Prime minister of New Zealand returning to office after maternity leave

Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, announced she will return to work after a six-week maternity leave, according to a video posted on her Facebook page.

Ardern, 37, appeared in the video along with her infant daughter, Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford. Ardern is the first elected leader to be pregnant while in office. She gave birth to Neve at Auckland City Hospital on June 21, according to her Facebook page.

“It’s really heartening to be spending the first week back on deck on issues that really matter to me but also really matter to this government and to the Labor Party,” Ardern said in the Facebook video.

She said she plans to work on mental health and environmental issues in her first week back, which starts Aug. 8.

She also thanked acting Prime Minister Winston Peters for doing a great job in her absence as well as everyone who sent her baby gifts.

“We’re all doing really, really well,” said Ardern.

Ardern has several Facebook posts documenting her experience as a new mother, including a video when she left the hospital after giving birth to Neve.

“I just wanted to say a really quick thank you to everyone who has been so kind and so generous from the very moment we announced we were having a baby,” she said.