Record-Breaking Birth: 12 Pounds 14 Ounces—The Heaviest Baby at Nashville Hospital in Years—and a Mom Who Finds Humor in It
A Nashville birth that stunned a hospital and a nation. Shelby Martin delivered her baby boy, Cassian, by cesarean section at TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital. Cassian weighed in at 12 pounds, 14 ounces (5.8 kg), the heaviest newborn to be born there in more than three years. The moment—captured on video and now widely shared—shows the striking contrast between the mother’s growing belly and the newborn’s size just after birth.
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A Nashville Birth That Captivated a City
Shelby Martin welcomed Cassian by cesarean section at TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital in Nashville. Cassian tipped the scales at 12 pounds, 14 ounces (5.8 kg). The baby’s name is Cassian, and the moment was documented in a TikTok post that has since drawn millions of views and likes, spreading the astonishment beyond the hospital walls.
The Internet Reacts: Awe, Humor, and Wonder
The TikTok post sparked a wave of responses. It has racked up more than 4.4 million likes and tens of thousands of comments. Viewers were stunned, with one comment perfectly capturing the moment: “HOW MANY YEARS WAS HE IN THERE?” Others joked about the delivery method — “Did the baby have to come out of the sunroof????” and “Did you have to push or did he walk out?” The online reaction underscored how a single birth can become a global moment.
Care, Gratitude, and a NICU Welcome
TriStar Centennial called the delivery “a beautiful reminder of resilience and love.” Cassian spent a brief time in the NICU, where he received an IV and oxygen and his glucose levels were monitored. Martin thanked the medical team: “I also want to send extra thanks to the ladies that took the best care of me and helped me navigate through C-section recovery as a first-time C-section mama. Another huge thank you to the NICU team that cared for our big guy and loved on him when I couldn’t. I will never forget you.” Remarkably, Cassian arrived on Shelby’s own birthday—the greatest gift she could receive.
The Bigger Picture: Other Jumbo Births and the Everyday Scale
Cassian isn’t the only exceptionally large baby in recent memory. In Riverview, Florida, Daniella Hines delivered her son Annan at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South on Sept. 3, weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces. In Alabama, Pamela Mann welcomed daughter Paris Halo, a 13-pound-4-ounce newborn, at Alabama Grand View Medical Center in March. Stanford Children’s Health notes that the average newborn weighs about 7 pounds, making these births not just large but extraordinary. In this world of big numbers, these babies—like Cassian—seem to have broken the scale.
