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Forget the Prius hybrid or Omaha beach house. The latest status symbol for the aspiring classes is much more expensive - the big family is back.
Obstetricians in affluent parts of the country say women are opting for three or even four children, a trend which could be feeding into the latest baby boom.
There has been a surge of Kiwi babies in the past five years with 63,250 babies born in the year to March - the most since 1971.
Startling increases in the birthrate are occurring in teenage mums - up 23 per cent since 2003 and older mums aged 35-39. It's this group, say experts, that are often opting for multiple children.
Obstetrician Martin Sowter, of Parnell-based Auckland Obstetric Centre, confirmed he and his colleagues had noticed more people opting to have three children over the past couple of years.
"There's more people coming back for a third and feeling enthusiastic, rather than coming back and saying, 'Oh my goodness'.
"There's also been quite a trickle of people coming back for a fourth, although most come from big families." He said people were more likely to have an extra child in buoyant, optimistic times.
"Whether it's the property boom or a status symbol, I don't know. Certainly among people who can control their fertility, the feel-good effect seems to have played a big part."
At the last census, 184,218 mothers aged between 30 and 65 had three children, and 76,605 had four.
Sarah Dent, manager of baby-friendly Bang Bang cafe in Ponsonby, had also noticed the trend. "Three is the new two," she said.
"People seem to be more kid-oriented now."
North Shore couple, senior graphic designer Paul Stephenson and casting director Marisa Borich, are in their 30s and have three children, aged between 18 months and six years.
He wondered if broody celebrities are turning bigger families into the norm.
"You look at Brad and Angelina having more and more children, that's an example of people who would normally be jet-setting around the world, divorcing or going into rehab. People might look to them for examples."
The national surge of babies comes at a time when maternity services are already strained.
Fifteen out of 20 district health boards are short of midwives. The shortfall across hospital and community midwives is estimated at 200.
Based on the recommended caseload of 40-50 women each midwife, that suggests 10,000 mothers-to-be are struggling to find a lead maternity carer.
