The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, 37, has given birth to her first child amid a flurry of excitement in New Zealand. Ms Ardern shared a photo of her and partner Clarke Gayford with their newly-born baby on Instagram on Thursday afternoon.
“Welcome to our village wee one,” she wrote, next to a picture of her and partner Clarke Gayford cuddling the newborn.
“Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl that arrived at 4.45pm weighing 3.31kg (7.3lb) Thank you so much for your best wishes and your kindness.
“We’re all doing really well thanks to the wonderful team at Auckland City Hospital.” she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is now Acting Prime Minister. “It’s no different to any time that he would be acting prime minister in by absence — for instance, for overseas travel,” the Prime Minister said.
Peters said in a statement: “It’s a happy day and on behalf of the coalition government we wish her and Clarke all the very best.”
Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford announce ‘our little girl has finally arrived!’ Ardern is the first world leader in nearly 30 years to have a child while in office.
Four days after she was due, Ardern has arrived at Auckland City Hospital at 5.50am on Thursday morning with her partner Clarke Gayford to have her baby.
Ardern revealed she was pregnant in January, saying she and Gayford wanted a family “but weren’t sure it would happen for us, which has made this news unexpected but exciting”.
Jacinda Ardern’s colleagues have been quick to congratulate her on the birth of her daughter. Congratulations flood in from other politicians.
US ambassador Scott Brown offered his congratulations via Twitter, as did a host of Ardern’s political colleagues.
The former prime minister Helen Clark said that the birth was a fine example to young people in New Zealand.
“Jacinda’s done it her way, what a remarkable story. She’s taken it in her stride, New Zealanders have taken it in their stride … all round I think we’re showing huge maturity as a country with this.”
>Juthy Saha
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Gives Birth to Baby Girl
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