New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, 37, introduced her newborn baby girl to the world

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has officially introduced her newborn daughter to the world.

Ms Arden, 37, and her partner Clarke Gayford introdoced baby Neve Te Aroha Ardern-Gayford to the media after her birth on Thursday afternoon.

Arden’s choice of name, Neve, which is traditionally spelt as Niamh has Irish roots, meaning ‘bright and radiant.’ 

She has since thanked hospital staff for her care, and already noted the sleep deprivation has kicked in. 

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, 37, introduces her newborn baby girl Neve to the world

 Arden's choice of name, Neve, which is traditionally spelt as Niamh has Irish roots, meaning 'bright and radiant'

 Arden’s choice of name, Neve, which is traditionally spelt as Niamh has Irish roots, meaning ‘bright and radiant’

Ms Arden, 37, and her partner Clarke Gayford welcomed baby Neve Te Aroha Ardern-Gayford after her birth on Thursday afternoon

Ms Arden, 37, and her partner Clarke Gayford welcomed baby Neve Te Aroha Ardern-Gayford after her birth on Thursday afternoon

Ms Arden was the her the first world leader to have a baby in office in 30 years – and only the second ever.

Ms Ardern, 37, and her partner Clarke Gayford announced the birth of their first child, weighing 7lb 3oz, on Instagram. 

She follows in the footsteps of the late Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who in 1990 became the only democratically-elected female world leader in recorded history to give birth while in power. 

‘Welcome to our village wee one,’ Ms Ardern wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of her and Mr Gayford with their new arrival.

‘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.’ 

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'Welcome to our village wee one,' the New Zealand prime minister posted on Instagram

‘Welcome to our village wee one,’ the New Zealand prime minister posted on Instagram

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 37, went into labour with her first child on Thursday morning

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 37, went into labour with her first child on Thursday morning

The Prime Minister arrived at Auckland City Hospital accompanied by her partner Clarke Gayford on Thursday morning (pictured together)

The Prime Minister arrived at Auckland City Hospital accompanied by her partner Clarke Gayford on Thursday morning (pictured together)

Ms Ardern’s office said mother and child are doing well.

‘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,’ Ms Arden said in a statement.

Her office said it would announce later when the family leave the hospital, who are expected to speak to a crowd of reporters, who have been camped outside the hospital since Ms Ardern arrived there early Thursday morning.

Ms Ardern was due on June 17. 

The 37-year-old worked right up until she went into labour on Thursday morning.

The New Zealand Government will be led by Winston Peters, 73, for the next six weeks.

Ms Ardern assured she would still be on call, and the government would be business as usual. 

For more than a month, Ms Arden has talked down the significance of her leave, saying she’ll still be receiving briefings and be available for major decisions or to discipline ministers if necessary.

‘The thing to keep in mind is: I’m not dead,’ she told TVNZ.

But while Ms Ardern has been working to assure the nation, Mr Peters has been causing a stir.

He lodged a privacy breach lawsuit against a government department the day Ms Ardern left Wellington, recently scuttled a major piece of Labour policy and has attacked the leadership of the country’s largest company.

Ms Ardern is set to make history as the first New Zealand Prime Minister to give birth while in the top seat

Ms Ardern is set to make history as the first New Zealand Prime Minister to give birth while in the top seat

Following the birth, the government will be led by Winston Peters, 73, for six weeks. Ms Ardern (pictured at Polyfest in March) assured she would still be on call, and it would be business as usual

Following the birth, the government will be led by Winston Peters, 73, for six weeks. Ms Ardern (pictured at Polyfest in March) assured she would still be on call, and it would be business as usual

During Ms Ardern’s maternity leave, Mr Peters – the leader of the minority NZ First Party which forms part of New Zealand’s coalition government – will have powers similar to those he would have if the prime minister was overseas.

He will run the day-to-day operations in Wellington and will consult with Ms Ardern on ‘significant political, strategic or public interest, or national security’ matters.

But he’ll still be limited by the decisions of the Labour Party-dominated cabinet. 

Recent Newshub-Reid research polling found 39 per cent think Mr Peters will do a good job, the rest were either unsure or pessimistic.

Often described as a populist, Mr Peters is the most experienced hand and one of the most iconic figures in the country’s political landscape – but he is also polarising and has an often combative relationship with the media.

He’s formed coalition governments with both the centre-left and centre-right (playing the role of ‘kingmaker’ to leverage concessions out of the major parties), and since entering parliament in 1979 has held numerous senior cabinet posts, including deputy PM in the 1990s .

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (C) is the first PM to walk in the Pride Parade on February 17, 2018 in Auckland

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (C) is the first PM to walk in the Pride Parade on February 17, 2018 in Auckland

But while he and Ms Ardern’s Labour Party may not have seen eye-to-eye on some issues recently, they’ve been talking up the trust between them.

‘I’ve almost found it surprising people have questioned that it will be anything other than business as usual for us,’ Ms Ardern said.

She became a mother just months after she took the country’s top job in October.

Ms Ardern announced she was pregnant in a Facebook post in January this year.

‘I’ll be Prime Minister AND a mum, and Clarke will be ‘first man of fishing’ and stay-at-home dad,’ she wrote on Facebook 

‘I’ll be Prime Minister AND a mum, and Clarke will be ‘first man of fishing’ and stay-at-home dad,’ she wrote on Facebook 

‘I’ll be Prime Minister AND a mum, and Clarke will be ‘first man of fishing’ and stay-at-home dad,’ she said at the time.

‘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.’  



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