New Zealand MP cycles to hospital to give birth

Julie Anne Genter did the same in 2018 to deliver son

Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter rides a bicycle to the hospital while in labour in Wellington, New Zealand. JULIE ANNE GENTER / FACEBOOK via REUTERS
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A New Zealand MP cycled to hospital while in labour on Sunday only to give birth barely an hour later.

“I genuinely wasn't planning to cycle in labour but it did end up happening,” Julie Anne Genter said.

In a recent post on Facebook and Instagram, Ms Genter shared her story of cycling to the hospital with her husband during painful contractions at 3am on Sunday.

Ms Genter, 41, is a well-known and outspoken cycling advocate.

She posted a picture of the couple in the hospital car park, saying that her contractions “weren't that bad” when she and her husband decided to cycle.

Ms Genter shared the news of delivering her daughter by saying that it “turned out to be a very fast (and happily uncomplicated) birth.”

“Amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad.”

The Green party's spokeswoman for transport — whose Facebook profile includes “I love my bicycle” — also cycled to hospital the birth of her first child, a son.

Updated: November 28, 2021, 12:29 PM