Many moms bond by sharing their pregnancy and birth experiences. While every pregnancy is unique, Cary Patonai and her “chunky monkey,” Finnley, are making the news because of just how unique their case is.
Tim and Cary already had two sons, Devlen, 10, and Everett, 2, and Cary was no stranger to large babies. Both her boys had been born via c-section, with Devlen coming in at 8.2 pounds and Everett coming in at a very respectable 11.1 pounds.
At the beginning of October, Cary was 38 weeks pregnant with what they already knew was going to be a strapping young lad. The baby’s estimated weight was a cool 13.8 pounds.
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Cary was already scheduled for a c-section that week, but when she went to a check-up on Oct. 4, that timeline got moved up a bit.
“My water broke on the scale as I was getting weighed, so my scheduled C-section got moved up a day,” she said, according to Fox News.
So, off to Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona, they went, to meet their newest addition.
“He was so big plus I had almost double the amniotic fluid, so to say I had a big baby belly and that I was absolutely completely uncomfortable isn’t enough,” Cary said. “However, I would do it all over again if I had to, to get this blessing.”
The not-so-little dude was born via c-section on Oct. 5 at 1:56 p.m. and has been impressing people near and far with his staggering size and supreme squishiness ever since.
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Family quickly realized the clothes and diapers they’d prepared for Finnley’s arrival simply would not do, and they had to go out and buy larger sizes of everything just to fit the boy.
Both mom and baby appear to be doing well now, though they — understandably — experienced some side effects.
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Cary had some initial hemorrhaging and has major surgery to recover from, and Finnley had to stay in the NICU for eight days because he had breathing issues, jaundice and high bilirubin levels, according to a post Cary shared.
The separation would be difficult for any mother, but it proved extremely difficult for Cary, who has a history with loss.
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“It triggered a lot from my 19 previous miscarriages — leaving the hospital without a baby,” she said, according to Fox. “I knew it was for a good cause and he was in excellent care, but it still was extremely hard for me to emotionally handle.
“The reason I’ve had 19 miscarriages is due to my blood clotting disorder and fibroids. It’s been beyond hard to go through.”
But Finnley came home eventually, and the family has been soaking up all the baby cuddles and enjoying their beautiful baby boy.
“I am so happy, Tim is happy, Finnley is happy & snuggly & oh so squishy!” Cary shared in the birth announcement post on Facebook. “Devlen & Everett are missing us & ready for us to come home. I am so thankful & so blessed!”
As the days passed, Cary discovered just how special Finnley was. He wasn’t just a big baby, he was one of the biggest, propelling the family to fame.
“I saw my Dr today — oh my goodness — Finnley is the biggest baby he’s ever delivered, along with another obgyn of 27 years, & a nurse that was there during my csection,” she shared in her post. “It was incredible. He is the talk of the hospital! My dr is going to do some research & see what we can do — we really think we’ve broken a record!”
“Finnley was a little celebrity at the hospital,” she said, according to Fox. “Nurses and doctors were non-stop talking about him. He is quite tall too at 23.75 inches.”
Cary also wants other moms to take hope from her story and to be encouraged.
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“I think it’s important for other people to know there is hope behind all of those closed doors and that they aren’t alone as they are going through their own trying times,” she said, Fox reported.
“Every woman has a different path than the next, some are easier and some are harder. What matters is that we support each other, with love, care and respect.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
