Tennessee Mom Shelby Martin Recalls Her Experience Giving Birth to a 13-Pound Baby
Shelby Martin is still in disbelief that she gave birth to a nearly 13-pound baby.
This past summer, the Tennessee-based mother had the “ideal birth plan” set for her fourth child. However, everything shifted when she and her partner, Joshua Thomas, discovered their baby was measuring significantly above average.
“There was a genuine risk he could get stuck during delivery,” Martin, 30, shared in an interview with People that was published on Tuesday, October 21. “That altered everything. I recognized that a C-section was the safest option, and I was fortunate to have an incredible OBGYN and care team at TriStar Centennial that I completely trusted. Sure, I mourned the loss of my ‘ideal birth plan,’ but in retrospect, I’m just so thankful.”
With the support of a dedicated team of doctors and nurses, Martin and Thomas, 27, welcomed their son Cassian at HCA Healthcare’s TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital in Nashville on July 29.
“After loss comes light. Just one year after facing an unimaginable loss on her birthday, this mom welcomed her greatest gift — Baby Cassian — who now shares the same birthday as her,” the hospital shared via Facebook on September 22. “Born at 12 pounds, 14 ounces, he is the largest newborn to be delivered at TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital in the last three years. Their story is a beautiful testament to resilience and love.”
According to Martin — who experienced a pregnancy loss a year prior — baby Cassian had to spend 10 days in the NICU.
Though some may think his size caused the NICU stay, Martin explained it was due to his early arrival. As a result, his lungs were still maturing, and his glucose levels weren’t stable.
“Everyone was astounded by his size! He made such a significant impression that nurses and doctors from all over the hospital came by the NICU just to meet him. He quickly became a little celebrity during his time there,” Martin told People. “Every time we visited, someone from the care team was already cuddling him. They genuinely adored him, and as a first-time NICU mother, that meant the world to me. Knowing he was so loved and cared for brought me immense comfort.”
As baby Cassian enjoys time at home with his older siblings Elijah, 9, Waylon, 8, and Jonah, 7, Martin remains amazed that such a large baby was inside her.
“We were aware he would be big, but I never expected almost 13 pounds,” she said. “Looking back at bump photos, I probably should have figured it out.”
To this day, Martin continues to express her gratitude to the hospital staff who cared for her family during a time filled with uncertainties.
In a Facebook post, Martin remarked that she “couldn’t have asked for a better team to look after our boy, or a better hospital to care for dad and me.”
Martin expressed particular empathy for other parents with children in the NICU.
“This was my first NICU experience, so having to ask for permission to hold him and seeing him connected to tubes and monitors was all completely new to me,” she reminisced. “Coming home without him was the hardest part of it all.”
