She's No. 1, baby

When baby Stella Mae Ammesmaki finally decided it was time to make her debut, things happened pretty quickly.

Her parents, Marina Berglund and James Ammesmaki, arrived at Community Memorial Hospital around 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, but went home about three hours later because Berglund's labor was not progressing very quickly.

That changed over the next 12 hours.

"We came back about 3:20 a.m., registered and got to the room at about 3:50. Not even 15 minutes later, she was here," Ammesmaki said.

The first baby born in Cloquet in 2020 came so quickly that she had to be delivered by the emergency room doctor on duty, Dr. Brigid Pajunen, because the on-call doctor didn't have enough time to get there.

Stella arrived in good health just after 4 a.m. Jan. 3, weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 19 ¾ inches long. Nurses Karen Schwinn and Larissa Sheff also assisted with Stella's delivery. And Berglund's mom, Shannon, told her daughter to keep pushing when she briefly decided maybe it was time to stop about halfway through.

"That was a pretty beautiful birth," said Pajunen on a quick visit about 16 hours later, after starting her next shift in the ER.

The couple already had Stella's name picked out. Berglund said she knew she was having a girl even before the ultrasound confirmed it. There were signs, she said. "Her heart rate was slower and I couldn't eat spicy foods anymore," she said.

Baby Stella has lots of dark hair and a good set of lungs, Ammesmaki said. She cried healthfully until he offered a finger for her to latch onto with her tiny hand. "As long as she was holding my finger, she was just quiet," he said.

"I did skin-to-skin contact all day with her sleeping right here," she said, pointing to her chest. "Now every time she's on my chest, she falls asleep."

Although this is their first child, the Cloquet couple seemed comfortable with the infant by evening. Stella was nursing happily and Mom and Dad were happy just watching her, touching her tiny hands and feet, responding when she cried or stuck out her tongue, even smiling once or twice.

Berglund said she has helped both her sisters with their babies, and Ammesmaki grew up on a farm and is used to all sorts of animal babies, from calves to baby turkeys.

They tried to hasten Stella's arrival so Berglund's brother, Deshawn, who was home on military leave, could be here when she was born. On New Year's Eve, they walked many miles inside the Black Bear Resort and Casino, where Ammesmaki works, to try and induce labor.

"My mom said she bowled herself into labor when she was pregnant with me so we tried to go bowling too," Berglund said.

Stella arrived one day before her due date, but not in time for her uncle to meet her.

Berglund praised the birthing suite at CMH, which features a private bath and whirlpool, views of the river and woods outside, a recliner and a refrigerator and microwave.

"I love it here," Berglund said. "I'm so glad we didn't go to Duluth. I wouldn't have even made it there."

Stella's grandparents are Shannon and Eric Berglund and Dawn Abramowski, all of Cloquet.

The first baby born in 2020 at Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake was born at 6:43 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4. Ellie Mae Goodnature's parents are Nicole and Seth Goodnature of Sturgeon Lake.

A different Cloquet couple are proud parents to the first baby born in Duluth in 2020. Kate and Dan Jaakola had baby Barrett Jaakola at 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 at St. Luke's Hospital.