AUCKLAND, June 21 — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a baby girl in an Auckland hospital today, becoming only the second world leader to do so while in office.

It was the first child for the 37-year-old and her 40-year-old partner Clarke Gayford, with the new arrival weighing in at 3.3kg.

“I’m sure we’re going through all of the emotions new parents go through, but at the same time feeling so grateful for all the kindness and best wishes from so many people. Thank you,” Ardern said.

She added on Instagram that the baby was healthy and doing well.

“We’re all doing really well thanks to the wonderful team at Auckland City Hospital.”

The charismatic Ardern follows Pakistan’s prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1990 as the only women in recorded history to give birth while in power, but she downplayed the significance.

“Lots of people juggle a lot of things in their personal and private lives, and I’m not unusual in that. Plenty of women have multitasked before me, and I want to acknowledge that,” she said when revealing the pregnancy in January.

The birth capped an eventful year for Ardern who became prime minister last October, three months after inheriting the leadership of the Labour Party when it was languishing in the polls.

When no party won sufficient support in the election to form a government, she was anointed prime minister by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, the kingmaker in a three-party coalition also involving the Greens.

Peters, who became Ardern’s deputy, is now acting prime minister while she takes six weeks maternity leave, although she will continue to be consulted on significant issues.

“Being parents is a joy and a privilege and we are sure your new arrival will fill your lives with all the happiness our children have ours,” he said.

Ardern, who refused to discuss plans for motherhood during the election campaign, waited until January to reveal on Facebook she had conceived and was going to be “prime minister and a mum”.

Her plans for a family had sparked a sexism row during the election when a television host quizzed her on the issue, saying voters had a right to know before they cast their ballots.

She rejected the line of questioning as “unacceptable”, saying pregnancy and child rearing should not hinder women’s opportunities in the workplace.

“It is a woman’s decision about when they choose to have children and it should not predetermine whether or not they are given a job or have job opportunities,” she said then.

Pakistan’s Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007, gave birth in January 1990 to her daughter Bakhtawar who now describes herself on Twitter as “1st child born to a sitting female Prime Minister”.

Ardern was due on June 17 and had said she did not want the pregnancy to drag on and was prepared to be induced if necessary.

The prime minister and Gayford, who hosts a television fishing show, had known the sex of the baby for several months but decided to keep it secret from the public. — AFP</s>Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand Prime Minister, has welcomed a baby girl with her partner Clarke Gayford, a radio and television presenter, becoming the first world leader to have a baby in office in just under 30 years.

Jacinda announced the birth of their first child, weighing 7lb 3oz, on Instagram and said that she and Clarke were struggling to pick a name after the nation fired up live blogs on the progress of the labour with #babywatch.

As the PM of the first country to ever give women the right to vote, she is also only the second elected world leader to give birth while in office after former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto became the first in 1990. But who is Jacinda Ardern?

Born Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern on July 26, 1980, in Hamilton, New Zealand, she is the country’s 40th and youngest ever Prime Minister.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Communication Studies in politics and public relations from the University of Waikato, she was encouraged to embark on a career in politics by her aunt Marie Ardern, a long-standing member of the Labour Party.

Jacinda then spent time in the offices of the current Mayor of Auckland Peter Goff and former Prime Minister Helen Clark as a researcher before becoming a senior figure in Young Labour. She spent time in New York before working as a senior policy adviser for Tony Blair’s government.

During her time as a member of the Labour Party, Ardern has been a strong advocate for children, women and the right to have meaning work for every New Zealander.

After becoming the MP for the Auckland electorate Mount Albert in 2017 and Leader of the Labour Party in the same year, she was elected PM on October 19 after First Leader Winston Peters announced a coalition. #JacindaMania ensued.

Jacinda became New Zealand’s third Prime Minister after Jenny Shipley (1997-1999) and Helen Clark (1999-2008). Months later, she announced that she was pregnant and Winston Peters would take on the role of Acting Prime Minister for six weeks after the birth.

Jacinda Ardern’s partner is radio and television presenter Clarke Gayford. They first met in 2012 after being introduced by their mutual friend and television host Colin Mathura-Jeffree.

They started to spend time together after Clarke contacted Jacinda about a controversial Government Communications Security Bureau bill.

They had a cat named Paddles, who took on the role of First Cat when Jacinda took office and had its own Twitter account, but unfortunately Paddles died in November 2017 after being hit by a car.

Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford announced the birth of their baby daughter, weighing 7lb 3oz, on Instagram on June 21 and said that her name is yet to be picked as the couple are struggling to choose one.

'Welcome to our village wee one. 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,’ the post read.

In a statement, the New Zealand Prime Minister added: 'I'm sure we're going through all of the emotions new parents go through, but at the same time feeling so grateful for all the kindness and best wishes from so many people.’

Ahead of her leave, PM Ardern had been vocal about her six week departure and said ‘The thing to keep in mind is: I’m not dead.’

However, Winston Peters has been causing a stir since the day that she left Wellington and lodged a privacy breach lawsuit against a government department, scuttled a major piece of Labour policy and attacked the leadership of New Zealand’s largest company.

Although some believe that the deputy will do a good job, others are pessimistic due to the minister often being described as a populist. However, Peters has been hailed a ‘kingmaker’ after forming the coalition government and merging the centre-left and centre-right political parties.

Jacinda Ardern announced that she was pregnant in January 2018 on Facebook and said: ‘I'll be Prime Minister AND a mum, and Clarke will be 'first man of fishing' and stay-at-home dad. I think it's fair to say that this will be a wee one that a village will raise but we couldn't be more excited.'

She is also only the second woman to ever expect a baby while in office after Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto became the first, when she was pregnant with and gave birth to her daughter Bakhtawar on January 25, 1990.

Bhutto had only been in office for a little more than a year after giving birth and was the first-ever female leader of a Muslim nation. She served as PM from 1988 to 1990 and her second term ran from 1993 to 1996, but was assassinated in 2007 during a political campaign.

Bakhtawar B-Zardari, now a trustee at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology passed on her congratulations to Jacinda on Twitter.

27 years ago, things were a little different and Bhutto was forced to have her daughter in a Karachi hospital ‘incognito’ via Caesarian section as she feared that those who wanted an interim government during her pregnancy were trying to push her out.

‘The next day I was back on the job, reading government papers and signing government files. Only later did I learn that I was the only head of government in recorded history actually to give birth while in office.

'It was a defining moment, especially for young women, proving that a woman could work and have a baby in the highest and most challenging leadership positions,’ she wrote.

Another well-wisher on Jacinda was former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark who said in her op-ed in The Guardian: ‘The birth of Jacinda Ardern’s baby is first and foremost a time of great happiness for Jacinda and her partner, Clarke Gayford. Their daughter is very much a wanted child for these happy parents.

‘For young women, the example Ardern is setting is an affirmation that they too can expect to have that choice. For young men, Gayford being the full time carer of a baby sends a powerful message that they too can exercise that choice.

‘New Zealand is known for being, by and large, a socially progressive country. Ardern is its third female prime minister; it has had three female governors general; and women have held significant positions across the public and private spheres. 125 years ago, it became the first country where women won the right to vote.

‘Now it is breaking new ground with a prime minister giving birth and her partner becoming a stay-at-home father. But in the context of New Zealand, this is evolutionary, not revolutionary. Overwhelmingly positive interest across the political spectrum is being taken in the addition to the first family.

‘What lessons are there in this for our world? In my view, New Zealand is showing that no doors are closed to women, that having a baby while being prime minister can be managed, and that it’s acceptable for male partners to be full-time carers. This is very positive role modelling for the empowerment of women and for gender equality.’</s>New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has arrived at hospital to give birth to her first child.

An official statement from the prime minister’s office said Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford arrived at Auckland Hospital early this morning.



Winston Peters, the deputy prime minister, is now acting prime minister.

Ardern, 37, will be only the second world leader to give birth while in office – the first being Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990.

Ardern has said that she will have six weeks maternity leave before heading back to parliament. Gayford, a television presenter, will become “first bloke” and a stay and home father to the child.

Ardern had her last pre-birth day in parliament at the start of the week.

Her last public outing was at the national Fieldays agricultural show where many fans spent the time wishing her well while some tried to touch her stomach.

Since then she and Gayford had posted a photo to social media of Ardern working at her Auckland electorate office

Many will be watching Peters closely, while is acting prime minister - he has already backed away from a hallmark crime and justice policy and revealed he is suing heads of departments of his own government.</s>WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a daughter Thursday and posted a message welcoming the healthy newborn “to our village.”

She is the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern distributed a photo showing her and partner Clarke Gayford with the baby at Auckland City Hospital. The girl arrived at 4:45 p.m. weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 pounds).

“Welcome to our village wee one,” Ardern wrote in the caption on Instagram. “Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl.”

She thanked everyone for their kindness and wishes. “We’re all doing really well,” she wrote.

Ardern’s pregnancy has been followed around the world, with many hoping the 37-year-old will become a role model for combining motherhood with political leadership.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said in an email to The Associated Press that it was a very happy day for Ardern and Gayford and that New Zealanders had taken the news of the pregnancy in their stride.

“This is a sign of our maturity as a country and its acceptance that combining career and family is a choice which women are free to make,” she wrote. “Let’s also celebrate Clarke as a modern man who is happy to be the full time parent of a young child.”

The former prime minister said attitudes had changed since she’d entered politics and that was a good thing.

“For New Zealand, these events and the way our country has greeted them will be seen as inspirational by all who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Clark wrote.

Jennifer Curtin, a professor of politics at the University of Auckland, said there was symbolic importance in Ardern giving birth, in that it showed political parties around the world that it was fine to have younger women as candidates.

She said women often tended to be older when they entered politics. She said in other fields, women have been combining motherhood and paid work for decades, but it has only recently become more manageable thanks to paid parental leave.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting prime minister. Ardern plans to take six weeks of leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, Ardern will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security. She has said she’s confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said that after the birth, she hoped to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring in their quest to choose a baby name, Ardern responded: “Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?”</s>AUCKLAND : Ardern, 37, became New Zealand’s youngest prime minister when she took office through a coalition deal last year after an inconclusive election, and now becomes the first woman in the country’s history to give birth while in office.

“Welcome to our village wee one,” Ardern wrote on Instagram.

“Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl that arrived at 4.45 pm weighing 3.31 kg (7.3 lb) … We’re all doing really well thanks to the wonderful team at Auckland City Hospital.”

She posted a picture of herself, smiling and holding the baby in a woollen blanket, with her partner, television presenter Clarke Gayford.

 Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has stepped in as acting prime minister and will run the country for the next six weeks while Ardern takes maternity leave, according to an agreement they published earlier.

Ardern is one of the few elected leaders to hold office while pregnant. Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto gave birth while she was prime minister in 1990.

The public has generally been supportive of the popular Ardern.

New Zealand has long had a progressive reputation and was the first country to give women the right to vote in 1893 and Ardern is the country’s third female prime minister.

Congratulations quickly flooded in from around the world and across the political spectrum.

New Zealand’s first women prime minister, Helen Clark, wrote on Twitter: “What a proud day … gender quality in action. This is 21st C(entury) NZ.”

Ardern found out she was pregnant on October 13, just six days before she was propelled into the job when Peters, the leader of the New Zealand First Party, announced he was siding with her Labour Party in post-election negotiations.

Peters is a colourful political veteran who first entered Parliament in 1978 and has held senior positions in both center-left Labour and center-right National governments.</s>WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a daughter Thursday and posted a photo welcoming the healthy newborn “to our village.”

She is the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern posted a photo on her Instagram account showing her and partner Clarke Gayford with the baby at Auckland City Hospital. The girl arrived at 4:45 p.m. weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 pounds).

“Welcome to our village wee one,” Ardern wrote in the photo caption. “Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl.”

She thanked everyone for their kindness and wishes. “We’re all doing really well,” she wrote.

Ardern’s pregnancy has been followed around the world, with many hoping the 37-year-old will become a role model for combining motherhood with political leadership.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said in an email to The Associated Press that it was a very happy day for Ardern and Gayford and that New Zealanders had taken the news of the pregnancy in their stride.

“This is a sign of our maturity as a country and its acceptance that combining career and family is a choice which women are free to make,” she wrote. “Let’s also celebrate Clarke as a modern man who is happy to be the full time parent of a young child.”

The former prime minister said attitudes had changed since she’d entered politics and that was a good thing.

“For New Zealand, these events and the way our country has greeted them will be seen as inspirational by all who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Clark wrote.

Jennifer Curtin, a professor of politics at the University of Auckland, said there was symbolic importance in Ardern giving birth, in that it showed political parties around the world that it was fine to have younger women as candidates.

She said women often tended to be older when they entered politics. She said in other fields, women have been combining motherhood and paid work for decades, but it has only recently become more manageable thanks to paid parental leave.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting prime minister. Ardern plans to take six weeks of leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, Ardern will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security. She has said she’s confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said that after the birth, she hoped to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring in their quest to choose a baby name, Ardern responded: “Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?”</s>Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull texted his New Zealand counterpart last night to congratulate her on the birth of her baby girl. New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to leave hospital today following the birth of her first child. There has been speculation around baby names, however no clues have been provided by Ms Ardern or Clarke Gayford. In recent weeks Jacinda Ardern has said the picking process was going 'terribly'.</s>New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a daughter Thursday and posted a message welcoming the healthy newborn “to our village.”

She is the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern distributed a photo showing her and partner Clarke Gayford with the baby at Auckland City Hospital. The girl arrived at 4:45 p.m. weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 pounds).

“Welcome to our village wee one,” Ardern wrote in the caption on Instagram. “Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl.”

She thanked everyone for their kindness and wishes. “We’re all doing really well,” she wrote.

Ardern’s pregnancy has been followed around the world, with many hoping the 37-year-old will become a role model for combining motherhood with political leadership.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said in an email to The Associated Press that it was a very happy day for Ardern and Gayford and that New Zealanders had taken the news of the pregnancy in their stride.

“This is a sign of our maturity as a country and its acceptance that combining career and family is a choice which women are free to make,” she wrote. “Let’s also celebrate Clarke as a modern man who is happy to be the full time parent of a young child.”

The former prime minister said attitudes had changed since she’d entered politics and that was a good thing.

“For New Zealand, these events and the way our country has greeted them will be seen as inspirational by all who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Clark wrote.

Jennifer Curtin, a professor of politics at the University of Auckland, said there was symbolic importance in Ardern giving birth, in that it showed political parties around the world that it was fine to have younger women as candidates.

She said women often tended to be older when they entered politics. She said in other fields, women have been combining motherhood and paid work for decades, but it has only recently become more manageable thanks to paid parental leave.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting prime minister. Ardern plans to take six weeks of leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, Ardern will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security. She has said she’s confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said that after the birth, she hoped to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring in their quest to choose a baby name, Ardern responded: “Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?”</s>New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived Thursday at Auckland Hospital as she prepared to give birth to her first child.

The 37-year-old Ardern would become just the second elected world leader in modern times to give birth while in office, after the late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern's due date was June 17. The birth has been highly anticipated in the South Pacific nation of nearly five million people. She has not said whether she's expecting a boy or a girl.

Ardern's office confirmed she had arrived at the hospital with partner Clarke Gayford.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting prime minister. Ardern plans to take a six-week leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, Ardern will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security.

Ardern has said she is confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said she hoped to be "sharing the good news" in an announcement but also to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring while trying to choose a name, Ardern responded: "Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?"</s>WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a daughter Thursday and posted a message welcoming the healthy newborn “to our village.”

She is the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who gave birth to daughter Bakhtawar in 1990.

Ardern distributed a photo showing her and partner Clarke Gayford with the baby at Auckland City Hospital. The girl arrived at 4:45 p.m. weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 pounds).

“Welcome to our village wee one,” Ardern wrote in the caption on Instagram. “Feeling very lucky to have a healthy baby girl.”

She thanked everyone for their kindness and wishes. “We’re all doing really well,” she wrote.

Ardern’s pregnancy has been followed around the world, with many hoping the 37-year-old will become a role model for combining motherhood with political leadership.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said in an email to The Associated Press that it was a very happy day for Ardern and Gayford and that New Zealanders had taken the news of the pregnancy in their stride.

“This is a sign of our maturity as a country and its acceptance that combining career and family is a choice which women are free to make,” she wrote. “Let’s also celebrate Clarke as a modern man who is happy to be the full time parent of a young child.”

The former prime minister said attitudes had changed since she’d entered politics and that was a good thing.

“For New Zealand, these events and the way our country has greeted them will be seen as inspirational by all who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Clark wrote.

Jennifer Curtin, a professor of politics at the University of Auckland, said there was symbolic importance in Ardern giving birth, in that it showed political parties around the world that it was fine to have younger women as candidates.

She said women often tended to be older when they entered politics. She said in other fields, women have been combining motherhood and paid work for decades, but it has only recently become more manageable thanks to paid parental leave.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting prime minister. Ardern plans to take six weeks of leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, Ardern will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security. She has said she’s confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said that after the birth, she hoped to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring in their quest to choose a baby name, Ardern responded: “Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gives birth to a baby girl at 4:45 pm local time (04:45 UTC). Ardern is the first incumbent head of government to give birth since Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1990.