16-Pound Baby Born In Texas

The average weight of a newborn baby is about 7 1/2 pounds, which is why it's shocking -- even in Texas -- that a woman has given birth to a 16-pound baby boy.

Two feet tall at birth, JaMichael Brown is the biggest baby ever born in the state of Texas.

"A lot of the stuff we bought him is too little," mother Janet Johnson told The Today Show.

The nurse who helped deliver JaMichael said there are health implications for an infant this large.

The medical term for large infants is "macrosomia," literally meaning "large of body." These babies often have high blood sugar at birth, and a greater chance of obesity or diabetes later in life, doctors say.

How big is possible cause for concern? According to Babycenter.com, over 9 pounds and 15 ounces is considered "much larger than average."

From Babycenter:

Probably the most influential factors are genetics and unmanaged high blood sugar levels from gestational diabetes or diabetes mellitus. Other factors believed to increase risk include ethnicity (Hispanic women are more at risk), obesity, gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy, going past your due date, and even your baby's sex -- male babies are more often than females.

Comments

[onnozol]

04:01 AM on 07/15/2011

See!?! This is the onset of giant babies taking over the earth. Mark my words, we will all be in service to the giant baby overlords!

[lilybean51]

09:51 AM on 07/14/2011

sorry I would have had to slap the dad.lol

[MaryfromIL]

05:58 PM on 07/17/2011

Warned my daughter to ask birth weight of boyfriends before becoming serious. My ex's family all were pretty big at birth, mother-in-law was 12 lbs.

[oregonwoman]

09:36 AM on 07/14/2011

My son was 10 pounds 4 ounces and had to be delivered by c-sections. I cannot imagine a 16 pound baby, that poor woman. Wow.

[jkuilan]

09:27 AM on 07/14/2011

ouch

[Mundane Egg]

07:24 AM on 07/14/2011

Wow - mine was 6 pounds 15 ounces. God love ya mommy.

[Riley33]

06:48 AM on 07/14/2011

Father is is 6-foot-7, how big is the mother?

[Mandles99]

06:47 AM on 07/14/2011

Proof Shaquille isn't faithful to the misses...

[Mandles99]

06:45 AM on 07/14/2011

ouch.

[akeirahmatthews]

04:30 AM on 07/14/2011

My only baby so far weighed 2.5 pounds at birth I can't imagine giving birth even through c-section to a 16 pound bundle of joy.Good luck! and please think about not breastfeeding?I'm not making fun just voicing concern.he might suck you dry.

[MaryfromIL]

06:00 PM on 07/17/2011

my 10 pounder didn't seem satisfied with nursing, added 1/2 bottle to it. turns out he just eats like a horse, even today. But skinny as a rail.

[Cesar Rodriguez]

03:35 AM on 07/14/2011

Yeah BABY dont you all know everything is bigger in TEXAS

[StevieRay HoneyBadger]

03:32 AM on 07/14/2011

Future Dallas Cowboys Nose Tackle.

[madisonlike60]

01:31 AM on 07/14/2011

My ten pounder was also two feet long at birth (v). He is now 38 and 6'3".

[MaryfromIL]

12:44 AM on 07/14/2011

whoa, I thought 10 lbs was big enough. Mine was pretty heavy after the cesarean recovery. I thought, next time will be different, less heavy.

Well, then I had twins, 11 lbs total for the two. It was like 8 babies.

But the 10 pounder is now 28 years old, 5'10", and weighs 125 lbs. But he has always had an uncontrollable appetite.

[Jeff Ricks]

12:26 AM on 07/14/2011

That's nothing, I weighed 18 pounds when I was born. Well, until I was circumsized, then I weighed 5 pounds....

[giant nerd of doom]

12:41 AM on 07/14/2011

You're sure it wasn't that giant ego of yours tipping the scale?

Haha, jk man. Jk. ;)

[greymom]

12:18 AM on 07/14/2011

My boy was 11 lb 4 oz and is perfectly healthy today with no weight issues. In fact, he was a shrimp in Kindergarten. Now he is 6'2 and 210 at 33. I did not have a c section. He couldnt wear newborn size diapers either.

[gonbald]

12:33 PM on 07/14/2011

was he born with DEPENDS?

[Raven1970]

12:35 PM on 07/14/2011

You beat me! 10 lb 1 oz, but he was just under 2 feet tall and perfectly healthy as well, now the poor thing is going into eighth grade and wondering when he is going to catch up with his classmates that have already had their growth spurts..His doctor at his last appointment said he was not going to be very tall, but I know that he will be, his father is 6'3"" and his uncles are all tall men, they just shot up later...sorry, but birth weight cannot predict their future health or growth, notice they didn't say whether the baby actually had any of those issues they list?

[MaryfromIL]

06:02 PM on 07/17/2011

My other son was tiny until last year of high school. Then he shot up to 5'10".

My mother in law was 12 lbs at birth, but only grew to 5'. Weight doesn't equal height or future weight.