What Are The Best Flowers for Welcoming a New Baby
Right, let's have a proper chat about baby flowers. I'm Siobhan and I am an owner of Lily's Florist, and after 17 years of sending flowers for new bubs all over Australia, I reckon I've learned a thing or two about what actually works and what's just marketing fluff. Bella had originally written this article, but as my daughter is now almost finishing school I thought it time to give my take on flowers for new baby's as I have the sinking sentimental feeling at the moment, and a little reflective...what did happen to the last 18 years, my gosh it's happened so quickly.
The Reality of New Parent Life (Trust Me, I Know)
Back in 2006, we had our flower shop in Kingscliff - I was about 7 months pregnant with Asha at the time, working behind the counter, and I'll never forget this moment. A bloke came rushing in, absolutely frazzled, covered in what looked suspiciously like baby 'spew' on his shoulder. "I need flowers for my wife," he said, "she's just had our third and she's... well, she's having a moment."
I knew exactly what he meant. New mums having "a moment" need something that says "you're amazing" without requiring any effort on their part to maintain. That's the moment when it clicked for me, baby flowers need to be different from regular flowers. They need to work around the chaos, not add to it.
> Read our whole foundation story here.
Why Traditional Advice Gets It Wrong
Most flower guides will tell you to go for pastels and leave it at that. Absolute rubbish, at least in my opinion, after taking at least 10,000 calls from 2006 to, I know the exact day, February 21, 2011. I know that as a few days later our second child, Ivy, was born, who, incidentally, is way taller than me at just 14. After years of feedback from exhausted parents (and being one myself, twice over whilst in John Flynn Hospital in Tugun QLD), here's what I think what actually matters: Arrangements beat bunches for new parents. Sounds simple right, but there's a reason. When you've got a newborn, finding a vase is like finding matching socks - theoretically possible but highly unlikely. That's why our Florists Choice Baby Girl Arrangement or Baby Boy Arrangement at $81.75 are brilliant choices. They come ready to display, no faffing about required.
I learned this the hard way when a customer called us in tears (happy ones, thankfully) saying the new baby arrangement we'd sent was the only thing in her house that looked "put together" after bringing twins home. She actually moved it from room to room just to have something beautiful to look at.
The Chocolate Question (Yes, It's Important)
Here's something nobody talks about - new mums are HUNGRY. Especially if they're breastfeeding. One of our regular customers in 2008, Lisa her name was, used to order flowers for every new mum in her mothers' group. She always, without fail, added chocolates. When I asked her why, she said "mate, when you're up at 3am feeding, that chocolate is sometimes the only thing that gets you through."
That's exactly why we created combinations like the Florist's Choice Baby Girl Bunch With Chocolates at $85.85. It's flowers that say "congratulations" and chocolate that says "I get it, you need sugar to survive."
The Teddy Bear Debate
Now, some people reckon teddy bears with flowers are naff. Those people have clearly never seen a toddler's face when they realise the flowers came with "their" special teddy for being a new big brother or sister.
We had this family, regular customers they were, Portuguese family from Casuarina. When their second was born, the dad ordered our New Baby Boy Arrangement + Teddy specifically so their 3-year-old daughter would feel included. Clever thinking that. The flowers were for mum, but that teddy? That was all about making sure big sister didn't feel left out. At $110, it's solving two problems at once.
Timing Is Everything (And I Mean Everything)
Here's the thing about hospital deliveries - and this comes from years of angry phone calls that taught us the hard way - hospitals have visiting hours and some have weird rules about flowers. We once had a delivery knocked back because the maternity ward had gone "flower-free" due to allergies. Nightmare.
If they're still in hospital, check the ward's policy first. If they're home, wait until day 3 or 4. Why? Day 1 they're in shock, day 2 they're exhausted, but by day 3 or 4, they've usually had a shower and might actually appreciate something beautiful turning up at the door.
Gender Reveal Flowers (When Pink and Blue Actually Matter)
Look, I'm not usually one for gender stereotypes, but when it comes to baby flowers, parents often want that traditional pink or blue moment. It's like when we found out Asha was a girl - suddenly everything HAD to be pink, even though I'd spent months insisting we'd be gender neutral. Hormones are weird.
Our Florists Choice Baby Boy Bunch and Florists Choice Baby Girl Bunch at $74.50 are perfect for this. The florists know exactly what they're doing - soft blues with white for boys, gentle pinks and creams for girls. Classic, but that's exactly what most new parents want for those first photos.
The Single Rose Option (For When You're Broke But Care)
Right, this is brilliant for young mates or family members who want to do something but are watching their pennies. Our Single Rose With Chocolates And Teddy at $74.50 is actually genius. One perfect rose says "I'm thinking of you," the chocolate says "I know you need this," and the teddy is for the older sibling. It's thoughtful without breaking the bank.
I remember when my nephew was born, I was still in Sydney, broke as anything, and wished something like this had existed. Instead, I sent a scraggly bunch from a servo that probably cost the same but looked like I'd picked it from someone's garden. Not my finest moment.
When To Go Big (The Celebration Package)
Sometimes, you need to go all out. First grandchild? IVF baby after years of trying? Rainbow baby? These moments call for something special. Our Celebration Package With A Vase at $252.50 is the full monty.
But here's the key - this works because it includes the vase. New parents have enough to think about without hunting for containers. Everything's there, it's substantial, it makes a statement. We've sent these for some really special arrivals over the years, and the photos we get back... well, they make me a bit teary if I'm honest.
The Native Option (For Something Different)
If you know the parents are a bit alternative or just love Australian natives, our Native Arrangement With Chocolates at $166.50 is brilliant. Natives last ages, they're hypoallergenic, and they're actually really on-trend right now. Plus, they dry beautifully, so parents can keep them as a memento.
The Bottom Line
After all these years, if I had to give you one piece of advice about baby flowers, it'd be this, try and think about what that parent actually needs in that moment. It's not just flowers, it's a little bit of beauty in the chaos, maybe some sugar for energy, possibly a distraction for an older sibling, and always, ALWAYS something that requires zero effort to enjoy.
That $81.75 arrangement might seem like "just flowers," but when you've had two hours sleep and you're covered in various baby fluids, having something beautiful that you didn't have to arrange yourself? That's not just flowers, that's a bloody lifeline.
We've been doing this since before Asha was born - she's 18 now, doing her HSC - and the one thing that never changes is that new parents need to know someone's thinking of them. The flowers are just the messenger, really. Choose ones that'll make their life easier, not harder, and you can't go wrong.
New Baby Flowers FAQ
Can You Actually Deliver to Hospitals, Though?
Yeah, we can, but here's the thing - every hospital's different and some maternity wards have gone completely mad with rules. Ring the hospital first, honestly. Ask for the maternity ward and just say "do you accept flower deliveries?" Some want them left at reception, some banned them completely (allergies, apparently), and some are fine with it. If they say no, just wait until mum's home. We had one poor bloke order flowers three times to Tweed Hospital before someone told him they'd changed their policy. Third time he just had them delivered to his mother-in-law's house instead. Smart thinking, that.
What If We Don't Know If It's a Boy or Girl Yet?
Happens all the time! We've got neutral options, or you can go with yellows and greens. But honestly? Just pick something like our Bright Arrangement With Chocolates - nobody's going to be upset about getting beautiful flowers just because they're not pink or blue. One customer ordered bright orange gerberas when her sister had a surprise baby (didn't know she was pregnant, long story). Said it matched the shock everyone was feeling. Sometimes neutral is better anyway.
How Long Do These Flowers Actually Last With a Newborn in the House?
Look, with a newborn, you're lucky if you remember to drink water, let alone maintain flowers. That's why arrangements beat bunches every time - less maintenance. Most will last 5-7 days if you can manage to top up the water. The natives last weeks, sometimes months if you forget about them entirely (which you might). One mum told us she finally threw out her dried natives when her "newborn" started walking. That's... actually quite sweet if you think about it.
What Do I Write on the Bloody Card?
Keeps it simple, seriously. "Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy/girl" works. "Welcome to the world, little one" is nice. "You're doing amazing" for a mum who needs to hear it. Don't write novels - sleep-deprived parents can't process complex messages. And please, PLEASE, don't make jokes about lack of sleep or dirty nappies. They know. Trust me, they know.
Is Same Day Delivery Actually Possible With a Surprise Early Baby?
If you order before 2PM Monday to Friday, yes. Weekends get trickier but we usually manage it. Had a granddad call us at 7AM on a Tuesday, absolutely beside himself because the baby came 3 weeks early and he was stuck in Brisbane while his daughter was in Ballina. We got flowers to her by lunch. He cried on the phone when we confirmed delivery. Hormones run in families, apparently.
Do You Deliver to All The Birth Centres and Smaller Hospitals?
We deliver anywhere our partner florists can reach, which is basically everywhere from Tweed to Brisbane and beyond. Birth centres, private hospitals, home births (once the midwife's gone, please), wherever. We even delivered to a caravan park once - couple had planned a homebirth but ended up in their van at Brunswick Heads instead. Baby came fast, flowers came next day. That kid's going to have some story to tell.
What If I Stuff Up The Order?
Ring us. Seriously, just ring. We've fixed orders where people accidentally sent funeral flowers to a birth (wrong button clicked), where they put the wrong address, where they meant to order pink but ordered blue. We're parents ourselves, we get it. Mistakes happen when you're excited or tired or both. Much easier to fix it quickly than stress about it. We're not a massive call centre, you'll get someone who actually gives a toss about sorting it out.