Mum delivers ‘bowling ball’ child weighing 13lb who left docs shocked by his measurement
Markie Smith, 35, said she expected a large baby but was staggered by Canyon’s size when she gave birth to him in Arlington, Texas in the US
A single mum was “relieved” to have a c-section when she gave birth to a 13lbs baby boy – the same weight as a “bowling ball”.
Little Canyon tipped the scales at 12lbs 10.5oz and briefly required monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas in the US. He arrived at 8.26am on December 18 and is now healthy and thriving.
His mum, Markie Smith, 35, says she expected a large baby due to the size of her “huge belly” but even so was shocked by his size – and that carrying Canyon feels like “holding a bowling ball”.
She said the delivery room erupted in amazement when medical staff announced the newborn’s weight.
The mum-of-three, who owns a dog grooming and training business, from Arlington,said: “The whole room just was like ‘what?’. He came out like a three-month-old baby.
“He’s the biggest baby I’ve ever seen in my life.”
The extraordinary birth weight puts baby Canyon just shy of 13lbs – placing him among the largest newborns on record for the hospital. The average newborn baby weighs between 6lbs and 8lbs in the US – making Canyon nearly double the typical size.
Markie – who is also mum to a daughter, nine, and son, four – said: “I was expecting a 10lbs baby, but that’s crazy. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen or heard of, except for on the news or like in the Guinness Book of World Records.”
Despite his impressive size, Canyon is healthy and doing well, though he required some additional monitoring in the NICU due to his unusual birth weight.
She said: “He came out screaming and peeing everywhere, and he’s just such a good baby. He eats well. He’s really sweet – sweet and chunky.”
The pregnancy proved challenging for Markie – who was navigating personal hardships, including the recent loss of her mother and a break-up. She worked throughout her pregnancy, running her business until just days before Canyon’s birth.
She said: “I worked up until the week, a few days before I had him. So I knew he was going to come out a strong warrior baby, but I wasn’t quite expecting him to be like that.”
The name Canyon was chosen from a long list of nature and Western-inspired names, with input from friends and family.
Markie’s daughter, Meadow, has embraced her new role as big sister – giving Canyon the nickname “Little West”.
Visitors to the hospital have been amazed by Canyon’s size and presence.
Markie said: “It’s like holding a bowling ball. It’s like holding a bag of bricks. He’s a big, big boy.
“He’s got fat rolls on the back of his head. He looks like a little sumo wrestler. He’s so cute.”
The story of Canyon’s remarkable birth captured attention on social media, with photos and news of the giant baby spreading rapidly.
Markie says the community has rallied around her family, providing support during the holiday season.
She said: “We’re just very happy to have our giant baby, and we want to share it with the world.”
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