What will my baby look like?

You’re having a baby! And there are about a million questions swarming through your head…what will the nursery have in it? Should I use a family name? Where should I deliver? Will I go early or late?

But there’s one question that many parents ask themselves in pregnancy which comes detached from all that decision-making and worries, and that’s: “what will my baby look like!?" It’s so much fun imaging what your baby will look like. Will they take after mom or dad? What color will their eyes be?

We stumbled across this fun predictor app and wanted to share it with you to help you imagine, celebrate, and dream about your sweet bundle that will soon be in your world.

Babies are uniquely set with features that make them beautiful in their own way, but it can fun to imagine what parts of you are likely to shine through.

How are characteristics inherited from mom and dad to baby?

Our genes drive our physical traits. Some traits come from just a single gene, but most come from a combination of many different genes from both mom and dad.

While we can’t predict exactly, statistically we can get a glimpse into some key characteristics. You can input mom and dad’s characteristics, then get a prediction of what your baby will look like using this fun Baby Calculator tool. With just a few pieces of information, it can make an educated guess.

This calculator from Experienced Mommy asks for a few pieces of information about mom and dad, and generates a summary table along with some notes.

Which traits are determinable?

Hair and eye color is pretty basic. You might have to take a guess on some colors. For example, the calculator doesn’t distinguish between light brown and very dark brown, or for blended colors like grey (which is generally designated as blue).

Earlobes are either considered attached or unattached. This description refers to the shape of the lower part of the ear and how it connects to the side of the head. Although the tool asks for attached or non-attached, in practice there is a range of connection. Attached earlobes are those that connect in a more or less straight line from the bottom of the lobe to the face. Unattached lobes hang down in a circular fashion and there is a visible gap between the lobe and the face.

A widow’s peak refers to hairlines where, in the center of the hairline, is a triangle shape. Some of these are very exaggerated and some are just a small point coming down in the middle of the forehead.

Height uses a combination of mom and dad heights then adjust according to the baby’s predicted sex.

100% chance exceptions

Some traits are much more likely than others, but you won’t see any “100% chances” showing up. That’s because in genetics there always seem to be exceptions. Also the probabilities for certain traits tend to vary by ethnic groups and even by physical location.

Do you know what’s even more fun to think about than facial characteristics? The traits that your baby will have who will one day grow up to be a successful adult, and maybe even a great mom or dad. Just like you.

What traits do you hope your baby will inherit, physical, behavioral, or otherwise? Share with us in the comments below! Share this blog with other expectant parents you know.