It was meant to be their honeymoon.

But instead a Vaughan, Ont. couple found themselves living a nightmare when, on the third day of their visit to the Philippines, Eliza Hilario went into labour and delivered their daughter four months earlier than expected.

Madison Sarah Hilario Leung was born Jan. 15 at 24 weeks gestation, and weighing just one pound, Hilario told HuffPost Canada in an email interview from Manila. Her eyes were still fused shut, and she had a stomach infection and an underdeveloped lung, Madison's father, Kar Leung, added in a phone interview. She required monitors, medications, a ventilator, and blood transfusions just to keep her alive, Leung said, and her care continues to evolve during her hospital stay.

View photos Eliza Hilario and Kar Leung stand over their baby, Madison, in a hospital in Manila. She was one day old at the time of the photo. More

And so far, Madison's care comes with a $60,000 bill, Hilario said, despite the fact that they had travel medical insurance. The costs will continue to climb since the baby likely won't be discharged until around the time of her original due date in May, Hilario said. Now, the parents are pursuing legal action against the insurance company, while also trying to find a way to pay for their daughter's ongoing medical bills.

"Financially, we used up our savings, some friends and family have lent us some money and my aunt started a YouCaring fundraiser. We've also put our home up for lease so we can direct some of the funds saved from mortgage to Madison's care," Hilario said.

"As cliche as it sounds, we are taking it one day at a time and it has really been an emotional roller coaster ride. Madison is a fighter, ironically her name means 'strong fighter,' we only found that out after she was born."

They were cleared to travel and had insurance

Hilario and Leung were married in July 2017, Leung said. A month after they booked their honeymoon trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines, Hilario found out she was pregnant, Leung added. Hilario's family doctor and OB-GYN both said she could still travel, but advised them to get insurance.

"When I purchased the insurance before we left Canada, I told them I was pregnant and they told us I would be covered as long as I was under 31 weeks gestation ... we were supposed to come back to Canada by my 25th week so we thought it would be fine," Hilario alleged.

But on their third day in Manila, Hilario started having back pain. Before going to the hospital, the couple called their insurance company to make sure they would be covered, Leung said. The company assured them that since Leung was less than 31 weeks gestation, it was no problem, and just to submit the receipts, he alleged.

She went into early labour

View photos Baby Madison not long after she was born. More

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