Baby Canyon was born in Arlington, Texas, as one of the heaviest babies on record – but his size was not unexpected, his mum Markie said, given her ‘huge belly’
An expectant single mum was forced to undergo a c-section to give birth to a baby boy tipping the scales at 13lb – the same weight as a bowling ball.
Markie Smith, 35, gave birth to not-so-little baby Canyon on December 18, stunning doctors who recorded the newborn’s weight at an incredible 12lbs 10.5oz (5.74kg). He briefly required post-birth monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas.
Ms Smith said she expected a large baby due to the size of her “huge belly” but even so was shocked by his size – and compared carrying Canyon to “holding a bowling ball”.
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She said the delivery room erupted in amazement when medical staff announced the newborn’s weight, with the mum-of-three, who owns a dog grooming and training business, saying: “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 weighs between 6lbs and 8lbs in the US – making Canyon nearly double the typical size.
Ms Smith – who is also mum to a daughter, 9, and son, 4 – said she expected a large baby but was still shocked by Canyon’s size. She said: “I was expecting a 10lb 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.
“He came out screaming and peeing everywhere, and he’s just such a good baby,” Markie said. “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. “I worked up until the week, a few days before I had him,” she said.
“So I knew he was going to come out a strong warrior baby, but I wasn’t quite expecting him to be like that.” Markie found strength during difficult times by turning to her faith and spending time fishing, which initially influenced her choice of nature-themed names for her children.
“I prayed to God that I needed something to help get me through my hard times. I found out I was pregnant with the baby, and it gave me the fuel I needed.”
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. “It’s like holding a bowling ball,” Markie said, describing what it feels like to hold her newborn son. “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. Ms Smith says the community has rallied around her family, providing support during the holiday season.
As Canyon continues to thrive in his first days of life, the mum remains grateful for the blessing he represents during a challenging period in her life. 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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