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New Zealand minister welcomes baby boy 2 days after cycling to hospital

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New Zealand minister, Julie Anne Genter, posted a picture of herself outside an Auckland hospital this week. This, after cycling with her partner to the hospital to give birth to her first child.
New Zealand minister, Julie Anne Genter, posted a picture of herself outside an Auckland hospital this week. This, after cycling with her partner to the hospital to give birth to her first child.

It was a beautiful morning, according to New Zealand's minister for women, so after 42 weeks of pregnancy she decided to hop on her electric bicycle and ride the 1km to the hospital to give birth to her first child.

Julie Anne Genter on Sunday posted a picture of herself outside an Auckland hospital, holding her bike, saying she was ready to be induced and "finally have this baby".

"This is it, wish us luck!" she wrote, explaining that she and her partner cycled "because there wasn't enough room in the car for the support crew" and adding, "... It also put me in the best possible mood!"

She said the ride with partner Peter Nunns was "mostly downhill" and joked that she "probably should have cycled more in the last few weeks" in order to start her labour earlier.

Her Instagram photo was noticed by actress Kristen Bell, who wrote on Twitter: "What a babe."


How did you feel when you realised you were in labour? Think you could've cycled to the hospital? Tell us your birth story by emailing chatback@parent24.com and we may publish it on the site.



After being induced, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy late last night.

"We're overjoyed to announce the safe arrival of our son at 18.03 this evening, weighing almost 4.3kg (9 lb 8oz)," she posted on social media.


Genter plans to take three months' maternity leave.

Congratulations poured in.

The trip comes two months after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 38, gave birth to daughter Neve. Ardern was just the second elected world leader in modern times to give birth while holding office, after late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern is admired by many working women around the world. She gave birth at the same public hospital as the one to which Genter has been admitted.

Genter, 38, was born in Minnesota and graduated from U.C. Berkeley before moving to New Zealand in 2006. A member of the liberal Green Party, Genter is also associate minister for transport and a strong advocate for cycling.

The Green Party tweeted that her ride to the hospital was "the most #onbrand thing ever".

How did you feel when you realised you were in labour? Think you could've cycled to the hospital? Tell us your birth story by emailing chatback@parent24.com and we may publish it on the site.

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