How should a Caul be removed?
As the Caul is a membrane which covers the face of certain children at birth, it is regarded as being of human tissue and part of the child. The most distinctive feature of a genuine Caul is the presence of two loops which wrap around the ears of the child when born. This feature ensures that the Caul is held in place during the birth of the child.
Firstly, upon recognising that the birth is a Caul birth, two small holes should be cut for the nostrils and one for the mouth to enable the child to breathe. Once this has been done the loops which cover the ears should be carefully released from over the ears. The Caul should then be slowly peeled from the face to avoid any damage to the veil.
What does a Caul look like?
As there are many misunderstandings about what a Caul looks like we have provided a picture of one. This
Caul is more than sixty years old and is still held by its owner. You should particularly note the unique
characteristic of the ear loops which mark it as being different from other Cauls.