Baby Born with 4-Lb. Tumor on Her Tailbone: ‘Seeing It on the Ultrasound Was Scary’ 

“We call her our miracle baby,” says mom Kristin Tyler, who is grateful for the love and support that got them through the terrifying experience.

When Kristin and Jacob Tyler from Alexandria, Louisiana, learned they were expecting their second child in late 2023, they were overjoyed. But at Kristin’s 20-week anatomy scan, their excitement quickly turned into fear.

Doctors initially suspected their baby might have spina bifida — a condition Kristin, then 23, had never even heard of. “I was freaking out,” she recalls.

The next day, a specialist clarified the diagnosis: their daughter had a sacrococcygeal teratoma — a rare tumor that develops at the base of a baby’s tailbone. Though usually benign, the tumor can grow rapidly and strain the baby’s heart. It affects about 1 in every 20,000 births, most often in girls.

The couple was referred to Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Houston, 245 miles from home. There, they met Dr. Ahmed Nassr, a fetal medicine specialist and surgeon, who explained that the tumor — though non-cancerous — could cause serious complications if left untreated.

“These tumors can develop large blood vessels that draw blood away from the baby,” said Dr. Nassr. “The baby’s heart works overtime, which can lead to heart failure.”

In March, Kristin temporarily moved to Houston with her 1-year-old son William and her mother, while Jacob stayed behind for work. The emotional toll was immense. “I was very scared,” Kristin says. “I didn’t have anyone who had gone through something like this — it felt like we were in the dark.”

On May 21, 2024, at 34 weeks pregnant, Kristin underwent a C-section. Their daughter Adalida was born weighing over 10 lbs — with a 4-lb., 16-centimeter tumor making up nearly two-thirds of her body weight.

“The tumor was about the size of a small watermelon,” said Dr. Nassr. “We had to be extremely careful to avoid rupturing it during delivery.”

Kristin saw her newborn daughter only briefly on a TV monitor before she was rushed to the NICU. “I had just given birth and was crying, overwhelmed. My husband sat beside me, and we just prayed, ‘God, please let her make it.’”

Two days later, surgeons successfully removed the tumor. Adalida was discharged on her original due date, June 29, and has since made a full recovery.

“She’s a happy, healthy baby,” says Kristin. “She’s hit all her milestones — she’s thriving.”

Adalida’s journey isn’t over. When she’s between 2 and 3 years old, she’ll undergo cosmetic surgery to reconstruct the area where the tumor was removed. “It left a flat surface from her lower back to her legs — they’ll help her look more like other kids,” Kristin explains.

Through it all, faith and community support helped the family persevere. “You’re not alone,” Kristin emphasizes. “There were times it felt like we were doing it all on our own — but then people we didn’t even know held fundraisers for us.”

Looking back, she says the experience was deeply humbling. “It opened my eyes to how much love and support people can offer during hard times. I’m just so grateful.”