A member of parliament in New Zealand cycled her way to the hospital while in labor, to give birth to her child. Julie Anne Genter, 41, got on her bicycle on Sunday, November 28, and paddled off to the hospital while she was already in labor. She gave birth to her child an hour later. Genter announced the good news on her Facebook page later that day.
Julie Anne Genter informed in her Facebook post that she gave birth at 3.04 am on Sunday morning. " I genuinely wasn't planning to cycle in labor, but it did end up happening," she wrote. The country of New Zealand is known for down-to-earth politicians. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern famously took her three-month-old breastfeeding infant to a United Nations meeting.
'I love my bicycle'
Genter wrote in her Facebook post that her contractions weren't that bad when she left home at 2 am to go to the hospital. "They were 2-3 min apart and picking up in intensity by the time we arrived 10 minutes later," she said. She further noted that she felt blessed to be in the care of an excellent team during a fast and uncomplicated birth. Julie Anne Genter, whose Facebook bio reads 'I love my bicycle,' is her party's spokesperson for transport issues.
Genter's post was filled with congratulatory messages and good wishes for her and her newborn. Netizens lauded her for her courage and some even pointed out the benefits of cycling during pregnancy. This isn't the first time Genter cycled to the hospital to give birth. She did the same back in 2018 while birthing her firstborn, according to social media. Genter has dual New Zealand-US citizenship who was born in Minnesota and moved to New Zealand in 2006.
