Five gifts that new mums really want (and need)

A friend of mine gave birth to her second son recently, so I was at the shops looking for a gift for the her and the little one when it suddenly occurred to me: "Does she really need another blanket? Or toy? Or cute little jumpsuit that bub will in all likelihood only wear once or twice?" I realised, through my own experience as a mum, that the answer is no.

As I think back on those fuzzy, sleepless days and nights, I remember so clearly now what it was that I truly appreciated and needed and I'm telling you, it isn't a teddy bear. Here are some practical gift ideas any new mum will appreciate.

Food -  I remember crying tears of joy in those hazy baby days, when my lovely mother in law turned up at my door with a week's worth of homemade meals that I could easily heat up and eat. It was such a blessing not to have to worry about cooking and grocery shopping and the washing of dirty dishes and is a gift truly appreciated. Quiches, pies, casseroles and soups are great meal ideas.

Cleaning service - New mums are told to sleep when the baby sleeps, but new mums also have to cook, eat, shower and clean. One of the best gift a new mum or any mum, in fact can have is hiring a cleaner, so the house is clean, tidy and sparkly (even when mum is covered in drool herself). A cleaning service like Helpling can help any mum find a professional cleaner to meet her housekeeping needs.

Overnight babysitting - With the constant feeding, soothing and nappy changing 24/7, new mums are inevitably sleep deprived. I remember when Alex was a newborn, I used to fantasize about having a solid 8 hours sleep. If you're good with little babies, offer to babysit overnight, if not, you can engage a professional overnight nanny. My soon-to-be-launched nanny agency will provide such a service to new mums.

Streaming TV and movie service - There's actually not much to do while breastfeeding, apart from staring at your sweet little bundle of joy. Which I did, a lot. I also spent so many of my breastfeeding hours watching catch up TV (like The Bachelor, for example) on my iphone. And there are so many movies I'd have missed out on if not for TV and movie streaming services.

Nappies and wipes - Fact: babies poo A LOT. And they pee A LOT. And they make A LOT of mess. So naturally new mums go through boxes and boxes of nappies very very quickly, which makes nappies and wipes a very welcome gift. While not the most exciting of gifts, this one is certainly the most practical.

Do you have any other practical gift ideas for new mums?

Valentine's Day gift guide

I'm all for showing love everyday of the year and not just on the one day every retail store tells us we ought to. But I reckon it's still nice to do something a little special on St. Valentine's Day, be it a home-cooked meal, a box of chocolates to share, a thoughtful note or a special gift. Here are some ideas...

1. Slip silk pillowcase - Anti aging. Anti sleep crease. Anti bed head. It's time to ditch cotton and pamper the lady with some silk - she'll thank you for it.

2. Motegrappa gold plated pen - Add sophistication to any desk with this gorgeous white pen with contrasting 18ct gold plating.

3. Sofia Cashmere cardigan top - Made with 100% luxurious cashmere, this easy to wear grey cardigan is indulgently soft to touch and has two handy pockets on the front.

4. Kosmea Rose body collection - this beautifully packaged gift set features the rose body lotion (Winner of the 2016 Best Lotion at the Nature and Health Natural Beauty Awards) and the hydrating rosewater spray. A delicious smelling duo that will quench dry skin.

5. Native Union Clic Marble iPhone 6 case - Crafted from stunning ancient marble, the stone has cut wafer-thin to create a lightweight casing that is still shatter-resistant and makes for a wonderful tech gift.

6. MacKenzie Childs white home accessory - Beautifully crafted from enamel it features hand applied floral transfers in a rainbow of bright colours. Perfect for displaying your most treasured memories and a wonderful addition to the home.

7. Kate Spade see through umbrella - A wonderfully stylish way to keep dry, this simple yet stylish umbrella it features the text ‘rain check?’ in a black speech bubble. She'll be wishing it rained more often!

8. Ellie Ellie Birthstone sterling silver studs - as far as I'm concerned, you just can't go wrong with jewellery, especially one as classically beautiful and elegant as these silver stud earrings in the lady's very own birthstone.

Christmas gift guide: botanical edition

It came as a bit of a shock when someone mentioned Christmas was just 9 weeks away (how ridiculous!) so I went on a bit of an online shopping spree to make up for lost time. I decided to put together a little gift guide of some of the lovely things I found along the way, all of which have a floral touch to it - perfect for all the botanical loving friends in your life.

1. Sarah's Garden Square Lasagna Dish by Wedgewood - Hand rendered botanical motifs on this elegant earthenware makes a perfect addition to any homemaker's kitchen.

2. Rosewater Balancing Mist by Jurlique -  a treat for all the senses, this beautifully scented is great for refreshing and hydrating skin on a hot summer's day.

3. Botanical Square Cushion by Adorabella - One of the prettiest botanical print I've seen to date, to dress up any chair or sofa.

4. Wreath Ring Silver by Karen Walker - a dainty understated piece of jewellery for a special lady in your life.

5. Maryan Distinguish Rose Print Matinee Purse by Ted Baker - a gorgeous piece feature dark romantic floral print with large bow detail at top snap closure.

6. Electra small table lamp in Botanical Print Poppy by Retro Print Revival - A statement piece with a bold retro style poppy print bound to add colour to any space in your home.

7. Copper hanging planter from Corner Store - a stunning metallic planter in a copper finish for your plants to live in style.

8. Tropical Delight Personalised Stationery Gift Set by Tiny Prints - a practical and handy stationery set consisting of notepad, lined book and cards in the cutest print. Personalise with your name or preferred quote. Mine says "Pineapple of my eye".

Valentine's Day gift guide for her

Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day? I wasn't holding out much hope as Stu and I haven't celebrated in years (unless you count dinner at Hungry Jacks) BUT as luck would have it, we will be at the Hunter Valley that weekend with my parents and they, of course, have kindly offered to babysit so...we have dinner reservations at Circa 1876  (formerly Roberts) who catered for our wedding back in 2011!!!

And as I like to push my luck sometimes, I thought I'd come up with a gift guide (and by gift guide, I mean wishlist) for the occasion. Stu, I hope you're reading this...

1. Jimmy Choo Chiara Metallic Leather Wedge Sandals - The perfect heel height for chasing one active toddler.

2. Vintage Flowers: Choosing, Arranging, Displaying by Vic Brotherson - Combines two of my loves: vintage and flowers. What's not to like?

3. Tiny Sapphire Stud Earrings by blanca monros gomez - Discreet, classic, timeless.

4. Kate Spade New York Lizard Skinny Bow belt -  A grown up way of wearing bows.

5. Library of Flowers field of flowers bath oil - smells like you're literally in a field of flowers.

6. Chloe Drew bag - This season's IT bag. Totally impractical but I WANT IT.

7. Rifle Paper Co. Floral Lace iphone 6 cover - My phone deserves pretty outerwear

8. Lace trim robe in blush pink by Natalija - A feminine cover up in luxurious silk

Gift guide for the (merry) homemaker

Can't remember when exactly it happened but one by one, everyone in my circle of friends have become homemakers. Some of us are renting while others have bought their own place; it seems we all now have a place to call home. Has this happened to you and your friends too? If yes, this gift guide be just be for you.

1. Railing planter - These pots from Vinci Living are just fantastic for brightening up just about any balcony or fence and are perfect for apartment dwellers or anyone with limited outdoor space. Love!

2. Bethany Linz British India Print (Pineapple) - This limited edition botanical art print by Sydney based artist, Bethany Linz, will bring an elegant touch of botany and colour to any room.

3. Island Life petite wine rack - A beautifully crafted wine rack in a neutral grey that would make a stylish addition to the kitchen or dining room. Also available in a 'grande' size for the serious wine drinker.

4. Murchison Hume classic six boxed set - Presented in a bamboo caddy, this set of six plant based home cleaning products contains everything a homemaker needs to keep the house looking and smelling fresh and clean.

5. Glasshouse Fragrances 'Cuba' candle - Though I often make my own soy candles, I have a major weakness for Glasshouse candles and treat myself to one every so often. My current favourite is 'Cuba', a delightful combination of pineapple, cherry and tangerine.

6. Orson and Blake marble coasters with gold foil - Add a bit of luxe to the dining table with these  gorgeous coasters lined with gold foil.

7. West Elm faceted terrarium - Add plants, rocks and soil to bring the garden indoors, or simply use as a display for shells, interesting rocks and pebbles.

8. Larkstore 'hello' doormat - Let your doormat say hello for you! This is sure to make your guests feel welcome at your home.

Baby gift guide

I used to be totally clueless when it came to shopping for babies but for obvious reasons, I have a much better idea now. I cringe when I recall some of my inappropriate baby gift choices, like that pretty little summer frock in size 0000 that I bought for my friend's winter baby that I'm sure she never got to wear. And that cute little onesie with the word "mother sucker" printed on it (though it was really funny at that time !). If you're like the old me, or if you're just running out of gift ideas for baby showers, this guide is for you...

1. Puffin Children's classics - It was love at first sight; as soon as I saw this gorgeous box set at my local bookstore, I took it off the shelf without hesitation and headed to the cashier. In fact, you may recall that this was the first 'baby item' I bought after I found out I was pregnant. I believe that the gift of reading is the best present anyone can give.

2. Donkey Products aeroplane kids spoon - A beautifully crafted wooden aeroplane atop a steel spoon to make playtime fun for the fussiest of eaters. Alexander loves it when I make plane noises while flying this spoon into his mouth.

3. Aden and Anais serenity star - A friend gave this to me at my baby shower and I've used it since the first day I bought Little A home. It is a handy sound machine, clock, room temperature indicator, night light and feeding diary all in one delightful little star that looks great in the nursery.

4. Raw Space felt cloud mobile - Babies spend a good amount of time lying on their backs so it's nice to give them something lovely to stare at. This cute and quirky mobile is handmade in Nepal and its multi-coloured raindrops are sure to delight the little ones.

5. MiniJumbuk Baa Baa blanket - Every baby needs at least one warm blanket for the cool winter months. This one by trusted Australian brand MiniJumbuk is made from luxuriously soft pure wool, making it suitable for the most sensitive baby skin.

6. Carter plush fox security blanket - I told you about Alexander's special friend Elly in this post and it really is the sweetest thing when a baby develops an attachment to a particular toy. Not only does it provide comfort, it also is lovely to give baby something to cuddle up with.

7. Vulli Sophie the Giraffe teething toy - Pretty much every baby I've met has one of these and for very good reason. It is made with 100% natural rubber and painted with natural food paint and has lots of nobbly bits so baby can gnaw contentedly away! Alexander loves to give Sophie a hearty chew and a big squeeze and giggles whenever Sophie squeaks,

8. The Aromatherapy Co. baby therapy set - It's important to give delicate baby skin the best care right from the start, so I was thrilled to receive this baby therapy set for Alexander to trial and review. The pack includes a tube of botty balm for preventing or treating nappy rash, a 100% organic soap bar and a wonderfully soft bamboo cloth to gently wash baby's skin during bath time.