This Pregnant Mom Was Baffled When She Saw Her Newborn Baby – The Doctors Were Too...

Immediately after she had given birth, Catherine Howarth felt extremely tired and groggy due to the labor medication the hospital had given her and of course the exhaustion that goes along with delivering a baby. As a result, she thought that her eyes were deceiving her when she first saw her newborn baby. Her son looked extremely different than she expected. Howarth and her husband, Richard, had just recently gotten married and said their "I do's" when they found out another member would be added to their family. The couple, who lived in Milton Keynes, England, were now expecting a son.

Drowsy


Howarth, who was a successful financial analyst, had just endured a very exhausting labor at a hospital in her hometown back in 2014. On top of that, she said that she was "so drowsy on the narcotics" she was given to make sure their labor is as pain-free as possible. But, it was Richard who was first able to see their newborn son, who they decided to name Jonah. He recalls that "They placed on Catherine's stomach and that was when I saw him first and then they gave him to Catherine."

Immediately after she had given birth, Catherine Howarth felt extremely tired and groggy due to the labor medication the hospital had given her and of course the exhaustion that goes along with delivering a baby. As a result, she thought that her eyes were deceiving her when she first saw her newborn baby. Her son looked extremely different than she expected. Howarth and her husband, Richard, had just recently gotten married and said their "I do's" when they found out another member would be added to their family. The couple, who lived in Milton Keynes, England, were now expecting a son.

Drowsy


Howarth, who was a successful financial analyst, had just endured a very exhausting labor at a hospital in her hometown back in 2014. On top of that, she said that she was "so drowsy on the narcotics" she was given to make sure their labor is as pain-free as possible. But, it was Richard who was first able to see their newborn son, who they decided to name Jonah. He recalls that "They placed on Catherine's stomach and that was when I saw him first and then they gave him to Catherine."

First Site

First Site

Something Different


Howarth says, "You know, as a first-time mother I said, 'Wow, I can't believe I created him.' And I just fell in love with him instantly." Despite her awe and love, she knew that there was something quite different about her baby, considering the way he looked in comparison to both his parents. Howarth's husband, Richard, had very pale skin and red hair. Howarth told the Daily Mirror "My parents were from Nigeria and, for as far back as anyone can remember, my family has all been black."

Something Different


Howarth says, "You know, as a first-time mother I said, 'Wow, I can't believe I created him.' And I just fell in love with him instantly." Despite her awe and love, she knew that there was something quite different about her baby, considering the way he looked in comparison to both his parents. Howarth's husband, Richard, had very pale skin and red hair. Howarth told the Daily Mirror "My parents were from Nigeria and, for as far back as anyone can remember, my family has all been black."

What's Wrong With Jonah?

However, their son didn't have a skin tone that appeared to be a mix of his parents. Richard said, "Jonah's complexion was very pale due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck when he was being delivered. " Often times, mixed-race children can appear lighter at birth but eventually, their color becomes clearer in their cheeks. This happened just a few hours after Jonah's birth, but Richard said, "Catherine and I noticed his complexion was very similar to mine and we were surprised it was light."

Further Down The Line

As time went on, Jonah's complexion remained very light and pale. Howarth even said, "Some children get darker after a few weeks when the skin color they will have for life starts to become obvious. But you can see from the color at the tips of their ears what that will be. We saw straight away that Jonah was fully white."

Explanation

Howarth's doctors had a very good explanation as to why Jonah came into the world with a much lighter skin tone than his parents. They determined that he didn't have albinism, which is a genetic condition that strips the body of the melanin pigment that colors the hair, eyes, and skin.

Forgotten Genes?

What's Wrong With Jonah?

However, their son didn't have a skin tone that appeared to be a mix of his parents. Richard said, "Jonah's complexion was very pale due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck when he was being delivered. " Often times, mixed-race children can appear lighter at birth but eventually, their color becomes clearer in their cheeks. This happened just a few hours after Jonah's birth, but Richard said, "Catherine and I noticed his complexion was very similar to mine and we were surprised it was light."

Further Down The Line

As time went on, Jonah's complexion remained very light and pale. Howarth even said, "Some children get darker after a few weeks when the skin color they will have for life starts to become obvious. But you can see from the color at the tips of their ears what that will be. We saw straight away that Jonah was fully white."

Explanation

Howarth's doctors had a very good explanation as to why Jonah came into the world with a much lighter skin tone than his parents. They determined that he didn't have albinism, which is a genetic condition that strips the body of the melanin pigment that colors the hair, eyes, and skin.

Forgotten Genes?

What Happened?

Howarth, the mother, said "we have been told that I must have been carrying a recessive gene. At some point, there must have been a white gene in my family that has remained dormant for years and years until now. And the chance of that recessive gene coming into play was extremely rare. They had only found two similar cases, both in America, that had been reported in recent years.

What Happened?

Howarth, the mother, said "we have been told that I must have been carrying a recessive gene. At some point, there must have been a white gene in my family that has remained dormant for years and years until now. And the chance of that recessive gene coming into play was extremely rare. They had only found two similar cases, both in America, that had been reported in recent years.