A world record-holding baby, who was born at just 21 weeks, recently celebrated his first birthday.
Nash Keen was born 133 days before his due date at the University of Iowa Health Care on July 5, 2024 — and is now being recognized as the most premature baby on record, according to Guinness World Records. The previous record-holder, Curtis Means, was born at 21 weeks and 1 day.
When he was born, Nash weighed just 10 oz., which is less than a grapefruit, and was 9.5 inches long. He was then rushed to the hospital’s Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where he overcame what Dr. Amy Stanford described as “many critical challenges.”
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Nash Keen and his mom
Now, Nash’s parents Mollie and Randall Keen are thrilled to be able to celebrate their son.
“It’s emotional in so many ways: pride, gratitude, even some grief for how different his journey has been,” Mollie said. “But above all, it feels like a victory,”
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Nash Keen and his parents
The first few days of Nash’s life were “a blur of fear, uncertainty and hope” for Mollie, according to the record-keeping organization.
When her son was three weeks old and she got to hold him for the first time, the mom admitted she was “very nervous”
“He was so tiny, I could barely even feel him on my chest,” she said, recalling that her son “was covered in wires and monitors” at the time.
After a rough start, Dr. Stanford said Nash made “steady progress” and he was finally ready to go home in January 2025 after six months in the NICU.
Mollie said she and her husband Randall are “incredibly proud of how far Nash has come” and that that the progress he’s made “has been amazing.”
Still, Nash still has “some medical needs,” according to his mom, who says he’s “on oxygen, has a feeding tube and wears hearing aids for mild hearing loss” and attends “a specialized medical daycare.”
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Baby Nash celebrating his milestone birthday
In honor of his first birthday, Nash received a whopping 70 new outfits, educational toys and diapers — as well as as permission from his doctors to have cake with extra whipped cream.
“Nash isn’t just a record breaker — he’s a heart-stealer,” his mom added. “From the very beginning, our family and friends rallied behind him, and as his story spread, so did the love.”
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Meanwhile, Dr. Stanford said Nash and the Keen family have taught them lessons in hope. “Their resilience and determination have been truly inspiring,” she said.
She added, “Seeing Nash’s smile and hearing his giggles reminds me every day why it’s so important to keep advocating for our patients and their families, even in the most challenging circumstances.”
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