A NEW ZEALAND MP (member of parliament) gave birth just 45 minutes after arriving at hospital — on her bike. Passionate cycling enthusiast Julie Anne Genter, 41, said she was “so glad we didn’t walk” after choosing to cycle to Wellington Hospital while in labor at 2 a.m. Sunday. The original plan was for her partner Peter Nunns to ride the cargo bike with her in the front as a passenger for the 10-minute journey, but with their hefty hospital bag prepared for the big moment it was not possible so Genter “just got out and rode.” The Green Party MP told Stuff that her contractions “were not super intense at that point” and that she “probably had [three] on the ride.” The MP wrote on social media that the contractions had become more intense by the time they arrived. Genter first made headlines in 2018 when she cycled to hospital in labor with her first child. The family did not own a car and the cycling advocate practices what she preaches. She shared photos of the most recent journey, smiling in the hospital car park and with her newborn. “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,” she wrote. Greens co-leader Marama Davidson congratulated her, saying: “Aunty Marama is so happy for you all and so typical you cycled in again lol!!! Love to you and Peter and the babies.” The first New Zealand MP to give birth while in office was in 1970, and another trail-blazed for breastfeeding at parliament house in 1983. Three and a half years ago, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became only the second world leader to give birth in office. The following year, in August 2019, the country’s Speaker of the House held the baby son of MP Tamati Coffey in his arms and fed him from a bottle while presiding over a debate. New Zealand was the first country to grant the right to vote to all women — in 1893. (SD-Agencies) | 