AIBU to think this could be me?

[TipsyPlumUser]

Long story short, my mum had some bad MH issues when we were younger- older two half siblings spent some weeks in foster care besides a few other things. I had one of those childhoods they make tv about.

Anyway, I know something went off around when I was born but never knew what. A local nostalgia page posted a photo of a baby abandoned in the weeks after I was born, later reunited with its family.

I can’t get it out of my head it might be me and now keep looking at the photos so much I can’t see.

For obvious reasons I can’t go to my family and friends to ask. What do you think?

Its a very tough one - I dont know the answer

Do you know what you want to do if you find out it was you?

No.

I would say no because to me the hairlines and lips look different.

They look nothing alike.

They don't look the same to me.

To be fair those babies do look alike in those photos.

Would there not be records of SS intervention if it was you? Surely you wouldn't have just got reunited with no follow up.

Ask questions and see how your family react.

Doesn’t look like the same baby to me, OP.

I don't think that is the same baby. Different hairline, different nose.

I think the nose looks identical.

I actually think the noses look identical, and the line under the baby's right eye. The hairline is difficult to see in the b+w photo.
Do you have another photo with the baby's ear? Ears are very distinctive.

Have you got your social services records?

All babies look more or less the same at that age. I think you're reading too much into it

The hands of the baby on the right also look a lot smaller than the baby on the left. Granted one hand is open and the other closed, but the tiny hand on the right doesn’t look like the fingers would be as long as the baby on the left.

What will it matter if it was you? Sorry, I don't know how else to word this question.

Hi OP, baby photos can look very similar and I am sure that the questions are constantly swimming in your mind. Do you feel able to ask your mum? If her mh was so bad that your older siblings were in care, there is always the possibility that your mum felt unable to cope.
If you want to seek a definitive answer, you will need to ask and make enquiries. Otherwise, you need to put it to bed in your mind.
Take care OP and I am sending you strength

I see what you are saying, they don’t look dissimilar but so many babies look like those photos! I would do some more digging to see if you can find any more info, good luck x

Surely as an adult you should be able to ask the correct authorities, the police, social services etc about information on the case if you really think it’s you.

Is there not a friend of the family or a neighbour who you could ask? I would have thought somebody would have let slip about it by now if it was you.

What sort of local nostalgia page?

Do you mean a local newspaper?

If so, contact their archives section and see what else you can find out about details published at the time.

Or all local papers actually.

I don’t think so, although many babies do look a bit similar as newborns.

I just ran them through two different AI facial comparison programs and both said no match (I also tested it with two photos of myself and it matched them)

Edit: I tested it again with two photos of my newborn DS to see if it was less reliable for a baby and it also came up as a match.

They could be the nose and space between the eyes look the same - babies can change though I have pictures of both of mine where they don’t look the same at all

have you contacted the newspaper

Pretty much all newborns look like scrunched up potatoes

I think they look alike, it's the nose and lips. Also it looks like they're taken a few weeks apart as the first pic looks like a slightly younger baby than the second. Which correlates with your post.

Similarities:
Both babies appear to be newborns or only a few weeks old.
The face shape in both photos looks fairly rounded, which is common at that age.
The nose shape looks quite similar — small and gently rounded.
Both have similar hairlines (fine, short newborn hair).
Differences:
The first baby’s photo shows more distinct facial expression (mouth open, eyes partly closed), while the second baby’s face looks more relaxed in sleep.
Lighting and photo quality are quite different (first is darker/grainier, second is sepia-toned and clearer), which makes detailed comparison harder.
The angle of the face is slightly different in each image, which can change how features appear.
Because newborns can change very quickly in appearance (sometimes even week to week), and photo quality/lighting can alter how features look, it’s difficult to be certain just from these two photos.
Would you like me to highlight specific facial features (eyes, nose, lips, ears, etc.) side by side so you can see how closely they line up?
You said:
Yes
ChatGPT said:
Great — let’s go feature by feature between the two baby photos. Keep in mind that small differences can be due to facial expression, angle, or lighting rather than the babies being different.
👀 Eyes
Baby 1 (top photo): Eyes are almost shut but you can see the fold of the eyelids; appear slightly almond-shaped.
Baby 2 (bottom photo): Eyes are completely closed in sleep; shape looks similar, but harder to tell due to angle.
👃 Nose
Both babies have a small, button-like nose with a rounded tip. The nostrils appear similar in width and shape.
👄 Mouth & Lips
Baby 1: Mouth is open in a mid-expression (as if yawning or making a sound). Upper lip has a gentle curve, lower lip is full.
Baby 2: Mouth is closed, lips relaxed. Shape looks consistent with Baby 1 — upper lip with a soft arch and a fuller lower lip.
👂 Ears
Baby 1: Ear partially visible, small and close to the head.
Baby 2: Ears less visible, but general placement and size seem consistent.
🧑‍🍼 Face Shape
Both babies have rounded cheeks and a short chin, very typical of newborns.
Baby 1’s cheeks look slightly fuller, but that could be due to the expression.
👶 Forehead & Hairline
Both have a high forehead with fine newborn hair.
The hairline looks similar, though Baby 2 has the hair lying flatter due to the angle.
✨ Overall:
The two babies share a lot of consistent features (nose, lips, general face shape). The differences you see are mostly due to expression, camera angle, and lighting. It’s very possible they could be the same baby, though without more photos at different stages, it’s not something that can be confirmed with certainty.

All newborn babies look broadly alike, and these two look as much like mewling potatoes as any other baby does, but that’s about it. I think it’s highly unlikely that it’s you.