Genter takes e-bike for second birth

Green MP Julie Anne Genter again rode her electric bike to hospital to give birth to her second child on Sunday.

She did the same for her first child in 2018, her ride making global headlines, then revealed she was pregnant again in May this year, while also participating in the “liberate the lane” bike rally to secure a bike lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Early on November 28 the keen e-bike advocate rode the 10-minute journey to hospital while in labour to eventually give birth to a baby girl, telling her story on social media which was again picked up by media world-wide.

“At 3.04am this morning we welcomed the newest member of our family,” Julie Anne Genter says on Facebook.

“I genuinely wasn’t planning to cycle in labour, but it did end up happening. My contractions weren’t that bad when we left at 2am to go to the hospital – though they were 2-3 min apart and picking up in intensity by the time we arrived 10 minutes later. (I’m smiling in the car park right after one.) And amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad (Peter Nunns).

“Feeling blessed to have had excellent care and support from a great team, in what turned out to be a very fast (and happily uncomplicated) birth.”

Genter is on maternity leave from Parliament. Last time her ministerial duties were covered by climate change minister James Shaw, but as she is no longer a minister Genter’s portfolio will be shared amongst caucus MPs with Ricardo Menendez March covering her transport role.