HONOLULU 鈥� Lavinia 鈥淟avi鈥� Mounga had no idea a baby was coming when she went into
鈥淚 just didn't know I was pregnant, and then this guy just came out of nowhere,鈥� Mounga said during a video interview with Hawaii Pacific Health.
The baby boy, Raymond Mounga, arrived early at just 29 weeks while mom was
Dr. Dale Glenn, a Hawaii Pacific Health family medicine physician, along with Lani Bamfield, Amanda Beeding and Mimi Ho 鈥� neonatal intensive care unit nurses from North Kansas City Hospital 鈥� were also on the plane and helped the new mother and baby.
鈥淵eah, just overwhelming and just nice that there was three NICU nurses on the plane and a doctor that were able to help stabilize him and make sure that he was OK," Mounga said.
When deciding on a name, Mounga鈥檚 father suggested "Glenn," in
"Names are pretty important in our culture," said Mounga, who is Tongan. "I didn't really want to name him Glenn."
Instead she asked Dr. Glenn, who gave his adopted children Hawaiian middle names, for a suggestion. He offered 鈥淜aimana,鈥� which is now one of the boy鈥檚 middle names.
The child will have to stay in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit he is full term, about another 10 weeks, Mounga said.
鈥淭he aloha spirit is definitely felt here,鈥� she said about the care she has received in Hawaii.
鈥淚t's very different from the mainland," Mounga said. 鈥淚t just feels comforting, and everyone is willing to help.鈥�
Caleb Jones, The Associated Press
