Babies come in different sizes and no matter what size that is, every child is a blessing.
That is exactly how one family is deciding to look at things when their newborn daughter, Willow Amey, was born weighing 14.5 lbs (6.6 kg)! Currently, she is the largest baby in Victoria, Australia. Typically, the average baby born there weighs 7.6 lbs (3.5 kg).
However, the happy parents, Melis and her partner, Ben, state that this isn’t their first large baby. Their first daughter was also born a larger-than-average size. She weighed 12.3 lbs! Perhaps one of the most impressive details about the birth of Willow Amey is that she was born naturally.
No c-section for this mom!
Originally, the largest child born in Victoria was in 2018. A boy named Maoama Ala weighed 13.8 lbs (6.3 kg) at the time of his birth. His mother, Teu Ala, decided to have the boy via c-section rather than naturally.
“Once (Teu) knew we were expecting such a big baby, she did decide for an elective Caesar, which is a sensible option,” her obstetrician, Lauren De Luca, told Perth Now.
Deciding to give birth to a larger baby naturally has its risks. According to Dr. Kristin Atkins, a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, she states that bigger does not necessarily mean better.
For example, when giving birth to a baby weighing over 10 lbs, there are several risks to consider. For example, the child’s shoulders can become trapped under the mother’s pelvic bones which can lead to damage to the neck, collarbone, or arms. In general, larger babies could potentially need help breathing due to their thick heart muscles and run the risk of brain damage and jaundice.
In addition, these babies have an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome later in life. This is because a baby’s size is often linked to the mother’s blood sugar levels. Thus, a mother with diabetes is more likely to have a larger child. So when their child is born, their source of fuel is cut off. As a result, they need to be monitored more closely.
Fortunately for both Melis and Teu Ala, their babies were born healthy.
Teu Ala said about the health of her son, “The main thing was not his size, but he was coming out healthy and happy.”
Although this isn’t Melis and Ben’s first bigger child, the couple is still in awe.
“I was like, oh no!” Melis told 7News Melbourne.
Even her mother-in-law was surprised upon seeing her granddaughter for the first time.
“She’s huge. Absolutely huge.”
Still, Melis and Ben are taking it all in stride. Melis even joked that Willow might be able to fit into her older sister’s diapers. Better yet, she’ll be able to wear her older sister’s clothes soon enough as she is already fitting into clothing made for a three-month-old child.
Naturally, folks had things to say about the birth of baby Willow Amey. Many of whom shared their own large baby stories.
“My grandma’s sister was 20lb born and my grandma came in at a close 19lb. Born in 1901. We still have big babies in the family but not that big!”
“Both my girls are born over 10.5 lbs delivered normally but this one is ready for kinder lol”
“Sam DeMachine Wow just reminded me of my poor mama and my birth at 15 lbs … God bless the little girl and her family.”
Fortunately, Melis and her baby are at home and doing just fine! You can watch the family’s story below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
