Born with a Caul or Face Veil....

My Grandmother was born with a Caul or Face Veil.
I was reading the Sydney newspaper yesterday, and was surprised to see a baby girl,born with a Caul.They nicknamed her Lola the little mermaid!
This also surprised me as "Lola" was my Grandmothers name!
My Grandmothers Caul was given to a family friend, who was a sailor....
to protect him from death by drowning, when he left the navy....he fell off a wharf and drowned!

To be "born in the caul" means being born with the amniotic sac still intact around the baby.When born in the caul ,the sac balloons out at birth ,covering the baby's face & body.The baby is in no danger,not taking a breath until the face emerges from the fluid contained in the caul.A child born this way is known as the caulbearer.
Some midwives believe allowing a child to be born in the caul has spiritual significance.In medieval times the caul was seen as a sign of good luck.
A popular legend suggests that possession of a babys caul, would give its bearer good luck & protect that person from death by drowning.
Cauls were therefore highly prized by sailors.
Another popular legend,went that a caulbearer would be able to see the future or have dreams that come to pass or that they would be pyschic!

Do you know of anyone born with a face veil or caul?

in my culture a child born with a caul or face veil has the ability to communicate with spirits, namely seeing ghosts. Myself and one other member of my extended maternal family was born with a caul and while I don't always see spirits, I am sensitive and experienced them in most sensory ways.

reply to post by worldwatcher


I am a descendant of someone born with a caul...and I have seen ghosts!
My belief is that caul descenants can also be gifted.

Hello,

You may find this to be of some interest in your pursuit of information on the caul/veil phenomenon.

The birth caul or veil is a full face mask which may be sometimes found covering the face of a child at birth. Such births are quite rare, and they hold special significance for the child born in such a manner. There are many stories and myths about the caul, many of them erroneous. The correct name for those who are born with a caul is a Caulbearer. Such people are often referred to as being born behind the veil, as the caul is also referred to as the veil in many cultures, due to it being a face covering or mask.

It should be noted that Caulbearers may be male or female, and may come from any social class, racial or religious group. There are no geographical boundaries to the phenomenon. However, it has been observed that caul births do have tendencies to run in family bloodlines. Sometimes, but quite rarely, more than one member of a family, usually a parent and child, may be born with a caul.

You can find further information on the subject of the caul/veil and Caulbearers at www.caulbearer.org

Regards,
Pentacular

Thanks for your information....
I find this interesting, as not many people are born this way.
I had a baby in May last year....and another baby born on the same day was born with the caul/veil.
The mother & the midwive didn't know about the Caulbearer legends...
and the caul was not kept.

My eldest daughter was born with caul as I was.

Had no idea about it until my 1st born and my mother informed that I was as well.

reply to post by whiteraven


Hello.....whiteraven/caulbearer!
Did your mother keep your veil/caul...or did you keep your daughters?
Or was it given to someone as good luck?

Any pictures of what this looks like?

No, the nurse took my daughter and took it off as I was a complete basketcase not knowing what was on her head and part of her body.

I cut her cord and after she was all cleaned up I held her. She cried a little bit and then seemed to relax as I spoke to her. My heart was going a hundered miles an hour.

My wife was glad it was over as she was in labour for almost 20 hours and the doctor was getting worried about bloodpressure and stuff.

My wife looked at her and held her for a minute and then they carted her off to another room and I stayed with my new baby girl.

What a great day that was!

[edit on 2-1-2009 by whiteraven]

My son (now 3 1/2...we've another the way in a month or so) was born with the amniotic sac still intact. (I could say 'dunno about spiritual, more like 1 step from satan' lol.... but if I did my wife would kill me in cold blood lol. So best not). I cut the cord etc..The amniotic sac is a weird thing to look at as when its opened its like the baby just 'appears'. Before that it looks somewhat like a condom filled with week old bath water. The birth wasn't 'text book' and he was born with no heartbeat..although revived pretty fast.

The most interesting thing is that my mother was also born wiht her amniotic sac still intact as well. I wonder what the odds of that are in one bloodline? I don't supose anyone knows?

Wayne...

[edit on 2/1/2009 by the secret web]

[edit on 2/1/2009 by the secret web]

reply to post by SuperSecretSquirrel

Sorry....SuperSecretSquirrel, I don't have a picture....!
But I believe midwives used to put a sheet of paper against the caul/veil over the babys face....it would stick to the paper leaving an inprint on it.



[edit on 2-1-2009 by bekonabroom]

reply to post by bekonabroom


Text
Hi, I have heard of this also!
But, No I have not seen a picture of the Caul.
Would be very interested ,to see a photo.

reply to post by bekonabroom


Hi
i also found that article and found it to be intresting. To my disbelief my mother then told me i was actully born in the caul myself along with my older sister. My older sister's caul had a minor tear however was still very much intact n mine not broken wats so ever. Im now 19 and my sister 21 n i only found out recently so i never have thought anything of it.

This instance probably does happen more however is just not published in the papers. For instance myself n sister never made the papers. The midwives who delievered made it clear this was rare however never took it any further. I was born in the newcastle sistrict not some small town.

I dont beleive i hold any real significance, yes on the occasion i feel im a tad physic ...but dont we all?

People have asked me ever since I was very young if I was born with a veil over my face. When I was younger I asked my mother about this and she said my body was covered with a film that did not come off for several weeks and she had been concerned about it, but, that it finally came off. I relayed this to the person who had asked and they said I was born with a veil. I have never really understood the meaning of it.

Sometimes, I think I see too much and try to block it out.

When my dog had pups her first born who I kept was born with her sack in tack and stepped out of her sack. Her mom freaked and ran off momentarily. I told the vet about this one time and she looked at me as if I was nuts. Long story short, my dog is extremely perceptive and can see things as well. I have to caution her about it. I do not see everything that she does, but, can tell when there is a presence she is responding to.

We saw a strange thing one time and she and I saw it but, her mother did not. I was thinking it was an hallucination until she growled looking in the same direction. Also, sometimes in the house if I just think where is she or where did she go, so will come without me calling her. She has always done this and responds better to this than me calling her.

I would really like to know more about it.




[edit on 4-1-2009 by Siren]

I was born with a caul as well, and experiencing supernatural things is true in my terms. I would not lie about something like that. Before I even knew I was born with it, I told my mother I seen things unusual and then she told me about that and I checked into it and found out information about it, so it is beyond an old wive's tale, it is totally true

reply to post by bekonabroom

yes I was told it very rare,my perents kept it in a jar aftr its removal
a few years ater my birth in 1958 and yes to you question I was born with this condition at birth and shortly after it was removed according to my parents .My birth was in n.y.state.

I remember my grandma telling me that my aunt was born with a veil. I remember her saying something about seeing the furture. Something about a bowl with a liquid in it. Ink I think. Been a long time and my Grandma is dead so I can't ask her more about it now.

My aunt is still alive but this subject has never come up with her.

Thanks everyone...I have enjoyed reading all your posts.
I find topics like this interesting....!

reply to post by Pentacular


Finally got to have a better look at www.caulbearer.org
Thanks Pentacular....Ifound a picture of the Caul on this site!

For those who want to see what a baby with a caul looks like you can google for images. I would not dream of posting one as in the photos I saw the child was often still in the process of being born and seeing as how the mother is obviously naked, I am afraid someone would get offended.

It is interesting, but I expected something different. Having seen many animals give birth, most animal babies are born with the sac still on them, and not having had children myself I assumed all humans were.

You learn something new every day.