“Yemayá arrived weighing an incredible 14 pounds, 1 ounce, leaving every single one of us speechless,” Dorisha Rodriguez tells PEOPLE
Credit: Courtesy of Dorisha Rodriguez
NEED TO KNOW
- Dorisha Rodriguez was in for a surprise when she gave birth to her baby girl
- While she knew their daughter Yemayá was going to be on the larger side, they had no idea that their newborn would weigh 14 lb., 1 oz
- The loving mom, who previously welcomed son Jaxon, 6, and daughter Avianna, 17, shares that while her daughter’s size was bigger than she expected, she wasn’t completely surprised by having a larger baby
One mom was in for a big surprise when she gave birth to her baby girl.
Dorisha Rodriguez, a 35-year-old mom from Buffalo, N.Y., and her partner, Dominic Soto, 41, knew their daughter, Yemayá, would be on the larger side, but they had no idea they would welcome a newborn weighing 14 lb., 1 oz.
“I couldn’t believe my ears,” she tells PEOPLE. “I was completely stunned. Without even thinking, I blurted out, “What the f–k? Did she just say 14 pounds?”
“Her final growth scan had estimated she’d weigh around 13 pounds, 4 ounces, so we all thought we had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Turns out, we were all wrong,” she continues. “Yemayá arrived weighing an incredible 14 lbs., 1 oz., leaving every single one of us speechless.”
Credit: Courtesy of Dorisha Rodriguez
Dorisha explains she “had every intention of giving birth naturally,” noting that her birth plan involved “little intervention as possible.” However, that all changed during a cervical check when she and her care team decided to move forward with a C-section.
“During a cervical check, when I was found to be 5 centimeters dilated, Yemayá reached out and grabbed the provider’s finger. That moment prompted them to take a closer look and get a second opinion,” she explains. “[The doctor] could feel her entire forearm —from her elbow to her hand—as well as the top of her head. It was only at that point that I made the decision to move forward with a cesarean. It wasn’t the birth plan I originally envisioned, but it was the safest option for both of us.”
“Thirty minutes later, at 6:32 p.m., we finally met our baby girl,” the new mom adds. “Her delivery notes officially document that she was born hand first — something that perfectly explains why she was so determined to make her entrance her own way.”
The loving mom, who previously welcomed son Jaxon, 6, and daughter Avianna, 17, says that while her daughter’s size was bigger than she expected, she wasn’t completely surprised by having a larger baby. She says her other babies weighed over the average size at birth, adding that her daughter Yemayá just continued the trend “on an even grander scale.”
“While Yemayá’s size wasn’t completely unexpected, she was definitely in a league of her own,” she says. “With insulin-controlled gestational diabetes, we knew there was a possibility she would be even bigger, and every ultrasound confirmed that she was measuring in the 99th percentile.”
Dorisha tells PEOPLE that doctors weren’t worried so much about her daughter’s weight. Instead, they were more focused on ensuring a healthy delivery and looking out for any additional risks from Dorisha’s insulin-controlled gestational diabetes. After birth, her baby girl had a short stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to regulate and monitor her fast breathing.
“Yemayá was on oxygen for a couple of days, and they gradually weaned her off as her breathing improved,” says the mom of three. “On her one-week birthday, she officially graduated from the NICU, and we were finally able to bring our sweet girl home.”
Credit: Courtesy of Dorisha Rodriguez
As for her name, Dorisha says that she and her partner simply aimed to “give her a name that honors feminine strength, wisdom, resilience, and the kind of unconditional love that helps families grow and thrive.” While the proud parents didn’t pick her name because of her size, the loving mom says their baby girl embodies the true meaning of her name.
“It was clear to me from the very beginning that Yemayá was going to be a shot caller,” she says. “This girl came into the world already knowing exactly what she wanted, [and] she was in charge from day one.”
“From the way she made her entrance, to the way she has carried herself ever since, she has this undeniable presence about her. She is strong, determined, and full of personality. Even before we could see who she would become, she was already showing us that she was going to do things in her own way,” Dorisha adds. “She didn’t just enter this world. She announced herself, and honestly, that feels very fitting for a little girl whose name represents strength, protection, and power.”
Credit: Courtesy of Dorisha Rodriguez
The mom of three says she and her family are still “adjusting well” to having their little one at home. She says that welcoming baby Yemayá, who is already wearing 3-6 month clothes, home “hasn’t been the easiest transition, but we’ve managed to make it as seamless as possible.”
“Yemayá is doing amazing. She seems to know exactly what she’s doing—stealing hearts everywhere she goes. Her personality continues to shine through, and her pediatrician says she is absolutely perfect,” she says. “At her one-month appointment, she weighed 14 lbs, 6 oz. and measured 24 inches long. She is growing beautifully.”
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Since welcoming her baby, Dorisha says the amount of public support “has been truly incredible.”
“We’ve had people erupt into applause when we walk into rooms on more than one occasion,” she says. “We’re regularly recognized for our ‘famous baby,’ and the love and excitement surrounding Yemayá has been nothing short of blissful.”
“We’ve also experienced an overwhelming amount of love, support, and blessings from people all over the world,” she continues. “It has been incredible to see how much traction our story generated and how far it traveled. A story that started with our family quickly became something people everywhere were celebrating.”
In addition to the positive remarks, Dorisha says her family has received some negative ones. However, she says she’s making an intentional decision to focus on the love and positivity around the world.
“But the negativity doesn’t outweigh the love. It doesn’t take away from our experience, our gratitude, or the joy that Yemayá has brought into our lives. We choose to focus on the people who celebrated her, supported us, and reminded us just how special this little girl truly is.”
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