Amanda Byron had been warned by her doctors that her baby might be larger than average based on ultrasound scans. However, neither she, her fiancé Eric Rozzi, nor the hospital staff were prepared for just how big baby Jonathan Patrick Rozzi would be. Born naturally, Jonathan arrived weighing an astonishing 13 pounds, 2 ounces, and measuring 22 inches long.
Amanda, 21, went into labor on Thursday at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen. After four hours of labor and just 10 minutes of pushing, she delivered Jonathan without surgical intervention.
“When they told me his weight, I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until everyone started taking pictures,” Amanda recalled.
The medical team was equally taken aback.
“The doctor said he’s the biggest baby she’s ever delivered naturally, and the nurses were all so surprised at his size,” Amanda shared. “I was told the last big baby they had was 12 pounds, but that was a C-section.”
“Everyone keeps asking me, ‘How did you do it?’ Honestly, it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be. So I just smile and shrug.”
Despite early ultrasound readings suggesting an above-average baby, Amanda and Eric expected a newborn weighing around 9 or 10 pounds—certainly not 13.
“We thought maybe 9 or 10 pounds since the average size is between 6 and 8 pounds. Doctors don’t know why he’s so big. I had a normal, well-balanced diet and avoided caffeine and sodas,” she said.
Amanda also noted that neither her family nor Eric’s has a history of particularly large babies.
Jonathan’s arrival has been met with excitement from family members, who have already given him affectionate nicknames like “Big Baby” and “Sumo Wrestler.”
For now, Amanda has been advised to avoid lifting heavy weights—including carrying Jonathan in a baby carrier. Still, she’s looking forward to all the snuggles.
“He cried when he was born, but he’s mostly a quiet baby. Definitely a cuddler,” she said. “So far, he’s eating a normal amount, and I have a lot of support from my family. I’m really looking forward to motherhood.”
While Jonathan’s size is remarkable, he won’t be making it into the Guinness World Records. The title of the largest recorded newborn belongs to a baby born in Italy in 1955, who weighed a staggering 22 pounds, 8 ounces.
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