Meet Canyon, the Texas newborn who weighed nearly 6 kilos​​

For 35 year old Markie Smith, the birth of her son was indeed a big surprise. her third child, Canyon, was born cesarean section on Dec. 18 at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas and was a huge surprise not just for the mother but also for the hospital authorities.It was when she asked her best friend, the latter replied “Girl, he’s huge.”Baby Canyon weighed almost 13 pounds which is just shy of 6 kilos. As per the American Pregnancy Association, full term babies weigh up to 9 pounds, which is less than 4.5 kilos.“The Grand Canyon”Markie jokingly says as soon as he was born friends and family members started giving him names like “the Grand Canyon.”Canyon is a lovely name as it fits with the names of his siblings: Meadow and Forest.“He’s the happiest, easiest baby,” she told TODAY.

What causes babies to be unusually large?

When a baby is unusually large at birth (often called a large-for-gestational-age baby or macrosomia), it usually happens because of a mix of health, genetics, and pregnancy-related factors, not just “big baby genes.” As per Mayo Clinic there are several reasons that determine the size of the baby:One of the most common reasons is diabetes during pregnancy. If the mother has gestational diabetes or uncontrolled diabetes, extra sugar in her blood crosses the placenta. In Markie’s case, she had gestational diabetes in all her three pregnancies. Another big factor is genetics. If both parents are tall or larger-built, chances are the baby might be bigger too. Sometimes it’s just nature doing its thing.Weight gain during pregnancy also plays a role. Gaining much more weight than recommended can increase the chances of having a larger baby, especially if it happens early or very rapidly.Pregnancy length matters as well. Babies who stay in the womb past their due date keep growing, so post-term pregnancies often result in heavier babies.Other causes include previous large babies, multiple pregnancies, and maternal obesity. Boys also tend to be slightly heavier than girls at birth.That said, a big baby doesn’t always mean a problem, many are born healthy. But doctors monitor it closely because larger babies can make delivery more challenging and may increase the risk of birth complications.