A mother has opened up about the experience of delivering her 13-pound baby boy.
Shelby Martin, aged 30, and her partner Joshua Thomas, aged 27, welcomed their son Cassian earlier this year, though the birth did not unfold as Shelby had originally envisioned.
Residing in Tennessee, Shelby shared with People how she had designed the ‘perfect birth plan’ for her fourth child, including elements like immediate skin-to-skin contact and delayed cord clamping.
However, these plans were swiftly altered after medical professionals informed Shelby and Joshua that they were expecting an unusually large baby.
The medical team advised that a C-section would be the safest delivery method, citing a ‘real risk he could get stuck during delivery’ through more traditional means.
On July 29, Shelby gave birth to her son, who weighed in at an impressive 12 pounds and 14 ounces.
Cassian’s size was remarkable, making him the largest baby delivered at Tristar Centennial Women’s Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, in recent years.
“We had a heads up that he was going to be big, but I would have never guessed almost 13 pounds. Looking back on bump pictures, I probably should have known,” Shelby commented.
While the procedure went well, Shelby shared that she had serious concerns during the process.
“I didn’t think I was going to survive!” she disclosed to Today.com. “My physical therapist later explained that he was essentially popping my hip joint out of socket.”
Reflecting on the decision to have a C-section, Shelby said she tries not to think about the challenges she would have faced with a vaginal delivery, given the surprised reactions from the surgical team.
“As soon as they pulled him out, everyone in the operating room collectively gasped,” she recounted. “They were absolutely shocked at his size.”
The medical staff anticipated Cassian to be large, yet many were taken aback by the numbers on the scale that confirmed his weight after birth.
“Everyone was amazed by his size! He made such a big impression that nurses and doctors from all over the hospital came by the NICU just to meet him,” Shelby said.
“He quickly became a little celebrity during his stay. Every time we visited, someone from the care team was already snuggling him.
“They truly adored him, and as a first-time NICU mom, that meant everything to me. Knowing he was so loved and cared for brought me so much comfort.”
The newborn spent 10 days in the NICU due to low insulin production and the need for oxygen. Eventually, Cassian was discharged and able to join his family at home.
Shelby described the experience as challenging: “This was my first NICU experience, so having to ask permission to hold him and seeing him attached to tubes and monitors was all so new to me.
“Coming home without him was the hardest part of it all.”