A northern Kentucky woman believes she is the smallest woman who ever gave birth to such a large baby. Stacey Herald, 33, gave birth five weeks ago to an 18-inch daughter who is not much smaller than her mother.“I’m 28 1/2 inches, head to heel,†said Herald, who was born with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Herald’s 16-month-old daughter, Katira, also suffers from the genetic disorder that causes bones to break easily, but her youngest daughter, Makaia, is expected to grow to average height.
“’Yesterday I was five weeks old, (and) I’m already over half as big as my mommy,’†said Herald, changing her infant daughter’s diaper.
Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records are investigating Herald’s claim as she savors the joys of motherhood with her husband, Wil Herald, who is studying to become a minister.
A month ago, when I got an e-mail from a Lubbock mom who told me her 16-month-old baby could read, I didn’t really take it seriously – especially when she told me it was her first baby. But after a few weeks and a few more e-mails, I decided to meet her and see for myself. Elizabeth Barrett is now 17 months old. She looks and acts like most babies her age, but her mom Katy says, “She can read sentences. She can read more words than we can count.” 