TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Maxxzandra Ford said she realized during delivery that she was giving birth to an unusually large baby, but had no idea her son was 14.1 pounds. It was a double surprise for the Florida mom who didn’t even realize she was pregnant until her third trimester.
Ford said her “feet never swelled, never was really that tired, my back didn’t hurt so obviously I didn’t think anything of it,” Ford told TV station WFLA.
But Ford said she was rapidly gaining weight last fall. That’s when doctors confirmed she was more than eight months along. Ford, who also has a 1-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, initially thought she was having twins.
After 18 hours of labor, Ford naturally delivered Avery at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa on Jan. 29. Hospital officials say Avery is the heaviest born at the hospital, and one of the largest-ever born in the state.
“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,” said Ford, whose other children weighed nine and 10 pounds at birth.
His father said he’s a 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 Dr. 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.”
