A newborn baby girl in Pennsylvania has drawn widespread attention after a video captured her displaying physical abilities rarely seen in infants only days old. The footage, recorded when the baby was just three days old, shows movements typically associated with babies several months older, prompting surprise among parents, viewers, and child development observers online.
The baby, Nyilah Daise Tzabari, was born on March 2, 2023, to Samantha Mitchell and Ofer Tzabari. She arrived weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces, after a 43-week pregnancy. By all initial medical assessments, the birth was normal and the baby was healthy. What followed, however, was unexpected.
Mitchell, who has more than two decades of experience working around children, noticed something unusual almost immediately after bringing her daughter home. Less than three days after birth, Nyilah appeared to show an unusual level of upper-body strength and coordination. Mitchell’s mother, who witnessed the behavior firsthand, urged her to document it.
“I’ve spent more than 20 years around children, and I’ve never witnessed anything like this,” Mitchell said. “No one would have believed me if I didn’t capture it.”
The resulting video shows Nyilah placed on her stomach. Instead of remaining mostly still, as is typical for newborns, the infant pushes herself up with her arms, lifts and supports her head, and moves forward using coordinated motions of her limbs. Pediatric developmental charts generally associate these actions with babies between six and nine months of age.
Mitchell emphasized that the behavior was not isolated. “This wasn’t just a fluke,” she said. “Her strength has been astonishing from the very first day.”
Nyilah’s early development continued to progress at a pace that surprised her parents. At 18 days old, she rolled over from her stomach to her back, a milestone commonly expected much later. By two months, she had learned to roll in the opposite direction, from back to stomach. At three months, she began standing with support.
“She refuses to sit down,” Mitchell explained. “We’re not encouraging her to stand, but she refuses to bend her knees. She’s incredibly determined.”
Her development has not been limited to physical movement. At approximately six weeks old, Nyilah began attempting to mimic sounds made by her parents. While not speaking, she showed early efforts to replicate phrases, including “I love you,” and engaged in vocal back-and-forth interactions.
Mitchell noted that Nyilah appears to understand cause and effect when it comes to communication. The baby babbles and repeats certain sounds when she receives a positive reaction, such as laughter, from her parents. This type of social engagement typically develops later in infancy.
For Nyilah’s father, Ofer Tzabari, the experience has been both surprising and educational. As a first-time parent, he initially assumed such behaviors might be typical. “I didn’t realize how unusual it was until people started telling me,” he said.
When Mitchell and Tzabari shared the video on TikTok, it quickly attracted widespread attention. The clip accumulated more than 6.6 million likes and thousands of comments. Viewers expressed amazement, humor, and disbelief, with many joking about the baby’s apparent urgency and determination.
Online comments ranged from lighthearted observations to expressions of astonishment, reflecting how far Nyilah’s actions appeared to diverge from commonly understood newborn behavior. The viral response highlighted both public fascination with early development and the power of social media to amplify extraordinary moments.
While Nyilah’s abilities have captivated viewers, child development specialists generally emphasize that babies grow at different rates and that milestones can vary widely. Early achievement of certain skills does not necessarily predict long-term outcomes, and parents are typically advised to follow medical guidance and avoid pushing infants beyond their comfort or safety levels. Mitchell has stated that the family is not encouraging advanced behaviors and is allowing their daughter to progress naturally.
Beyond the viral attention, Mitchell describes Nyilah as a happy and engaged infant. “She’s such a joyful, smiley baby,” she said. “She surprises us every day, and we’re excited to see what she’ll do next.”
The family continues to focus on providing a safe environment while adapting to their daughter’s rapid development. As Nyilah grows, her early milestones remain a remarkable example of how individual variation can challenge expectations around infancy.
The video has become part of a broader online conversation about developmental norms and the wide range of healthy infant behaviors. For Mitchell and Tzabari, the attention has been secondary to the experience of watching their daughter grow.
Nyilah Daise Tzabari’s early days have already left a strong impression on those who have seen her story. While her future development remains unwritten, her first moments have offered a rare glimpse into the diverse ways babies can begin their lives, reminding viewers that even in the earliest days, no two journeys are exactly the same.