"I'm honest about my day-to-day life, struggles and finding humour in the everyday aspects of being a parent. But I'm wary of revealing too much information," she says, "particularly if it involves other people".

Bronwyn Marquardt started aussies inauckland.blogspot.com so she could share her news with friends back home after she and her family relocated from Brisbane. Now the 41-year-old has followers in England, Australia, America, Asia and Europe, as well as New Zealand.

"It's made me realise that no matter where in the world we are, and how different we may be, we still have that common ground of producing small humans and doing our best to bring them up," says Marquardt, whose husband and two kids like to contribute to her blog.

"They love going through it and looking at photos of themselves, and reliving favourite moments - just like they would do with a photo album or scrapbook."

Mostly Marquardt blogs about daytrips and holidays the family has taken in New Zealand since they moved here a year ago.

"I think Tourism New Zealand should be paying me a commission or providing some free trips," she says.

"I'm constantly emailed by people who, after seeing New Zealand through our eyes, are longing to visit, having never considered it before. One couple is even thinking of moving here - they had no idea of the opportunities to be found across the ditch."

It's entirely possible that these are the golden days of the Kiwi mummy blog. Over in the US there are fears the whole phenomenon has become so commercialised, with sponsored posts and questionably accurate reviews of products, that bloggers are losing sight of the original idea of creating a supportive, online community.

Now, instead of writing about the cute stuff their kids say, US mums are blogging about how best to capitalise on their online presence.

"Mummy blogging is a business," writes queenofspainblog.com's Erin Kotecki Vest, who admits to being paid US$6000 ($7900) for consulting with Disney to help them better understand the phenomenon - "for what essentially amounted to a few emails, a survey and a meeting".

She urges her fellow mummy bloggers to think of themselves as brands and get their share of the corporate marketing spend.

"They want you to blog their product? Charge them for ad space," she suggests. "They want to know if you think other mummy bloggers will like their new website? Charge them a consulting fee."

But as mummy bloggers go professional they run into ethical issues. Some write about products and services without disclosing that the content is sponsored, so blurring the line between editorial and advertising. Others take a share of profits from the products they profile.

The burgeoning business has now caught the attention of the US Federal Trade Commission which is looking into the idea of extending existing laws about liability to new media - meaning US bloggers who endorse products may have to get themselves liability insurance.