on November 4, 2022, Baehr dropped an Instagram video that captured how Reese had changed over the years. She revealed that it took her two years to put the clip together and that it had her feeling a bit emotional. The video showed Reese laughing, smiling, learning to crawl, playing with the family dog, taking her first steps, feeding herself, exploring the world, and transforming into the gorgeous little girl she is now.

Things have been looking up for Reese, who’s now nearly three years old. “Reese is gorgeous,” Baehr proudly said. “She has these huge blue eyes.”

However, Reese’s journey reminds us that beauty truly comes in all shapes and sizes. Her heartwarming transformation and her radiant spirit teach us to embrace our unique selves and appreciate the beauty in every child, no matter how they may look at birth.

Stories like this might sound strange, but they’re pretty common. Just see what other folks shared about their first encounters with their babies.

Preview photo credit lucybaehr / Instagram

11 Harmful Things Parents Do to Their Kids Without Realizing It

In the United States alone, a child is injured from falling from a high chair every hour. Parents might be overprotective with their kids when it comes to playing outside the house, but hidden dangers can be also found in seemingly safe places for kids like playgrounds or even at home.

Bright Side gathered a list of all those things that might look safe, but in reality, can be potential dangers for your child. Keeping in mind that our treasured toddlers need our 24/7 supervision, this list will give you a heads up on what other things you need to beware of in order to protect your little ones.

1. Letting them play dangerous sports

There are numerous advantages for kids who are practicing sports, but there is also a specific list of high-impact sports that can be potentially dangerous for them. The “big 6” to avoid, as forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu advises, are American football, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling, and rugby. During these sports, a child receives multiple blows to the head, which have the risk of exposure to brain damage, according to neuroscientists.

Also, high-impact activities can cause significant compression of the spine and hyperextension of the back that can lead to serious injuries. The repeated engagement in these sports can aggravate scoliosis over time. Squatting, lifting weight over the head, hard landings like in cheerleading, and long-distance running should be avoided.

2. Letting them sit in a W position

The W position is a really common way kids choose to sit when playing on the floor especially because it’s comfortable for them. However, it is probably the most dangerous position for children to adopt and doctors advise parents to discourage their kiddos from sitting like this.

Moreover, osteopath Avni Trivedi stated during an interview that this position has become “a new health epidemic” that can highly impact a child’s development in their leg joints and hip bones, weaken their trunk muscles, and place extra pressure on their back, neck, and shoulders.

3. Giving them tablets (especially toddlers)

Kiddos spend more and more time in front of screens, especially their favorite new toy, the tablet. Doctors warn parents to reduce “screen time” as much possible because of the blue light, a portion of harmful light that these screens emit.

Common symptoms of overexposure to blue light are headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dry or irritated eyes, but also psychological ones like reduced attention span, poor behavior, and irritability. It can also affect their sleep and wake cycle, making them feel tired and exhausted.

4. Letting them go down the slide on your lap

Most parents think that when they are on the playground with their kiddos, it’s safer to go down the slide with their child on their lap. Actually, this is an extremely hidden playground danger that can cause leg fractures in children.

As pediatrician Dr. Diane Arnaout explains, the parent’s weight pushes everything downward at a higher speed, so in the case that any part of the kid’s shoe or arm sticks out of the slide, the leg or arm could twist and break.

5. Playing the Chubby Bunny game with your kids

Chubby Bunny is a very popular challenge kids usually do with their parents, where they have to place an increasing number of marshmallows in their mouth while stating the phrase “chubby bunny” as clear as possible.

Even though kids might find it extra fun and tasty, since they get to consume their favorite dessert after the game is over, this is a dangerous challenge and several incidents of chocking have occurred.

6. Standing on chairs

This is one of the most common reasons for children’s injuries, especially among toddlers. Kids are unstoppable, and they usually want to climb everything, including chairs. Falling from high chairs, in particular, is the main cause of head trauma and concussions.

Specialists advise parents to strap their kids into meal chairs, not allowing them to stand up, and also to always supervise them because there is always a possibility for the child to kick off from the table and knock over their chair.

7. Playing in the dirt

Kids love to get all dirty playing outdoors. What needs to be considered carefully though is where they play, because digging and playing with dirt can be extremely harmful to children. The main cause is lead and it’s dangerous effects on our health.

Even though lead paint in houses has been banned, there are still places with peeling lead paint like barns, garages, and old housing. Children might be exposed to that from bare soil since lead has been found in yards that were near those places. Lead itself is a poisonous metal that can cause brain damage and life-long problems.

8. Jumping on trampolines

Many parents have installed trampolines, both big and small, in their yards and their kids adore them. This seemingly funny and innocent jumping apparatus can be seriously harmful to children.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ instructions, trampolines shouldn’t be in any home with kiddos. This is because injuries caused by jumping on them happen really often and include broken bones, head injuries, like concussions, and harsher trauma that can lead to permanent brain damage and even death.

9. Mowing the loan with them

Both pushing and riding lawnmowers are heavy and extremely dangerous machines and can easily harm a young child who will probably want to come closer and see how it works. From cases involving kids falling from dad’s lap and getting injured to kids getting trapped under the heavy machinery to having eye injuries from the cut grass, this is not something you want your kid around.

According to HealthyChildren.org, in the United States alone “more than 9,000 children go to the emergency room for lawn mower-related injuries every year.” Children should stay inside the house as a precaution and be sure that neighborhood children aren’t around either.

10. Climbing on outside equipment

Playgrounds are children’s and parents’ favorite destination, however, continuous supervision is needed in order for kids to return safely home.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200,000 cases of children injured on the playground, some of which are fatal, end up in the ER every year in the USA alone. Most of them are caused by climbing. Even though it looks fun and athletic, climbing is one of the most common causes of falls and serious injuries.

11. Riding a bike without a helmet

It’s no surprise that cycling is one of the kids’ favorite activities since it gives them a sense of independence, freedom, and fun — exactly what they want. However, riding a bike can be dangerous when riding irresponsibly, especially for kiddos.

What applies to adults, of course, applies to children too. Wearing a helmet is the number one safety rule since it protects the head in case of a fall. Wearing one can prevent brain injuries and severe trauma. It is also important to never let your kid ride unsupervised. Cycling can be a great family activity, so be a good example and ride along with them with your helmet on.

We hope that this selection of potential dangers will help you and your kids enjoy a safer daily life. Are you an overprotective parent? What was the most dangerous adventure you got into as a kid? Tell us your stories in the comments.

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*