Just as Hawaii was shouting a collective “Happy New Year!,” Kamalei Kepa made her midnight debut Saturday at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children as the first baby born in Hawaii in 2022.
“I’d like to say that my daughter welcomed 2022,” said Kamalei’s father, Ivan Kepa, who was with her mother, Leeann Toro, throughout the labor and birth.
Kamalei, whose name is a combination of the names of her brother Kamahao and sister Hiilei, weighed in at 8 pounds, 10.4 ounces and measured 20.5 inches in length.
She is the second child born to the Hilo couple during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their 22-month-old son was born in March 2020.
At her doctor’s recommendation, Toro, whose due date was Dec. 30, flew to Honolulu for a vaginal delivery at Kapiolani since their first child, now 6, was delivered by cesarean section. Kapiolani is Hawaii’s only maternity, newborn and pediatric specialty hospital, where more than 6,000 babies are born each year.
Toro’s water broke at 5:15 a.m. New Year’s Eve. She was fully dilated at 11 p.m. and started pushing at about 11:35 p.m.
“When the head was almost there, the doctor said, ‘Wait, let me call everybody in here to get ready for the birth itself,’” which was about five to 10 minutes before 12 a.m., according to Kepa. When the team was assembled, “she gave like couple pushes at the stroke of midnight and she came out.”
The 33-year-old mom declined to be interviewed.
“She said she’s good,” Kepa said. “It’s like she didn’t give birth; she looks like normal.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions on hospital visitation, the couple, originally from Oahu, has been able to share the good news about Kamalei’s birth and some glimpses of the baby only virtually with family and friends.
“That’s the great thing about technology,” Kepa said. “But a video call is not the same thing as actually being here seeing the new member of the family in person.”
Six-year-old Hiilei was the most excited to have a baby sister, asking as soon as mom was admitted to the hospital whether her sister had been born yet, Kepa said. He added that she and her brother are staying with relatives.
Kepa wasn’t thinking about his daughter being the first baby born in the new year and says it was a surprise. His wish for the new year is “for everyone to stay healthy during these times, not just my family but everyone. Try to keep your distance and protect yourselves every way you can for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.”
Thirteen minutes after Kamalei Kepa’s arrival, Kiai Manners was born to Marjorie Betiong and Elijah Manners at Kaiser Permanente’s Moanalua Medical Center. He weighed 8 pounds, 1.4 ounces and measured 19.25 inches in length.
The Queen’s Medical Center at Punchbowl delivered its first baby of 2022, Kolt Kalino‘okukunaokala Kaninau Montizor, at 4:02 a.m. Saturday.
He weighed 8 pounds, 10.6 ounces and is the fourth son of Breanne and Franklin Montizor Jr. of Molokai. He joins big brothers Kyan, 16, Kingston, 11, and Kruz, 10.
