In October 2023, a child that weighed about twice the size of an average baby was born.
The child holds the record for being the world’s most giant baby since 2010. The delivery was like a scene out of a movie.
It Was a Mind Blowing Delivery
The child’s father, Chance Ayres of Cambridge, Ontario, was present for the delivery. He called it “dumbfounding” and “mind-blowing.”
He said. “The way the doctors and nurses were cheering. It was like the [Toronto] Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. It was [unbelievable]. Everybody was jumping and screaming. It was fun.”
What Was He Named?
The popular newborn was named Sonny Ayres, the fifth child of Chance and Britteney Ayres.
He was delivered via Caesarean section on October 23, 2023, at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, weighing 14 pounds 8 ounces. He was 55 centimeters long. His father, Chance, never saw it coming.
There Were Wagers on How Big He Would Get
Even though Chance is proud of his son’s arrival, he has confirmed that he never thought he would get as big as 14½ pounds.
He said, “Everybody was making bets on how big he was going to be, even the doctors and nurses.” However, none of them predicted Sonny’s weight accurately, even though two of his siblings had been born at over 13 pounds as well.
Is Such a Size Normal?
When they weighed Sonny after his delivery, the scale read 14.8, and that was when Chance and his wife realized how “crazy” it was.
For context, the average weight for a full-term baby is estimated to be between 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Babies considered large often weigh around 9 pounds or more, so delivering a baby over 14 pounds surprised even the physician.
What the Physician Had to Say
The last three kids Chance and his wife welcomed were all delivered by the same man, Dr. Asa Ahimbisibwe, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.
He said: “She previously had a big baby that was 13 pounds, 14 ounces. We knew that this baby would also be a big one, but we did not expect that he would be this big.”
More From the Doctor
Ahimbisibwe also confirmed that after Sonny was born, everyone in the operating room cheered, pleasantly surprised.
“When the baby tipped the scales, it became real that he was indeed a big baby,” Ahimbisibwe said.
He added, “I have not delivered such a big baby before and have not seen one delivered even throughout my training.”
Who Held the Record for Heaviest Birth Before?
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest birth on record for a newborn is 22 pounds.
The baby was welcomed into a home in Seville, Ohio, on January 19, 1879. The child was not officially named but was referred to as “Babe” and died 11 hours after the delivery.
Sonny is the Biggest Child Delivered Since 2010
His arrival caught the attention of many since such a marvel has not been witnessed for several years now.
“A search of this registry by the Cambridge Memorial Hospital staff went as far back as 2010 and found that only five babies were born [weighing] more than 6,000 grams, or 13.2 pounds,” Ahimbisibwe said.
They Suspected the Baby Would Be Big but Were Still Surprised
About a week before Sonny was born, his mom, Britteney Ayres’ had an ultrasound that predicted the baby weighed 6,000 grams.
Ahimbisibwe said, “So even if we knew it was going to be a big baby, the surprise was more that he was bigger than all her previous babies.”
What Made Sonny So Big?
There are various factors that can contribute to a baby’s exceptionally large size. According to Ahimbisibwe, what generally predicts a big baby is genetics, post-dates, and poorly controlled diabetes.
However, he has confirmed that Britteney did not have any diabetes while pregnant. “I think she simply makes big babies,” he said.
The Apple Didn’t Fall Far From the Tree
Sonny’s mother is 5′ 5 or 5′ 6, so he didn’t get his big size from her. She said, “But Chance is very tall, and he has tall family members. My dad’s tall. My brother’s tall. So yeah, I guess it just runs in the family.”
Her husband agreed. He said: “I was myself born 9 pounds, 9 ounces, or so, and I know that her brother was born at nine pounds-plus.”
They’re Now Settling Down at Home
Sonny has survived the hours following his birth, and his family has taken him home, ready to raise him alongside their other kids.
His father said: “He is very inquisitive. He opens his eyes, and he looks around, and you see him staring around and seeing faces and putting names or putting the voices to faces. But he’s so young that he just eats and sleeps for the most part.”
Sonny Was Their Last
Britteney Ayres now plans to return to school for her master’s degree in psychology. She plans to do so once things “settle down a bit.”
She has also confirmed that her family is now complete. Britteney said: “We’re done at five. We have the fab five.”