16-pound baby born in Texas

LONGVIEW, Texas, July 11 (UPI) -- Staffers at a Texas hospital said a 16-pound baby born recently is the largest ever born at the hospital and maybe in the entire state.

Janet Johnson of Longview said she and her fiance, Michael Brown, were told by doctors at Good Shepherd Medical Center to expect a 12- or 13-pound baby but when JaMichael arrived Friday he was 16 pounds, 1 ounce and 2 feet long, KYTX-TV, Tyler, Texas, reported Monday.

"When they pulled the baby out, they could tell that he was huge," Johnson said. "And then they weighed him."

She said doctors told her the baby's size may be related to her gestational diabetes, which she was diagnosed with while pregnant.

"It's a beautiful baby," nurse Mary Beth Smith said. "But for health reasons. We'd rather not see a baby this large ... They can have a little harder time maintaining their blood sugar."

Hospital staffers said the baby may be the largest ever born in the state. The Guinness world record for the world's largest newborn stands at 23 pounds and 12 ounces.