Florida mother delivers nearly 14-pound newborn, believed to be hospital record
Baby boy Annan weighed 13 pounds, 15 ounces at St. Joseph's Hospital-South in Riverview; parents and staff called him a 'big miracle' and nicknamed him 'Sumo.'
Daniella Hines, 40, delivered a boy she and hospital staff say is one of the largest newborns at St. Joseph's Hospital-South in Riverview, Florida, weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces (about 6.3 kilograms) on Sept. 3.
Nurses on the maternity ward gathered after the birth as staff checked the infant's weight, and the hospital posted on Facebook that Annan is "believed to be among the biggest babies, if not the biggest baby, ever born at St. Joseph's Hospital-South." Hines told TODAY she and her husband, Andre Sr., were surprised by the newborn's size.
Hines said she felt intense pressure during the delivery and initially could not believe the baby was hers. "I remember thinking, 'What are they pulling out of me? What is going on here?' I felt so much pressure," she told the outlet. The couple, both notably tall — Hines is 6 feet and her husband 6-foot-2 — said they expected a larger-than-average newborn and believe genetics played a role. Their first child, Andre Jr., was also large at birth, weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces (about 5.8 kilograms).
Hospital staff described the infant as a "big miracle," and Hines replied on the facility's Facebook post, thanking the staff for their care and writing, "He is such a big beautiful blessing," adding with a laugh, "yes, I had a C-section." Hospital officials said the mother underwent a second cesarean because the pregnancy was considered higher risk due to the baby's size.
In the days after the birth, Hines and her husband shared photos and updates on social media, where the baby earned the nickname "Sumo." The family reported that at eight days old Annan was already fitting into clothing marked for 6- to 9-month-olds and wearing size 2 diapers. Hines said the newborn had been calm except when feeding and that the family was focused on ensuring he remained healthy as she continued to recover from surgery.
Large newborns are uncommon but not unprecedented. Earlier this year, a mother in Alabama gave birth to a baby girl who weighed 13 pounds, 4 ounces (about 6.0 kilograms). In 2019, a woman in New York delivered a girl who weighed 15 pounds, 5 ounces (about 6.9 kilograms). The Guinness World Record for heaviest baby born to a healthy mother is held by a boy born in Aversa, Italy, in September 1955, who weighed 22 pounds, 8 ounces (about 10.2 kilograms).
Medical literature refers to unusually large newborns as macrosomic, commonly defined as birth weight of 8 pounds, 13 ounces (4,000 grams) or more. Macrosomia can be associated with delivery complications and increased maternal and neonatal health risks, which can lead clinicians to recommend cesarean delivery in certain cases. Hines' delivery team classified the pregnancy as higher risk because of the infant's estimated size.
St. Joseph's Hospital-South did not immediately provide additional medical details beyond its social media post. Hines and her family have expressed gratitude for the care they received and said they are enjoying the attention their son has received. "Who knew he would be a baby celebrity," she wrote, adding that she looks forward to showing him the news coverage when he is older.