Stork Bites: What Are Those Pink Patches on My Baby?

Noticed a faint pink, red, or purplish patch on your newborn's skin? There's a good chance it's something called a stork bite, a very common type of birthmark. They're harmless, but let's dive into what they are and why that funny name came about.

Body

• What is a stork bite? A stork bite (also called a salmon patch or nevus simplex) is a flat birthmark formed by a cluster of tiny blood vessels close to the skin's surface. They're most common on the forehead, eyelids, back of the neck, nose, or upper lip.
• Why do they happen? Stork bites happen when certain blood vessels stretch out a bit during a baby's development. The marks tend to be more visible when your baby cries or gets upset due to increased blood flow.
• The "Stork" Connection: The name obviously comes from the folklore about storks delivering babies. Often, stork bites on the back of the neck look a bit like where a stork might have held the baby in its beak!
• Do stork bites need treatment? Absolutely not! Stork bites are completely benign and don't bother your baby. They usually fade significantly in the first year or two, and most become barely noticeable in adulthood.

Conclusion

Stork bites are a normal and temporary mark on many newborns. Consider them an adorable little souvenir of your baby's journey into the world!