Brazilian maternity clinic welcomes a hefty 15‑pound baby: A big surprise in tiny clothes

Foreign media is reporting an unprecedented birth in Brazil. The boy measures 23 inches in length and weighs over 15 pounds, his exact weight is slightly over 16 pounds. The child was born in the north of Brazil, the largest country on the continent, at the Padre Colombo Hospital in Parintins.

Cleidiane Santos dos Santos, the boy's 27-year-old mother, gave birth via a cesarean section. As reported by the doctors, she is doing well. Currently, she's considering finalizing the nursery for the child, as all the clothes she bought for him are drastically too small.

The hospital staff is assisting the young mother in acquiring the necessary clothes and diapers for the boy, who weighs over 15 pounds. Very large diapers and infant clothing ranging from nine months to a year are needed.

This is not the only case in the world where such a large baby is born. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the heaviest newborn in history was a boy born in Italy in 1955. He weighed 22.5 pounds, and his mother was Carmelina Fedele. The newborn from Brazil did not break the world record, although his size is still impressive!

So, how much should a newborn weigh? For comparison, the average weight of babies at birth, if delivered on time, typically ranges from 5.5 - 8.8 pounds. The baby's body length usually falls between 19.6 - 21 inches. It's worth noting that a newborn's body mass decreases in the first day after birth, by up to 7 to 10 percent of the total body weight.