New Dad Checks His Baby’s Chart And Notices His Baby’s Blood Type Is Incompatible With His

Most people agree the days their kids were born were some of the best days of their lives. However, one new father was a little skeptical after the birth of his baby, believing there was a chance he was not the father. Seemingly, he stumbled upon the baby’s chart, reflecting that he and his baby didn’t share a blood type. As a result, he turned to Reddit’s “Relationship Advice” thread for perspective.

Discovering a Mismatched Blood Type

About six months ago, user u/throwra-rycetbc turned to Reddit after stumbling upon what he believed to be his new baby’s chart. “I went to talk to the nurse and a chart was up on the computer. I think they listed our baby as type B blood. There was a lot on the screen, a lot going on, and my head was swimming so I’m not certain that’s what it said and I’m not even certain that was our kid’s chart.” He wrote. The concerned father highlighted the fact that he knows his wife’s blood type because they donate blood, and both parents are type A.

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Questioning the Internet

“I’m not sure what to do next. Should I ask my wife? She’s still recovering and I don’t want to stress her unnecessarily. Can I ask the hospital to see the chart? We’re already home. Do I just get a home paternity test (cheek swab) and wait to get the results?” He wondered. He researched blood types and contacted the hospital to answer his questions. “Talked to the hospital, and the nurse said she didn’t see where blood typing was ordered and wasn’t sure why the results were incomplete. She said blood type isn’t medically necessary for my child and wasn’t ordered so they wouldn’t retest for blood type.” He added in an update. “She explained that the blood type is listed in lab results, if it was necessary to know the baby’s blood type they would type it again, not look through old labs.”

Siding with the Mom

Ultimately, he decided to order an online paternity test. The post has since been archived, meaning no one can add anything, and there wasn’t a conclusion. However, the post racked up more than 1,500 comments. Many commented on the father’s “daft” approach to the situation as many weren’t certain why he turned to Reddit before the hospital, in the first place. Others were more concerned about the well-being of the mom, who’d just gone through “a difficult birth” according to the OP. “She’s gone through the wringer and is probably getting the hang of breastfeeding and this guy’s got time to kill, along with his relationship on the basis of nothing.” Wrote one concerned Reddit user. “No evidence. No empathy. This just can’t be real. I really hope it’s not. He goes straight to a paternity test, while his wife can probably barely make it to the bathroom unaided.”

Although this father was likely sleep-deprived and, in turn, paranoid, it would make more sense for someone to ask medical professionals rather than turn to the internet. In contrast, medical personnel are limited in the information they’re allowed to disclose and may not be able to confirm or deny the baby is his, without a paternity test.

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Knowing the Blood Types

Paternity tests are more than 99% accurate, and there are four main blood groups and eight blood types. Most people know the groups are A, B, AB, and O, each positive or negative. Additionally, whether it’s positive or negative is determined by the existence, or lack thereof, of a protein in red blood cells called the Rhesus (Rh).

Blood Types Can Differ

Blood types are generally passed down from parents but can change when parents have differing blood types. This fact likely caused this father even more confusion because he and his wife both have A. On the other hand, that isn’t always the case, and children may not always have the same blood type as either parent. “For example, parents with AB and O can either have children with blood type A or B,” explains The Tech. Meanwhile, a mom could be Rh-negative while her baby is Rh-positive.

While it’s impossible to know without a paternity test, a paternity test doesn’t necessarily require a blood sample to prove a biological connection. Rather, in most cases, saliva or hair is sufficient and will still yield successful results. It seems the OP was a sleep-deprived father, not thinking clearly. Admittedly, he wasn’t certain the chart he saw was his baby’s. As such, it’s understandable the internet would side with the mom, yet only he and his wife know if there are underlying reasons he may feel uncertainty. (Which he didn’t disclose in his post.)

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