Can anyone tell me why a baby would be born without a drop of vernix and very dry, flaky skin?

[NorktasticNinja]

DD was born 4 days before EDD and her skin was so, so dry, she shed a whole layer in the first few weeks. I know some late babies can be dried out, but any ideas why it may have happened to her?

She's 14 months now and doesn't have eczema, although her skin does tend to dry out easily (like mine).

I know it's not the most important thing in the world, but this is one of the many mysteries surrounding her birth that I feel the need to look into before DC2 comes in June.

dd1 was like this and they said it was because she was late.

(By my dates she was a bit late, by their dates she was a week early)

because the dates were wrong?

what other mysteries are there?

i woiuld think like anything, some babies have more vernix than others, some flake more than others, some have more sensitive, dry skin than others, it is hard to know sometimes

Maybe some babies are "ready" before the usual number of weeks? And are you completely sure of your dates? DS was like that but he was 10 days overcooked.

late baby, vernix disapears after you reach "term"

I don't think DS2 had vermix. His skin was all wrinkly like he'd been in the bath too long (he was a bit late).

I was induced with DD on her due date, she shed a layer of skin, and always has had dry skin, she had really bad milk spots too

DD 2 was almost 2 weeks late, shed no skin, no milk spots and still has lovely soft skin at 4 years old.

I've just put it down to one of those things, no real great mystery to me.

Thanks all! Almost totally sure of dates, both scans put her at a couple of days older than my dates, but they used mine anyway. I detected a chemical pregnancy the cycle before she was conceived but that definitely wasn't her.

I guess it's just one of those things.

Lulu - I'm in the process of getting our notes, don't know if that'll really shed any light though...

Other (equally trivial and unanswerable) mysteries include are why her blood sugar was so very low even though it wasn't a particularly long, stressful or difficult labour. Why she got stuck even though her position was good and she was only 6.12. Why and when she pooed even though no distress was ever noted. Oh, and why the midwife was such a numpty

Late baby.

One of mine was 9 days late and had that much vernix under her arms and groin that I initially thought that the m/w had put sudocreme on her So it would appear that she wasn't as 'late' as I thought.

Perhaps your baby was 'late' for her but not for dates iyswim.

Just cooked before the rules say she should have been? I suppose that's always possible.

My ds was like that, too, Marla. 13 days late. Shed layers of dry skin.

DD wasn't wrinkly at all, just smooth and dry. Her nails weren't long though.

Could a slowly failing placenta give the same symptoms as being late?

DD was born on her due date with not a drop of vernix and her fingernails were longish

DD was born 2 days after her due date. No vernix at all. Very dry feet and armpits! She spent the first 3 weeks smelling of olive oil. .

She was also only 6lbs 10, although I'd been told by the community Midwife perviously that I was having a big baby of at least 9lbs

DD1 was like this and a week early 9lb 4oz. Both me and my midwife thought she was late.

I have to say i have no idea when i fell pg as i hadn't had an AF for 6 mths prior to getting pg.