New Zealand MP cycles to hospital while in labour & gives birth around 1 hour later

She said the contractions "weren't that bad" when she left for the hospital.

Jean Chien Tay | November 29, 2021, 12:48 PM

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41-year-old New Zealand politician Julie Anne Genter cycled to the hospital while in labour on Sunday, Nov. 28, and gave birth to her daughter an hour later.

In a now-viral Facebook post, the member of the parliament (MP) claimed that she "genuinely" wasn’t planning to cycle in labour, "but it did end up happening".

"So glad we didn't walk!", Genter told New Zealand outlet Stuff.

Contractions "weren't that bad"

According to Stuff, the original plan was for Genter's husband to ride a cargo bike with her at the front.

However, it would have been too heavy with the hospital bag, so the mother in labour "just got out and rode".

The politician said in her Facebook post that her contractions "weren't that bad" when she and her husband left for the hospital at 2am.

Almost like a play-by-play commentary, she noted that the contractions were two to three minutes apart, and it picked up in intensity when they arrived at the hospital car park 10 minutes later.

Despite the cramps, Genter can be seen smiling after parking her bicycle, and she even had time for a "selfie" with her husband at the car park.

Subsequently, she gave birth to a baby girl at 3:04am, in a "very fast and happily uncomplicated birth", and she also shared a picture of her husband sleeping with their daughter in his arms.

Not her first time

This is not the first time Genter had cycled to the hospital before giving birth.

In 2018, the New Zealand MP and her husband cycled to the Auckland City Hospital to be induced before welcoming her first son, Stuff reported.

At the time, she reportedly said that "there wasn't enough room in the car for the support crew", and added that the ride had put her in the "best possible mood".

According to the BBC, Genter is a well-known and outspoken cycling advocate.

Her Facebook profile's "About" section reads, "I love my bicycles".

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Top image via Julie Anne Genter/Facebook