About
I created the HipSurfer when I was right where you are now.
A baby who wanted to be carried, a toddler who couldn't decide whether to walk, and a body struggling with the weight of it all.
Awarded, endorsed and doctor approved
Thanks for dropping by. I'm Laura, founder of Hackerlily, mum of two and the person who once believed I could carry a growing child on one hip indefinitely without my body lodging a formal complaint.
I started dreaming up the HipSurfer while on maternity leave in 2021. At the time, I was living through that very familiar stage of parenting: up, down, carry me, put me down, actually carry me again.
Having lived with spondyloarthritis since I was 16, as well as carpal tunnel and frequently swollen joints, carrying my children was becoming painful. Traditional carriers had their place, but for quick trips and constant ups and downs, I found them too hot, restrictive and fiddly. Going without one meant taking the full weight through my arms, wrists, shoulders and back.
I kept searching for something in between.
Something I could put on quickly. Something that would support my body without separating me from my child. Something practical enough for everyday parenting, but stylish enough that I would actually want to wear it.
And when I couldn't find it, I decided to create it.
From a maternity-leave idea to the HipSurfer
It took around 18 months, eight prototypes and a very steep learning curve to turn that first idea into the product I knew parents needed.
It became a strap-free hipseat carrier and bum bag designed for the stage when little legs are technically capable of walking, but their owner frequently has other plans.
The supportive seat helps transfer your child's weight away from your arms and upper body and onto your hips. One buckle gets it on in around 15 seconds, while four built-in pockets carry the everyday essentials you'd otherwise be stuffing into bags, pockets or the bottom of the pram.
But I didn't want to create another baby product that would be useful for three months and then disappear into a cupboard. The HipSurfer was designed to grow with your family from babyhood through the toddler years, and our world-first washable, interchangeable covers let you refresh its look or share it between wearers without buying an entirely new carrier.
Simple. Supportive. Customisable. Made for years of real life.
Designed for real parenting
Hackerlily officially launched in February 2023 on the Gold Coast, Australia. Since then, our little maternity-leave idea has grown into an award-winning Australian parenting brand, with HipSurfers supporting thousands of families and travelling much further than I ever imagined.
We've been recognised with awards including the Bounty Parents Editors' Choice Award and multiple Mum Central Awards, including Winner of Best Baby Product. The HipSurfer is doctor approved, recommended by health professionals and stocked by retailers across Australia and New Zealand, with Hackerlily now growing internationally across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
That still feels slightly surreal to write.
But the part that matters most isn't how far the HipSurfer has travelled. It's what it gives parents when it gets there: more comfort, less strain and a simpler way to stay close through all those unpredictable ups and downs.
More than one clever carrier
The HipSurfer was our beginning, but the reason Hackerlily exists is much bigger. We create thoughtful parenting products that ease the physical and mental load without asking you to surrender your personal style.
As a small, independently owned Australian brand, every product begins with a real parenting challenge. We listen, test, adjust and keep going until it feels genuinely useful, not simply like one more thing parents are told they need.
You helped us get here
Hackerlily wouldn't be here without the parents, grandparents, carers and health professionals who have worn our products, shared our story, sent thoughtful feedback, recommended us to friends and cheered on this slightly wild founder journey.
Thank you for trusting something that began as an idea in my head, and for helping it grow into a community and a brand supporting families around the world.
Parenting will probably never be entirely effortless. Children are far too unpredictable for that. But it can feel more comfortable, more flexible and a little less heavy.
And that is exactly why we're here.
Laura xxFounder of Hackerlily
