Having a baby for the first time will ultimately be one of the happiest times of your life. Sure, you’re a bit nervous and at times overwhelmed but you get to start your own little family. But before that day comes along you have a nursery to plan, baby names to pick and someone who will depend on you forever.

As you grow bigger, attend those antenatal classes and build your nursery, it’s natural to start thinking about how your world will change. Your life as you have known it has been all about you and you may begin to notice the ‘life will never be the same again’ comments cropping up. Then on one quiet evening after a distraction free dinner you look at your partner and your partner looks at you, a light bulb goes off and you both unanimously say ‘BABYMOON’.

Now baby-moons may vary from a weekend away to an overseas vacation but before you go all ‘baby brain’ on this hare- brained idea let’s share some stats with you. It is said that a baby can cost a family at least $150 per week amounting to over $15,000 in just a single year. Now let’s think about this 10 nappies a day, $33 per box of 90 nappies = approx. $100 per month alone just in nappies.

Let’s not forget about formula if you don’t breast feed ($30 per tin), baby wipes, clothes, towels, dummies, prams, change tables, maternity bras, car seats, swaddles, baby monitors, breast pumps,  toys, socks, blankets, bassinets, needles, doctors’ appointments, child care (if you go down that route), bottles, cutlery, gymbaroo and on and on it goes.

So after making note of all the additional expenses any new mum will face, it’s probably best to ditch the baby-moon idea and become a baby-prepper:

-Stockpile nappies when stores have them on special.

-Search prices online for wet wipes, dummies and bottles (remember to check delivery fees).

-Attend the Baby Expo’s in your area to find better deals and read the reviews on the best pram or car seat.

-Don’t leave buying your maternity items until the last minute. As finding the right bra for example can take time. The New Beginnings maternity range allows mums to purchase from their comfy and affordable bra collection and their returns policy will allow an exchange or refund if the bra doesn’t fit. *Keep an eye out for their 2 for 1 bra deals *

Start to also be accepting of any help that’s offered when it comes to big purchases as everyone close to you will be getting baby fever with the arrival of your newborn. And if you decide to have a baby shower use a registry to ensure your nursery is equipped with everything you need.

So wave goodbye to the baby-moon and life you once knew because life is really going to be so much better then you ever imagined when this baby arrives. Yes you’re tired, yes you’re overwhelmed but let’s try not to add any additional financial worries to the load. Not to mention the late night runs down to the supermarket because you have run out of nappies.

What is a ladies universal guide to comfort, support, style and practicality? Leggings! What is a pregnant mumma's guide to everyday wear, active wear and general go-to? Leggings!

One of the things I was looking forward to most when pregnant (obviously in addition to eating for two), was the excuse to wear ‘active wear’ all day every day! There is nothing better than feeling the comfort and flexibility of a pair of leggings. Little did I know there can be more to this wonder-garment than comfort.

Around my second trimester, when things really started to move and grow, I was feeling like I needed more to my clothes and bras than your general fashion statement. That’s right, I entered the ‘mummy clothes’ stage. I needed support, I needed compression, I needed flexibility and I needed it now. The general ‘icky’ feeling of the first trimester had left me and I was starting to become more myself. I was entering the second trimester eye of the storm and was lucky enough to trial the New Beginnings Maternity Leggings range, and they couldn’t have come at a better time! Why, you may ask? General leggings just weren’t cutting it anymore. For those of you who are new to the pregnancy scene, here are some must have’s when looking for your second skin!

• Support and compression; General leggings are a thing of the past. Something purpose made with a support band and over the belly elasticated feature will be your new go-to.
• Everyday Wear or Active Wear; we all love multi-tasking so why not find some leggings that can do both!? The New Beginnings Maternity Leggings range, cut and style are designed to suit a trip to the shops or light exercise…without that dreaded rise and fall of the lumbar band.
• Choice; sometimes you just want LBL (little black leggings) and other times you want a classic pattern splash. Full length and ¾ options complete your new maternity wardrobe.
• Shape; whilst I could (just) pull my cotton leggings over my growing bump, they no longer provided that snug skin to skin contact of a nylon spandex combination. I wanted something that was breathable and provided shape in all the right places.  

So mumma's, once you are ready to jump on board the maternity band wagon let me tell you, you won’t want to take these gems off. Also let’s not forget New Beginnings have their great bulk deals…perfect timing leading up to Christmas!

 Author: Elise Bradfield @elise_bradfield 

If there is one word that could be used to describe pregnancy and having children it would be growth. Your belly and breasts grow, your family and expenses grow and finally the way you view the world and your responsibilities grow.

But with all this change it’s nice to have a few things that bring you comfort and support and I’m not just talking about family and friends. What about having a sturdy, supportive and comfortable maternity bra that grows with you!

Early on with your pregnancy you will notice a change in the size and shape of your breasts. They become very tender and soon that underwire of traditional bras becomes uncomfortable and unhealthy during your pregnancy.

Now begins the start of a possible long and annoying search to find the right maternity bra. Well let me just say that I have done all the research and testing for you. There is no better maternity bra on the market right now than the New Beginnings range and here is why:

- Choice of colours and styles including the active wear and everyday maternity bras.

- Ugrow Technology – so you only need to buy one bra that can adapt with you from pregnancy to breastfeeding.

- Seamless design for comfort and coverage.

- Array of supportive bras for ladies of all breast sizes.

- Ease of purchase online with great deals if you buy multiples & the returns and exchange policy.

With all your forward planning there will always be a product that you forgot to purchase or something that doesn’t do as advertised. But you will not have to worry about any of this with the New Beginnings bra range, in fact you’ll be recommending it to all your pregnant friends and buying more.

I remember sleeping in these bras and not even realising, I went out and never had to worry about an accidental Janet Jackson boob slip. I gave some to my sister when she was pregnant and I have them sitting in my drawer ready to use again with my next pregnancy. Now that is a bra that grows with you!

Author: Elise Bradfield @elise_bradfield 

When I was younger I had absolutely no idea about the ins and outs of pregnancy and having a baby. I remember without a care in the world, walking past the maternity shops snickering at the roundness and beige-ness of it all. Maternity wear signalled maturity wear and the end of style and colour and a land I could not see myself ever visiting.

Fast forward about 8 years, 10 kilos heavier, basketball size growth under my top….I had arrived at maternity wear world. Funnily enough everything you loathe about maternity wear when you aren’t pregnant is everything you adore when you are pregnant, especially maternity bras! You crave comfort, ease and plain colours because all your time and energy is now given to this beautiful and very demanding little person!

My breasts had grown into large beings all on their own and they were tender to touch. Being an already larger breasted gal I knew that I needed to find the perfect maternity bra for before and after the baby was born. I can say hand on heart right now that the New Beginnings Maternity Bra range were the best I tried and here is why:

SUPPORT: As there is no underwire in maternity bras I needed a bra that still provided lift for my breasts (the type I could wear outside the house).

EASY TO USE: New Beginnings bras have a very easy to use clip that latches to the top strap of the bra. When your baby is screaming for a feed it’s a no brainer to clip off and on.

STYLE: I still managed to feel feminine in these bras even though I was feeling very much like a dairy cow.

GREAT PRICE: We all know that having babies is expensive so your bras have to be a price that is reasonable and appropriate.

NO HASSLES: New Beginnings has some great online deals happening all the time and they are so easy to deal with when it comes to customer support and returns.

A selection of great maternity bras is an investment not only in the practical side of motherhood but an investment in your peace of mind. A comfortable, stylish and reliable maternity bra means you don’t have to worry about anything else but navigating motherhood and bonding with your beautiful new baby.

Author: Elise Bradfield @elise_bradfield 

It seems that everybody is hopping on board the wellness, health, Mother Nature band wagon these days and with good reason. We are much more conscious about our bodies and the effects we are having on the planet and we are now bringing that level of awareness back with a focus on our children’s well-being.

There has never been a wider selection of healthy and environmentally sound baby products on the market then there is today. Yes some of these products are more expensive and some may seem a little too left of centre but where you decide to draw a line in the sand is up to you. For me personally I could never use natural cloth nappies, I just know that I would find that to be such a headache but I do know of ladies that swear by it. However I have started being more conscious in other ways like using the New Beginnings Bamboo Dry Wipes.

Now you wouldn’t naturally conclude ‘Baby does a poo, hand me the old bamboo’ but bamboo is fast becoming natures wonder plant and here’s why. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant that uses very little space and water to grow and it actually helps repair the environment. It adds 35% more oxygen than regular trees and is truly a super plant being used in many industries. Therefore producing baby wipes using bamboo has so many benefits:

• Perfect for sensitive skin
• Helps reduce nappy rash by keeping bubs dry
• Free of parabens, petrochemicals and sulphates
• Alcohol-free
• Fragrance free
• Bamboo is Biodegradable!
• Highly absorbent

New Beginnings are doing their part and offering mothers what they desire with a product that is easy to obtain (online, Coles & Chemist Warehouse), a great price, good for the environment and most importantly free of all the nasties that you find in a lot of other baby wipe products.

Additionally dry wipes have a longer shelf life, so they make the perfect travel essential and can be stored in hot areas like your car ready for use anytime. All it takes is the addition of water to turn them into your regular wet wipes to clean bottoms, hands, faces and I will admit sometimes the perfect cleaning chux. Another mention for me is that I noticed my son was getting nappy rash which is perfectly common as that area is often damp for a period time whilst sleeping. The great thing about the dry wipe is that I would use them afterwards in dry form to soak up any residual moisture and I noticed the nappy rash would clear up a lot easier then adding creams for example.

So in using New Beginnings Bamboo Dry wipes I feel like I am doing the best for my son with a quality product and the bonus is that I am also doing my small part in helping the environment. That’s a double win for me!

 Author: Elise Bradfield @elise_bradfield