I’ve decided having a baby is a little like getting married.

The price seems to hike up when you mention the ‘marriage’, similarly when having a baby, according to many books and ‘experts’ you need ALOT of stuff!

The truth of the matter is a few key essential items will see you through the first few months. And then when you and babe have settled into the swing of things and the fog has lifted you can actually work out what you do and don’t need before you go out shopping.

We all know pregnancy makes our brains go a little wobbly and I think you can get swept up in having the latest and greatest, thinking you are doing the best thing for you and your soon to be baby. We’re here to set the record straight and give you a few key essential items that will see you through your first few weeks at home.

1. A well stocked change table/chest of drawers with change mat. This is pretty standard, but don’t think you will have time to be out and about picking up new nappies and wipes when you first get home. Have a LARGE supply of nappies and drawer full of wipes, creams if you’re going down that path (I’m a big fan of Lucas Pawpaw ointment. Natural and soft of skin) and some cotton nappies for mopping and wiping up any spills.

2.The Newborn Organic range. What newborn doesn’t look fresh, angelic and perfect in white. Over pink, blue and yellow, white is always my pick of the bunch. Being 100% organic means that no harsh chemicals have treated the cotton and subsequently aren’t being placed upon precious oh so new skin. It also means extra soft to touch. These fail safe items can me purchased early in your pregnancy when you don’t know the sex of the baby (hence the white) but just have that little itch to get out there and buy something for your ever growing bump.  There is something in the range for all the seasons, you can mix and match tops and bottoms and being super reasonably priced you can stock up! Sure there’s a time for frills and pretty prints and whizz bang outfits – let’s call these ‘photo moments’. But the reality is when you first get home and your baby is getting used to the world, simple, gentle, fresh and easy to use items with minimum buttons and zips to stick into little bodies are really going to take you alot further than those that look cute for a photo.

 Also worthy of checking out is the bedlinen from the same range. Again, soft and lovely for little heads to dream on. Even if you don’t have a newborn, the cot sheets are well worth taking a look at for any little person zzzzzz-ing in a cot!

3. Pure Baby sleepsuits. Mel and I are not shy in proclaiming our love of a sleepsuit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. At 3am when you’re up for the second time that night changing yet another dirty nappy. No buttons are a god send! Enough said. These really are an essential item – I don’t care what anyone else says! Pure Baby are also 100% cotton so as with the Newborn Organics, gentle on skin.

4. Aden and Anais Hooded Towel set. Another necessity. We are all about the bath this month at The Hip Infant. And I agree with Mel’s blog entry earlier this week – babies love baths. They are a time for relaxing, winding down and a great cue for nighttime sleep routines. When they come out of a warm bath who wouldn’t want to wrap them up in these super soft cotton muslin towels.

5. Aden and Anais muslin wraps. Another can’t live without product. Don’t believe anyone who tells you some babies don’t like being wrapped. The psychology behind it is pretty simple. I liken it to getting out of bed on a winter morning from a super soft duck down doona – you don’t want to just walk around in a pair of shorts and singlet do you? You rug up into your favourite trackies and slippers. Similarly, if you were tucked up in a tiny, warm, tight space for 9 months would you want to sleep all limbs aplenty? I don’t think so. Learning to wrap is an art and one that many midwives in hospital will share with you so lap it up and keep an abundance of wraps on hand. Again, I’ve gone for white – particularly if you don’t know the sex of your baby, keep it simple.

**HIP COMPETITION ALERT ** To celebrate our love of white and newborn essentials we are giving away a fantastic Newborn Organic pack to get you through those first few weeks. The starter pack includes 1x Babygrow, 1x Long leg pants, 1x Nappy Pants, 1x Sleep Nightie all in size 000. Valued at $82.80 this pack is a winner! Simply leave a comment in the comment section and share with us the best piece of advice you’ve recieved about looking after a newborn. The winner will be drawn on September 20. Goodluck!

In celebration of our ‘ultimate baby shower’ competition we are going all things baby shower!

You don’t have to spend loads of money in order to provide a useful, thoughtful and beautiful baby shower gift.  As you know at The Hip Infant we love providing leading service to all our wonderful customers, so today we’re taking the stress out of decision making and sharing our top 10 baby shower gift giving ideas on a budget! All our suggestions come in at under $30 so there’s no need to break the piggy bank open just yet! 

1. Pirate Bowling Set $16.95. Super cute pirate bowling will grow with baby looks perfect on any nursery shelf and makes great toys down the track! Check out the equally cute other options too!

2. Musical Maracas $12.00. Can you tell we love a wooden toy? Perfect for little hands to shake, rattle and roll! If the budget allows throw in a jingle stick or castanet as well!

3. Alimrose Monkey Handsqueaker $15.95. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again LOVE LOVE LOVE! You can never have too many of these. Priced from $12.95 there’s a myriad of different designs and colours available, definitely something to suit everyone!

4. Milk and Co Baby Bath Time Wash $22.95. A little bit of luxury for newborn babes this bath wash contains organic lavender and chamomile and is just so divine we wish they did an adult one!

5. Pure Baby Essentials Zip Growsuit $29.95. Love a stripe and love a zip! Therefor LOVE this suit as it combines both. This suit comes in a variety of colours to suit all newborns. At 3am any mother will thank you for this when she doesn’t have to deal with press studs!

6. Bellyart Inkless Print Kit $24.95. We’ve sung its praises before and I think it makes a fantastic gift (so much so I’m buying one for a babyshower I’m attending in 2 weeks!) No ink, paint or mess and they take a perfect print of your newborns hands and feet. A gift that can be framed and used to decorate the nursery!

7. For Walls Owls wall decals $29.95. To buy wall art for a friend you need to be sure of their decorating taste and the colour palette in the nursery, if you think you’ve got it sussed then check out these super cute wall decals, sure to brighten up and add interest to all nurseries.

8. Tiger Tribe Sillouette Mobile Cow & Sheep $29.95. Stylish and unisex, this sweet little mobile would love perfect hanging in a window, over a change table or above a cot.

9.  Aden & Anais Muslin Washcloth $24.95.  Divine and luxuries these thick muslin washcloths are a bathtime essential and we can ensure this is one item that is sure to be used everyday!

10. Olli & Pop Burp and Spill Cloths $29.95. Another essential any mum will love! Spits, burps and spills have never been so funky! ideal for throwing over the shoulder at burp time or under the botty at change time. A must have and one that will be adored. Check out the assorted colours.

 Hope we’ve been helpful, tune in tomorrow for our lust-have gift giving ideas!

Ohhh how cute is this bubba! Introducing the very lovely James who also happened to be one of our cover babes in our  Jinky shoot back in July. James was only 10 days old at the time and as you can see was one sleepy little bubba, he is now 12 weeks and what a charmer.

It reminds us just how fast time travels in those early days. Make sure every moment is savoured as before you know it you have a 10 year old on your hands and the saying “little people little problems, big people big problems” is just so true!

James is wearing (left) a Pure baby Kimino Long Sleeve Top and (right) The Hip Infant Basics Singlet & Nappy Pants and Gertie and Me Booties & Beanie

Really…its so hard, and we have to say one of our most common email questions is about sheets! Now these lush Pure Baby organic sheet sets have been tried and tested by our very own little hipsters and we love them.

Why you ask? well firstly they look hot! whether you are after something a bit funky (check out the navy stripes…very cool) or something a little more stock standard they have it covered. They are generous in size and will fit any cot, even the notoriously big Boori. The cotton is thick, stretchy and oh so cozy and lastly they are organic….a nice way to start out a fresh life.

With prices starting at $59.95 for Bassinett sheet sets and $89.95 for cot sheet sets they really are an affordable little piece of luxury.