See photos of the 14-pound baby boy who was a 'celebrity' at the hospital after he arrived 2 weeks early
- Carey Patonai delivered a 14-pound baby boy - nearly double the weight of a typical newborn.
- Babies that big can have health problems, and Finnley needed to stay in the hospital for 9 days.
Finnley was delivered a day earlier than scheduled because Patonai's water broke.
Doctors scheduled a C-section for October 5 — two weeks before Finnley would be full-term. But he was delivered a day before, when Patonai went into labor.
He weighed 14.1 pounds at birth and measured 23.75 inches long.
Had he arrived on his due date, doctors say Finnley would have weighed about 16.5 pounds, according to Today.
The average birth weight for full-term babies is about 7.5 pounds, and the average height is 20 inches, according to Michigan Medicine.
Finnley became a hospital "celebrity," Patanoi said.
When clinicians put him on the scale, they said, "14.1, I've never seen it that big," Patonai told ABC 15 Arizona. "The doctor and one of the sweetest nurses there, they were all taking selfies with us. They asked permission of course, but they were just so pumped."
The Guinness World record for heaviest baby to survive infancy weighed in at 22 pounds, 8 ounces in 1955. In 2019, a New York woman delivered a 15 pound, five ounce baby girl.
Only 9% of babies worldwide are like Finnley.
Finnley is one of the 9% of babies who have "fetal macrosomnia," meaning they're born at more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces.
Being that big isn't without risk to mom and baby.
For the mom, it can cause problems like tearing if delivered vaginally and excess bleeding after delivery. The babies themselves may be more prone to obesity and metabolic disorder, the Mayo Clinic says.
Finnley needed NICU care.
He had some breathing issues at first and needed oxygen. Then, he needed an IV drip to manage his blood sugar levels, Patonai wrote on Facebook the day after his birth.
On that first day in the hospital, Patonai visited Finnley every three hours.
She nursed him for five minutes on each side, following up with an ounce of formula.
Despite the extra care the duo needed, "I am so happy, Tim is happy, Finnley is happy & snuggly & oh so squishy!" Patanoi wrote on Facebook. "Devlen & Everett are missing us & ready for us to come home. I am so thankful & so blessed!
Nine days after his birth, Finnley finally left the hospital and met the whole family.
While Patonai was discharged six days after the birth, Finnley needed to stay in the hospital a few more days for jaundice and high bilirubin levels, Patonai wrote, reflecting liver abnormalities.
His brothers were especially excited to meet Finnley.
Patonai said her miscarriages were hard on her oldest son. "Each loss would break his little heart."
Right away, Finnley began wearing clothes for six- to nine-month-olds.
At two weeks, he was eating more than double a typical newborn's diet, Patonai told Today.
He was also wearing diapers usually suited for two- to eight-month-olds, she said.
Now less than a month old, Patonai told Insider Finnley is "absolutely such an amazing baby."
"He is calm, content, and oh so sweet and snuggly!" she said.
She says their family is "finally complete."
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