Northland election candidate Willow-Jean Prime welcomes daughter

Northland Labour candidate and Far North District councillor Willow-Jean Prime with husband Dion Prime and their second daughter, born at Whangarei Hospital on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

Aspiring Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime is continuing her tradition of having babies at the most politically demanding times.

Mrs Prime - a Far North District councillor who is again standing for Labour in the Northland electorate - and husband Dion had their first child, Hihana, six days before the 2015 Northland by-election was called.

Their second, Heeni Hirere-June Te Kare o Nga Wai Prime, arrived on Saturday, seven weeks from the general election.

Mrs Prime said she had followed the controversy about whether new Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern should have been asked about her baby plans on her first day in the job.

She had found some of the ensuing debate frustratingly shallow. Instead of asking Ms Ardern whether she was going to pursue politics or a family, the question that should have been asked was how families could be supported so women didn't have to choose between children and a career.

"I'd prefer a real conversation about the challenges we have as a society and how we can support women and their families so it's not about one or the other," she said.

The reality for many mothers was that they had to work to make ends meet, so the country's laws, policies and parental support needed to catch up.

"There were some wonderful responses but also a lot of disappointing comments, which show we have a long way to go to address attitudes and structural changes."

Parliament, where she hoped to be come September 23, also needed to accommodate families to ensure wide representation.

Mrs Prime's baby had been due on Friday and was induced on Saturday morning at Whangarei Hospital's Te Kotuku maternity unit, finally arriving at 5.33pm. The couple's second daughter weighed a healthy 4.2kg and measured 56cm long.

She takes her names from three grandmothers and the rippling waters of the Waikere River.

Mother and daughter were transferred to Bay of Islands Hospital on Sunday and expect to go home any day.

"She's just lovely. She's just as alert and observant as her sister but so far very placid and calm, which will be welcome in a household of craziness," Mrs Prime said.

She was delighted to have two girls because her relationship with her own sister was so close, though it would mean her husband was heavily outnumbered.

They had spent the days since the birth recovering, establishing breastfeeding and bonding as a family.

She expected to start attending events on the campaign trail, with support from her whanau, within the next two weeks.

The Primes live near Pakaraka where they are building a rammed earth home on the family farm.