- Lavinia Mounga, 41 was looking forward to her family holiday in Hawaii when she started experiencing stomach pain
- She had the shock of her life when she gave birth at 40,000 ft – with no clue she was pregnant!
- Her little boy Raymond, now three, is happy and healthy
- The phenomenon is known as a cryptic pregnancy
Here Lavi tells her story in her own words.
Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I tried to breathe through the cramping spasms in my abdomen.
I was flying to Honolulu with my parents Ana, 61, and Tevita, 63, my sister Emeli, brother Raymond, his wife Cindy, their kids David, nine, Ana, seven, and Charles, five, my aunty Linda, and cousin Alilia.
My partner Ethan, then 28, was busy at home working as a builder, but I was ready for some rest and relaxation.
I’d started spotting before we boarded the plane, so assumed my period was coming, but three hours into the flight, excruciating cramps tore through my belly.
‘My stomach is killing me,’ I told my parents, as I slid out of my seat and made my way to the toilets which were at the front of the plane.
Just breathe, I told myself, as the cramps intensified, mindful we still had three hours left in the air.
Locking the bathroom door closed behind me, I sat on the toilet.
Closing my eyes as the pain coursed through me, I said a silent prayer.
I’d never had cramps before, but I was trying not to worry.
Then everything went black…
When I came to on the toilet a few minutes later, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
A baby’s head was poking out between my legs…
Instinctively reaching down, I pulled the baby out with one final push.
This can’t be happening, my mind whirled, convinced I was having a pain-induced dream.
The tiny baby, a boy, didn’t even let out a cry as I cradled him in my arms and opened the door.
‘Help!’ I called out to Cindy, catching her eyes across the rows of passengers.
She rushed over, her eyes wide as she spotted the tiny baby, and I explained what had happened. Sitting me on the floor, Cindy made sure I was comfortable before she went to find help.
Within minutes, three strangers came rushing over.
They introduced themselves as neonatal intensive care nurses Lani, Amanda and Mimi. Then, a doctor named Dale Glenn joined us too.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t even know I was pregnant,’ I replied weakly.
Ethan and I hadn’t talked about starting a family, so it was a real shock.
I’d had no cravings, weight gain or missed periods.
Using a shoelace to tie and cut through the umbilical cord, one of the nurses took the baby from my arms.
‘Your son looks to be about 29 weeks,’ she said.
Being premature, it was unlikely he’d be able to regulate his temperature, so a flight attendant brought us hot water bottles to keep him warm.
And as news of what happened spread through the plane, many passengers on the flight offered us spare blankets.
I was moved to a seat near the bathroom, and one person even lent us their Apple Watch to measure my babies heart rate until we could get to hospital.
One person even lent us their Apple Watch to measure my babies heart rate until we could get to hospital.
Amid the chaos, I finally had time to take in my tiny baby’s fingers and toes.
Stroking his head, my heart swelled with love.
‘Wow, you’re really mine,’ I cooed.
I wondered how on earth I’d break this life-changing news to Ethan.
As we prepared for landing, the pilot made an announcement for passengers to stay seated while they wheeled me off the plane first.
Once the plane touched down in Honolulu, an ambulance met us on the runway, and I saw my family again.
‘Why didn’t you say you were pregnant?’ my mum asked, shocked.
‘I had no clue!’ I replied.
Rushed to Kapi‘olani Hospital, my son was taken to the NICU unit.
My parents arrived minutes later, while nurses checked me over too.
‘He’s a little miracle,’ Mum said.
After a broken sleep, I FaceTimed Ethan from my hospital bed.
He got the shock of his life as I panned the camera around to our boy.
‘You’re a dad!’ I told him, explaining the whole story.
‘Wow, I can’t believe it,’ he replied, stunned.
A cryptic pregnancy, also known as a stealth pregnancy, occurs when a person is unaware of their pregnancy.
In some cases, the pregnancy may remain unrecognized until labour starts.
What is a cryptic pregnancy?
I decided to call our bub Raymond Siotame Kaimana Wade Kobe Lavaki Mounga, after my brother.
Ethan booked the next flight to Hawaii he could, and one week later he met his son for the first time.
Watching him cradle our boy in his arms was a moment I’ll never forget.
In mid-July, three months after the birth, we finally returned home.
The story of Raymond’s amazing arrival travelled all around the world.
I was even invited to chat to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show about his miracle birth.
The nurses who helped me on the plane reached out, and I often send them updates about Ray.
If you’re experiencing a cryptic pregnancy, the symptoms are similar to those of a typical pregnancy, but you might not recognize that pregnancy is the cause. For instance, you might attribute nausea to a certain food or fatigue to a need for more sleep.
Other signs of a stealth pregnancy can include:
What are the signs of a cryptic pregnancy?
- Missed period: While a missed period is a common indicator for many, it may not be noticeable if your periods are irregular, leading you to miss the sign of pregnancy.
- Spotting or light bleeding: Light spotting in early pregnancy can be mistaken for a period.
- False negative pregnancy test: A pregnancy test may show negative results even though you’re pregnant, especially if it’s not used correctly. For accuracy, it’s best to consult a healthcare provider.
- Weight gain or bloated belly: Weight gain due to pregnancy might go unnoticed, or you might think bloating is from something you ate.
- Fetal movement: Fetal movements are usually felt around the halfway point of pregnancy, but if you have an anterior placenta, which is located at the front of your belly, it can be harder to feel the baby’s kicks. This might be why you don’t recognize the signs of pregnancy.
- Lack of awareness of pregnancy symptoms: If you’re very young or have developmental disabilities, you might not recognize common pregnancy symptoms like a missed period, tender breasts, or nausea.
Now three, Raymond is a happy and healthy boy who loves the beach and playing with his cousins.
Ethan loves being a dad, and, in 2022, we tied the knot with Ray as our little page boy.
While he may have been a surprise, I wouldn’t change anything.
I can’t wait to tell my boy his one-in-a-billion birth story when he’s old enough.
