Staff member is mother of first baby born in 2019 at Mayo in Eau Claire

Talk about being dedicated to your job. Alecia Brinkman and her husband, Nick Brinkman, of Chippewa Falls, are parents of the first baby born at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire in 2019. Penelope “Penny” Brinkman was born at 12:52 p.m. on Jan. 1.

For the past three years, Alecia Brinkman has worked as a certified nursing assistant at Mayo Clinic Health System in Bloomer. Even though she was experiencing contractions on the job, she completed her overnight shift at 6:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, before heading to the hospital to deliver her baby.

This is the Brinkman’s first child. Due Jan. 5, the Brinkmans were hoping the baby would arrive before midnight on Dec. 31.

“We were hoping she’d arrive on Dec. 31 for tax purposes, but she had her own plans,” says Alecia Brinkman with a laugh.

Upon arrival at the hospital, things progressed quickly. “I went from 5 centimeters dilated to her being here in 20 minutes,” says Alecia Brinkman. “She’s so small and wonderful with lots of dark hair.”

Penelope Brinkman weighed five pounds, 14 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth.