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New-borns are tiny, right?
Usually. But Melissa Shaw Kuter (32) from Bellville, Cape Town, was astounded when she gave birth to a baby weighing nearly 6kg.
Eli Kuter, her first child, was born on 22 October at Mediclinic Durbanville via Caesarean section, and weighed 5,95kg – just 50g shy of 6kg.
The placenta weighed 1,3kg – normally, it weighs about 500g.
Melissa, a beauty therapist, is in good health and says she doesn’t have diabetes, which often results in large babies.
Eli’s dad, Kuter (38), says his son weighed 4,85kg at his most recent sonar examination. He says the little (big) boy caught medical personnel off-guard.
“Everyone was gob-smacked. The day he was born in theatre, you could hear them say, ‘Yoh, what a big baby!’” Kuter, an entrepreneur and former Bok Radio presenter, tells YOU.
Eli’s been wearing clothes meant for three- to six-month-olds since birth. He was born during the Rugby World Cup championship and his parents joked he’d be playing for the Springboks that weekend.
“I think it’s easier to handle a large baby than a small baby, who we’d have to be extra careful with to keep his neck straight,” Kuter says. “Eli already holds his head up and when he grabs your finger, you can feel the guy has strength.”
The biggest baby on record in SA weighed 7,3kg at birth. Chesner Abels, a girl, was born in March 2007 at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town. She was so large that her mom, Cathleen, had been convinced she was pregnant with twins.
