Mums, you might remember feeling heavy all over as you headed into your last trimester — heavy breasts, pelvis, and of course, baby belly. Now imagine if your baby had been twice their weight.
As Florida mum Chrissy Corbitt was undergoing C-section, she heard doctors in the delivery room begin to laugh and throw out numbers. “15,” one guessed, and another called out, “14.5”.
Close enough. Baby Carleigh weighed a whopping 13 pounds, 5 ounces, or around 6kg, when she finally came into the world! For reference, the average Singaporean newborn weighs between 2.5-4.5 kg.
Carleigh is the largest baby girl every born in Clay County and comes close to possibly the heaviest baby girl ever born, who weighed 15 pounds at birth.
(Image Credit: Larry and Chrissy Corbitt, ABC News)
“Like a 6-month-old baby”
This adorably large bundle of joy was a surprise for the Corbitts — they had expected their daughter to weigh two pounds less. Dad Larry Corbitt described his awe as Carleigh emerged: “I couldn’t see when they were pulling her out, and the doctors were just saying, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.'”
In fact, Carleigh was born a week early. “Her due date wasn’t until May 20 or 21. She could’ve been a way bigger baby than what she was. It was crazy,” Larry marvelled.
(Image Credit: Larry and Chrissy Corbitt, ABC News)
Though her parents had prepared diapers and newborn clothes for their new arrival, none of them fit. Dad Larry had to run down to the store to get bigger ones.
“It looked they pulled a toddler out of my belly. She’s so big,” mum Chrissy told ABC News. Dad Larry added, “She’s in size 3 diapers. The clothes she had on yesterday was a 9-month outfit. She’s huge.” Guess Carleigh gets to break in her gorgeous toddler clothes early!
Of course, her new parents are already in love with their miracle baby. “Her cheeks were so chunky and she was just so fat. She was so gorgeous, of course,” he added.
To celebrate their record-breaking bundle of joy, the couple arranged a photoshoot with Debbye Benson of Sweet Smiles Photography Studio. The resulting photos are breathtaking and just so darn cute, proving that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!
(Image Credit: Sweet Smiles Photography Studio)
What causes bigger babies?
Macrosomia, the situation in which a newborn emerges significantly larger, has been linked to gestational diabetes or pre-existing diabetes. Mums with a high BMI or those who gain a lot of weight during pregnancy are also more likely to have a larger baby, according to BabyCentre experts.
Previous pregnancies also play a part. Mums who’ve already had babies, particularly large ones, are more likely to have a large baby.
Some of these factors may sound familiar for the Corbitts — Chrissy developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
(Image Credit: Larry and Chrissy Corbitt, ABC News)
The proud parents are also no stranger to having larger babies. Carleigh is the fifth little one to be born to the Corbitts — their two sons had weighed in between 9 and 10 pounds, while both daughters surpassed 8 pounds.
Ultimately, however, macrosomia remains largely unexplained. Most larger newborns are born to mums with a relatively low risk of macrosomia. Even if you’re a high-risk mum, you’re still more likely to have an average-sized baby than otherwise.
So are the Corbitts planning on having any more (adorably large) babies? No, their five are enough of a handful, according to the couple.
“We’re going out with a bang,” mum Chrissy told ABC News mischievously. And what a record-breaking one! Welcome to the world, baby Carleigh!
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