The former Labour MP who promoted the party's Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Bill wants additional leave for partners.
Sue Moroney said the next step she'd like the Government to take will be to allow the partner to take leave on top of those 26 weeks.
Currently, PPL can only be taken by one parent at a time. National wanted parents to be able to share leave, but that arrangement would see leave taken from the 26-week limit.
The Bill is expected to pass within the next two weeks without that particular amendment.
Ms Moroney, who retired at the 2017 election, said "getting everyone that attachment and bonding opportunity would be a great place to go to".
She said men are as capable of looking after children as women are, and she wants families to have the flexibility to allow both parents to care for their child or children.
Ms Moroney said after Winston Peters announced his party would back Labour into Government, she sent two texts, both to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The first said "congratulations" and the second said she knows of a "great piece of law" that could be passed quickly - a nod to the paid parental leave bill that was vetoed by National in mid-2016.
Ms Ardern texted back saying she'd heard of the legislation and "it would be in the House soon".
Rebecca Matthews from parental leave lobby group 26 for Babies said National's proposal for shared parental leave is interesting but would shorten the overall length of time a parent could be home with the child.
National has gained an amendment to the Bill that will extend keeping-in-touch days to 52 hours when leave is increased to 22 weeks and then to 64 hours when it is increased to 26 weeks.
Newshub.
