Emily Martens and Travis Kraft, of Rockwell City, received an extra special Christmas gift this year - their fist child, Kale Nicholas Dean Kraft.
Martens was admitted to Trinity Regional Medical Center on Thursday morning, and was being prepped to be sent to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines in an attempt to stop her early labor when their baby was born.
"Things just progressed so quickly, we had to deliver here," Martens said.
The baby boy arrived at 10:25 a.m. on Christmas day, making his entry into the world a little earlier than expected. Born seven weeks prior to his Feb. 6 due date, little Kale weighed in at 5 pounds 6 1/2 ounces, and was16 inches long.
"We were really shooting for February," Travis Kraft said of his son's arrival. "We had no idea he'd come at Christmas."
Suitable for a child born on Christmas, one of his middle names, Nicholas, was the suggestion of Martens' physician, Dr. Brian Welch.
"Dr. Welch just thought it would be cool to have Nicholas somewhere in his name," said Martens.
Because of his early arrival, the tiny infant was flown by helicopter to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines shortly after his birth, where he will likely remain until his due date, to allow his lungs to develop.
"He already has his first set of flight wings," Kraft said. "The Life Flight crew gave them to him."
The baby is doing well at Blank, breathing and eating on his own. Until Martens is discharged from the hospital on Sunday, his grandmother, Tami White, has been spending time with him in Des Moines.
"I can't wait until we get to see him and hold him on Sunday," Martens said.
Contact Emilie Nelson at 573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net
