Maxxzandra Ford said she realized during delivery that she was giving birth to an unusually large baby, but had no idea her son was 6.4kg. It was a double surprise for the US mom who did not even realize she was pregnant until her third trimester.
Ford told TV station WFLA that her “feet never swelled, never was really that tired, my back didn’t hurt so obviously I didn’t think anything of it.”
However, Ford said she was rapidly gaining weight last fall. That is when doctors confirmed she was more than eight months into the pregnancy. Ford, who also has a one-year-old son and five-year-old daughter, initially thought she was having twins.
Following 18 hours of labor, Ford delivered Avery at St Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa on Jan. 29. Hospital officials said Avery is the heaviest born at the hospital, and one of the largest ever born in Florida.
“I was cussing up a storm,” during delivery, Ford said. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness,’ and they were like ‘Stop pushing. Stop pushing,’” she told WFTS.
“When I felt his head come out I knew he was bigger than 10 pounds [4.5kg],” added Ford, whose other children weighed 4kg and 4.5kg at birth.
His father said he is a football linebacker in the making.
“When I finally did get to hold him, I loved it,” Ford said. “I just melted.”
Avery, who has a full head of hair, remains in neonatal intensive care but is expected to go home soon.
“They can have some difficulties getting out of the birth canal and there can be some residual effects from that,” said Jenelle Ferry, a neonatologist who is taking care of him. “They can initially have some problems with breathing, regulating their blood sugars and then problems with eating.”
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