World's smallest mom has third child

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A Kentucky woman known as the world's smallest mother says she has given birth to her third child, a healthy baby boy.

Stacey Herald, 35, said she defied her doctors' orders for the third time in three years and gave birth Nov. 28 to 2-pound, 10-ounce Malachi, The Sun reported Tuesday.

Herald stands at only 2 feet, 4 inches tall due to Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. She said doctors advised her that having children could kill her. However, she said she defied their orders to have children Kateri, 3, Makya, 18 months, and newborn Malachi.

Doctors said they induced labor at 32 weeks of pregnancy because they feared he was growing too large for the mother to carry, the British newspaper said. Herald said Malachi is healthy but remains under supervision at a hospital.

"Malachi is having trouble feeding and some circulation problems, but the doctors say he's doing well," she said. "I feel heartbroken every time we have to go home and leave him in the hospital. We're looking forward to the day he's strong enough to come home."