Opinion: Time to leave Jacinda, Clarke and Neve alone

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, partner Clarke Gayford and baby Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford should be allowed some time alone together. Photo / File

We humans, don't we just go nuts over babies?

Considering there's billions of us on this planet, it's amazing the birth of a child still comes with the ooohs and aaahs as we see the newborns for the first time.

Granted, there's something pretty special about Baby Neve (love the name by the way) - our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's first baby with partner Clarke Gayford.

It's history-making and groundbreaking not only for women but also for New Zealand and international politics.

Unlike the Duchess of Cambridge - Kate Middleton - who has revealed her offspring for the waiting world with a full face of make-up, hair curled and wearing dresses and high heels, Ardern addressed the media at the weekend in a casual jumper, black pants and sneakers.

Both she and Gayford looked a bit shattered and admitted they were sleep deprived.

It was refreshingly real.

As a mum of a 7-year-old and 3-year-old twins, I know a bit about the sleepless nights.

I also know a bit about having to insist on some alone time during those first crucial weeks.

People can be so well-meaning and while I love every one of my friends and family, they all came out of the woodwork after the twins were born.

Maybe it was a twin thing that saw my sudden boost in popularity but I almost needed a PA to manage the visit requests.

The first few weeks seemed like a constant slog to get through the visitors - some of whom I hadn't seen for years.

Then, just as I got through them all, I started getting messages from them wanting repeat visits - "It's been a been a few weeks and I bet the babies have changed, could I pop around for a quick cuddle?"

It's hard to say no and in the end I just had to (apart from my close friends and family of course).

My popularity is of course pale in comparison to Ardern's.

She must feel as if the country is watching her and the pressure must be immense.

She has taken only six weeks off to bond with her baby. No matter how you feel about that, my only hope is she's given that time - alone, or only with the bare few she wants around.