Wellington, New Zealand - Since taking office, New Zealand’s prime minister has broken boundaries and made headlines by becoming only the second sitting world leader to give birth, taking six weeks of parental leave and returning to her leadership role with a baby in tow and nary a fuss.
Now comes the New Zealand minister who cycled to a hospital on Sunday to give birth.
Julie Anne Genter, minister for women and associate minister for health and transport, posted photographs on social media of her “mostly downhill” trip to the hospital while at full term.
She was due to have labour induced at Auckland City Hospital, and is expected to become the second New Zealand government minister to deliver a baby this year, after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
A post shared by Julie Anne Genter(@julieannegenter) on Aug 18, 2018 at 3:42pm PDT
Genter, 38, noted on social media on Aug. 10 that she was “40 weeks + 4 days” pregnant, and “still waiting” to give birth. She plans to take three months of parental leave after the birth of the child, her first.
Genter said on social media that it was a “beautiful Sunday morning for a bike ride,” and that she and her partner, Peter Nunns, had cycled to the hospital because there was not “enough room in the car for the support crew.”
She added on Instagram, “It also put me in the best possible mood!”
A post shared by Julie Anne Genter(@julieannegenter) on Aug 21, 2018 at 4:16am PDT