An Australian couple on the holiday of a lifetime will come home with much more than they expected, after their son was born at just 26 weeks - a surprise which could end up costing them millions of dollars.

Brisbane couple Kylie Lovejoy and Brendan Wright were holidaying in Hawaii last month when their baby boy, Phoenix Koa, arrived well ahead of schedule.

Ms Lovejoy said everything started when she was snorkeling with manta rays under the moonlight in Honolulu.

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Kylie Lovejoy and Brendan Wright were holidaying in Hawaii last month when their baby boy, Phoenix Koa, arrived at just 26 weeks

'During the snorkel I could feel a strange sensation, like I was going to the bathroom, but not in control of it,' the surprised mum wrote on a fundraising page detailing her story.

'I was playing it down, saying, 'Lets just go back to the hotel and Google it, it might be no big deal'.

'Once I Googled, and my partner called his nurse Mum in Australia, it was clear we needed to get to the hospital pronto.'

However, once the soon-to-be parents arrived at the hospital, their story almost took a tragic turn.

Ms Lovejoy said everything started when she was snorkeling with manta rays under the moonlight in Honolulu

Phoenix Koa came as a surprise to his parents when he arrived well ahead of schedule

The small hospital in Kona was not equipped to deliver a baby so premature, meaning potentially precious seconds ticked away.

Ms Lovejoy was then rushed onto a 40-minute flight to Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, where the expert team hooked her up to 'monitors galore with drips, needles, pokes and prods'.

'It was touch and go for a while - it was all very dramatic,' she wrote.

'The Doctors didn’t want baby to come... they advised me that I would now be in hospital with limited movement for what they were hoping was 8 weeks or so until baby reached 32 weeks, which was a safer time to be delivered.

'By that afternoon the contractions were getting stronger and closer together, but the staff couldn’t really confirm that I was in labor.

'A few hours later, I woke and felt an urgent need to push! Before I knew it, the room was completely full of medical staff, well over a dozen. I was still half asleep... but I just had to give it my all and push.'

Ms Lovejoy had to be flown to Honolulu from nearby island where the local hospital was not equipped to help her

Since Phoenix's arrival, he has still had 'a few mishaps', but is said to be doing very well

Since Phoenix's arrival, he has still had 'a few mishaps', but is said to be doing very well.

However, just one day after their baby boy was born, the parents learned a three-month hospital stay means they will be hit with a mammoth, million-dollar bill.

With potentially crippling costs hanging over its head, the family is hoping an unconventional method could help them square the ledger.

'My travel insurance will cover my medical bills, which is great because I'd hate to think how much the medivac flight alone would be... but at the moment it's still uncertain if anything further will be covered,' Ms Lovejoy wrote.

'We are pursuing every avenue possible to gain appropriate health insurance to pay for Phoenix’s medical bill. I was also informed it will exceed 1 million US dollars.'

Ms Lovejoy and her baby boy will have to stay in their Hawaii hospital until September

Distraught at watching one of her life-long friends have to think about such terrifying bills at the worst possible time, Priscilla Sutton launched a YouCaring campaign to help cover the costs.

'Kylie isn’t one to ask for help, so this is where her friends have stepped in,' Ms Sutton wrote.

'I hope that many of you are able to donate to help out this beautiful family... ll funds raised will go immediately to Kylie to help her along the way.'

The crowdfunding page has set a goal or raising at least $50,000 in the next 100 days. At the time of writing, more than $3000 had been pledged to support Ms Lovejoy and Mr Wright.

To donate or stay updated with the story, click here.

Just one day after their baby boy was born, the parents learned a three-month hospital stay means they will be hit with a mammoth, million-dollar bill