Record-Breaking Newborn at Cayuga Medical Center
4.1 kg Weight Difference Between Babies Born the Same Day
A baby weighing nearly 6 kg was born in New York State, USA, drawing significant attention.
According to the New York Post and other U.S. outlets, on January 31 (local time), Terica and Shaun's son, Shaun Jr., was born weighing 13 pounds (approximately 5.9 kg) at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, New York. This marks the largest newborn ever recorded at that hospital.
Terica, who already has two sons and a daughter, said, "I knew the baby would be bigger than average, but I didn't expect this much. He is already wearing diapers and clothes meant for three- to six-month-olds. It feels like I'm raising a three-month-old from the very start."
A healthy baby weighing 6kg (right) was born in New York State, USA. On the left is a newborn weighing about 1.8kg born on the same day. Photo captured from Cayuga Medical Center's Facebook page
On the same day that Shaun Jr. was born, Chloe and Victor's daughter, Margot, was also born at the same hospital. Margot weighed 4 pounds (about 1.8 kg), resulting in a weight difference of 4.1 kg between the two newborns. The hospital released a photo of the two babies lying side by side through social networking services (SNS), and the post attracted considerable attention online.
The hospital commented, "This was an example demonstrating that our medical staff are prepared to welcome very different birth stories with skill and warm care," and congratulated both families on the births.
Margot's mother, Chloe, said, "It was a lovely and meaningful reminder that babies are born in a wide variety of appearances and sizes," and expressed gratitude for the warm care provided by the doctors, nurses, and midwives.
The average birth weight of newborns in the United States is about 2.7 to 3.6 kg. In Korea, the average is known to be 3.3 kg for boys and 3.2 kg for girls. In the medical field, babies weighing 4 kg or more at birth are generally classified as 'large babies,' while those over 5 kg are considered 'very large babies.' According to the Mayo Clinic, only about 8% of newborns worldwide are born weighing 4 kg or more.
While factors such as gestational diabetes, maternal constitution and age, and previous childbirth history can influence birth weight, in many cases it is difficult to pinpoint a clear cause.
The heaviest baby on record was a boy born in Canada in 1879, weighing approximately 10.8 kg. However, as there was no systematic medical record-keeping at the time, the accuracy of this record remains somewhat controversial.
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