The Daily Mail published the results of a survey of new parents, finding that a fifth of them secretly believe their baby is ugly.
Despite the popular belief that parents always think they're baby is beautiful upon first seeing them, the survey revealed that 18 percent of new mothers and fathers were privately disappointed with the looks of their new children. However, 82 percent said they believed their new baby was attractive.
The poll, which quizzed 1,000 parents on their feelings and reactions when looking at their baby for the first time, showed that most are silently disappointed in their babys' looks.
"As human beings we are wired to love our babies and the poll overwhelmingly supports the theory that we all fall in love with our offspring at first site," a spokeswoman for PromotionalCodesOrg.uk, who conducted the survey, said. "Interestingly loving your baby doesn't have to mean that you think it's beautiful. It seems that every parent feels a pressure to say their new baby is beautiful but only four out of five actually."
Out of the 18 percent who said they were unhappy with the looks of their baby, more than half spoke about their disappointment with their parents and only eight percent said they spoke to others about it.
"There is a lot of pressure on new parents in all kinds of ways and this is something that remains taboo and just isn't talked about," a man, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail. "Everyone seems to think they have the most beautiful baby on earth and as a new parent you feel you have to say the same even if you privately believe your baby is ugly."
