Finns’ lullaby a ‘thrill’ for Jacinda and Clarke
Message to your girl: delightful gift to First Baby
Leave a gap in the door, To let a little light in, Hold her close to your heart, In the right way, She’ll fall asleep in your arms, Baby in the morning Lullaby from Neil Finn and his son Liam
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford are ‘‘thrilled’’ at their most moving gift yet: New Zealand’s favourite songwriter has gifted them a lullaby to play their baby daughter.
Soft guitar strums, and airy background music, accompany the soulful lyrics: ‘‘Leave a gap in the door, to let a little light in, hold her close to your heart, in the right way. She’ll fall asleep in your arms, baby in the morning.’’
Kiwi music icon Neil Finn and his son Liam recorded the lullaby Hold
Her Close for their upcoming album Light sleeper.
The tune on the duo’s album, was set to be released to the public in August – but this weekend, they gifted it first to the new baby.
The Finns thought giving the song was a fitting tribute for the girl who’s stolen the hearts of the nation.
And the couple were ‘‘thrilled’’ with the privileged early release of the song, a spokesman said.
This is the first time a New Zealand Prime Minister has given birth while in office, and only the second time an elected world leader has given birth while holding office.
Ardern and Gayford’s daughter, whose name is yet to be announced, was born at 4:45pm on Thursday weighing 3.31kg. The girl made her debut on Instagram, wrapped in a cream hat knitted by a supporter and a blanket knitted by her grandmother, and Gayford’s mother.
Jacinda’s mother, Laurell Ardern, flew up from Nelson to visit the family yesterday.
The baby, she gushed, had dark hair, dark eyes and a father, who was ‘‘glowing’’.
‘‘I think there might be a bit of Clarke . . . she doesn’t look like Jacinda as a baby, because she’s more tiny,’’ Laurell Ardern said.
‘‘Jacinda didn’t look tired at all. She looked good. So I hope she gets some sleep tonight, but the baby was sleeping well, and I said to her, ‘shall I go so you can get some sleep?’ and she said she had a little nap this afternoon.
‘‘But she’s getting well looked after here. She can’t thank the nurses and that enough for looking after her, so that’s good.’’
Gayford’s sister has visited the couple, while Ardern’s father, Ross, is expected to spend a long weekend in Auckland with the new family next weekend.
The adoring father has not been home since he brought Ardern – in the throes of labour – to hospital early on Thursday. He has slept with the rest of his new family in the level 10 room, in the maternity ward at Auckland City Hospital.
The trio are expected to leave the hospital for their Sandringham home at 11am today.
The family have received wellwishes and gifts from across the world – including a serving of macaroni and cheese from Ardern’s midwife Libby. Yesterday a large bouquet of flowers arrived from Saudi Arabia, while messages of congratulations are arriving en masse: including from Queen Elizabeth, US pop star Pink, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (who congratulated her in both English and French).
‘‘Pro tip Jacinda: Briefing notes make excellent bed-time stories,’’ Trudeau wrote.