This Is Exactly What Happens When a Baby Is Born En Caul

Every birth is incredible, but a rare few are particularly miraculous to witness.

When a baby is born "en caul," they come out of the womb in an unbroken amniotic sac. Although the amniotic membrane is typically ruptured during the process of both a vaginal or C-section delivery, in one out of 80,000 births, babies enter the world still encased in their bubble of amniotic fluid.

As a fetus develops, the amniotic sac grows and fills with fluid to cushion the baby. During these rare en caul births, moms don't experience their "water breaking" because the amniotic sac remains intact. It's sometimes believed to be good luck to be born en caul, and more commonly, even if the membrane ruptures, babies can be born with the filmy sac caught on part of their body. If a baby is born with the sac around their head, it can look like a glossy helmet, which makes sense because, fun fact, caul derives from the Latin word for helmet.

Was your baby born en caul?