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As noted on Corporette on Monday, the Jones New York sale is still going on. So. many. machine. washable. pieces! I like the look of this purple print dress with cap sleeves (also available in a houndstooth print). It’s machine washable, looks wearable in both fall as well as spring, and might even be pump-friendly. The dress was $119, but is now marked to $19.50. Jones New York Sheath Dress with Cap Sleeves and Side Ruching (L-3)Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Philanthropy Girl says
I love! Alas, limited sizing, and no plus sizes available.
Anon says
Good morning ladies. I am hoping for some advice or, at least, commiseration. I have been at my firm for 7 years now (with some time off for a baby or two). Earlier this year, I had the “you need to step it up” talk with my boss. I have been really trying to get better about hours, etc., since then. I have also been reading a bit about time management, and one book states to focus on your core competencies to be happy and fulfilled in your career and your life. In thinking about that I realized that I am not especially passionate about my career. I like parts of it, dislike others, but when I am at home with my family, I am not thinking about ways to change or better my practice. I need to find a way to fall back in love with my career, because I can’t afford not to! Anyone have any success stories in reinvigorating your career or, on the flip side, how to know when it’s time to look elsewhere? I appreciate your insight!
Take 3 says
I think it would help to focus on a few core components of your job/career. “You need to step it up” is really broad, and hard to actually implement. Maybe pick a few elements of your job that you love, as it will be easier to focus on improving those aspects. Attitude is another easy thing that sets the tone if you are feeling burned out. I find that making an extra effort to engage with colleagues and respond to projects helps me feel more engaged/sets the tone with other employees that I’m engaged.
CHJ says
I think looking for other jobs can be a way of energizing yourself. You may find yourself pulled in a different direction, towards a different kind of work or a different type of workplace, OR you may find by comparison that there’s a lot about your current job that you actually do like, and that can be energizing.
It sounds like you’re a lawyer, like me, and I think the whole “you should be so passionate about this that you think about your practice while you’re not at work!” thing can be so overwrought, too. I guess some people feel that way (like Biglaw partners), but I don’t think the vast majority of lawyers feel that way. Being a lawyer can be totally boring sometimes. It can be boring for years. For me, making peace with the fact that I don’t feel all-in motivated, like a start-up owner might be, is also helpful. It’s a good profession in that you use your brain, you help people (even if you’re doing corporate work – you are still helping people), and the pay is decent. Those are all good things to get out of a career, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be more than that.
SA-litagor says
Maternity clothes help: are there any maternity jeans that won’t fall down throughout the day? I bought a full panel pair of skinny jeans from Motherhood Maternity in PM – I’m normally an 8 short. They started falling down within two hours of wear and it got really awkward and uncomfortable. Not really happy with the selection at Target and Can’t imagine spending the Pea in the Pod prices unless absolutely necessary. Any recommendations?
Merabella says
The Mom Edit and Camp Patton have some great rundowns on maternity jeans that I found helpful. How far along are you? Is it an issue of you not filling out the full panel, and something like a demi-panel or side panels might be a better choice? I had trouble with full panels not quite fitting right until about half way through my second trimester – so I a belly band on top helped to keep things in place.
Also, are jeans something you wear a lot – like daily? If so, it might be worth it to bit the bullet and buy a more expensive pair – because they fit right.
Maddie Ross says
I bit the bullet and bought a pair of side panel Paige jeans from nordstrom and loved them. If I remember, I got them on sale and paid less than $100 – which was still significantly more than most maternity clothes I bought. So worth it. Not only did I feel good in them, I also loved that with the side panels, they had a real zipper. It made me feel much more normal. They fit until about week 37 or 38 – and then I really only wanted to be in leggings anyway.
Newly pregnant says
Do be true to your size with Paige jeans though – I ordered a size up figuring that my butt/hips/thighs would expand so my normal fit might get a bit too tight. The jeans fit but are loose enough that I have to regularly pull them up, and I can pull the pants down without unzipping at all. Of course, I had to order them early in my pregnancy due to an expiring gift card, so I couldn’t exchange them when I realized this!
sfg says
+1 to both comments re Paige jeans. They were worth the extra money for me, and I would also err on the side of your pre-pregnancy size.
HM says
I have the same issue, and use the bella bands to keep the pants up. Its a bit of a hassle, but no maternity pants ever stay in place for me.
In House Counsel says
Check amazon for great deals on maternity jeans. I got a pair of DL 1961 for about $80 vs. the $150+ at Bloomingdales for the same pair. And there are other cheaper options and 2 day prime/free returns can be great to try out a few pairs at home to find ones that fit and feel comfy
B says
I bit the bullet and bought one pair of designer jeans from Pea in a Pod and it made all the difference in the world. I felt so much better in them – they just looked so much nicer and were more comfortable. Between that and two really nice work dresses from Pea in a Pod (one borrowed, one bought on sale), it helped to have a couple of really nice go to outfits that I could rely on while pregnant when I had an important meeting or wanted to look “cute.” I wore the jeans every Friday with a blazer (worn open, most of mine still fit), so between that and weekend wear, got a lot of wear out of them.
Katala says
All of my jeans fall down while walking, it’s super annoying. I’ve only tried gap and old navy though, so all I can say is I don’t recommend those! Seems like it’s worth the $ to buy a nicer pair. At 32 weeks I’m just going to stick with leggings/yoga pants and hopefully maxi skirts soon, if the weather cooperates.
Anonymous says
I actually had great success with maternity jeans from Loft- only available online but they worked great (especially for petites).
WWYD says
Looking for some advice. A while back I had booked to go to a bachelorette party in the Caribbean, a four hour plane ride away. It is a two night trip. However, I am unexpectedly pregnant and will be 13 weeks along during the trip. I was so looking forward to the weekend away (I have a 1 year old and it will be my first trip away), but I’m not sure now if I should go. My doctor gave the ok, but I’m an anxious flier and will not be able to take anything, and I have never flown while pregnant. Plus, I won’t be able to drink and am afraid I’m going to be a drain on the party fun. What would you all do?
I have trip insurance, so cost isn’t really an issue, just a matter of whether I will enjoy it and whether it is worth it.
R says
Let me be the nay-sayer, because I’m assuming most people will say to go anyway. I was in a similar situation, although just a six hour car ride, not a plane trip away. I was around 10 weeks at the time. I was close with the bride and one other bridesmaid – the rest were significantly younger than us, and in much more of a “party mode” for the weekend.
Anyway. Everyone told me to still go, including the bride. I did, and I was miserable. I really did drain some of the fun out of the weekend – I stayed in the shade and drank water, while they all had margaritas and worked on their tans. Every plan was “altered” with reference to me – like, they wanted to go to bars after dinner, so there was a lot of hemming and hawing about how to do that (I just ended up taking a cab back to the hotel, I was exhausted anyway) and then they tried to be drunk-quiet when they came back to the hotel room at 4am. They planned on a booze brunch one of the mornings, so I ran to a restaurant quickly to get a “real” meal, to which I got a comment from the bride about how the weekend is supposed to be about “togetherness” . The car rides there and back were horrible – I didn’t have morning sickness any other time, but that long in the car was just murder on my stomach – and I ended up taking the first day back as PTO just to recover and catch up on sleep/food.
Anyway. Judge based on your friends and how they typically behave, plus what the agenda looks like. In mine, the entire weekend was centered around drinking and not-sleeping, which meant I was constantly a party-pooper. It wasn’t fun to feel that way, and right or wrong, I hated thinking that I was ruining her vision of her special weekend. In retrospect, I should have stayed home and just sent the maid of honor some money to do a round of drinks in my honor, or something.
S says
I think this really depends on the kind of weekend you’re expecting and the group you’re traveling with. Earlier this winter I went on a long bachelorette weekend in Miami Beach, and I was 16 weeks pregnant at that point. Our group was all about relaxing by the pool and enjoying the warm weather and the spa, and just spending time together, away from the northeast winter we’d all escaped. We stayed out pretty late, but for nice dinners, rather than bar hopping until 4am. So, take a look at what the group looks like and whether the bride would be OK with you heading back to the hotel on your own if you get super tired. My bride was, even though I didn’t need it!
WhataDeal says
This JNY sale is really great! I just got 3 pieces originally priced at $268 for $59! One was a $129 blazer for $29. Wow. Thanks for the tip!
GG says
I bought the houndstooth dress! Stoked!
RDC says
Ladies, I could use a virtual hug today. Third day back at work, pumping sucks, and I miss my baby. That’s all.
Meg Murry says
*hugs*
so sorry. It gets better.
FVNC says
I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. Sending hugs your way. It does get better, or at least, less overwhelming as you adapt to the new routine.
RDC says
Thank you! That’s what I keep telling myself, but it helps to hear it from someone else.
(former) preg 3L says
It gets so much better. Also, I find that I get horribly depressed every Thursday, and one of my best friends finally texted me last Thursday — “it’s the Thursday slump, right?” and it was such a relief to remember that it’ll pass. Big hugs!
Katala says
Hugs! It’s hump day so downhill from here :)
WWYD says
Looks like my comment got eaten earlier, so hopefully not double posting. Wondering what you would do if you had planned to go to a bachelorette party in the Caribbean (4 hours away), but are unexpectedly now pregnant and will be 13 weeks along during the trip. It is a two-night trip, and would be my first time away from my 1 year old. Doctor says it is ok, but I am a terrible flier on the best of days and have never flown before while pregnant. Also wondering if it is worth it given the short time and my inability to drink. Have trip insurance, so cancelling isn’t a financial concern. Thoughts?
CHL says
If you like the people and would enjoy time with them, I would totally go. Vacations and adult-only conversation with women get rarer and rarer between with a toddler and baby in tow, in my experience:) Unless you know that you get really sick (based on your first), it seems like a good time. Also, I’m sick of winter and can’t imagine turning down a Caribbean trip!
Amelia Bedelia says
I am still having milk production issues. I cannot pump enough to feed my bebe and my milk stash is nearly gone. I spoke with a group of physicians yesterday and, as a last ditch effort, they suggested stout beer. Has anyone tried this? Does it work? And can anyone recommend a good stout beer. I don’t drink beer AT ALL and, frankly, hate it. But I am desperate.
Nonny says
I tried this. I had never had stout before and I HATED it. Because I disliked it so much, I’m not sure I drank enough to make any difference. If you decide to go this route, I suggest going with a small local brewer, which is likely to at least give you a better/more interesting product than the big commercial ones.
Newly pregnant says
Have you tried fenugreek or oatmeal? The only stout beer that I have really tried and enjoyed is Guinness, but I’d recommend going to a beer store and asking them to put together a mixed 6-pack for you to taste a few different kinds.
Manhattanite says
+1 to fenugreek. Get the capsules and keep taking them till your pee and sweat smell like maple syrup. Tea is good too, but not as concentrated. Nurse as much as possible.
Have you checked out kellymom?
And don’t beat yourself up over this. If it doesn’t work, that’s ok too.
Amelia Bedelia says
I have almost turned into fenugreek I’ve taken so much!!!!!! It’s not helping. And I can’t nurse too much because I am at work all. the. time.
And thanks. I’m having a hard time with this.
mascot says
Either a milk stout or an oatmeal stout variety might be a good choice. I’ve had a lot on this list and they are pretty good. http://www.bonappetit.com/drinks/beer/slideshow/milk-stout-picks/?slide=8 Find a grocery (Whole Foods generally has it) where you can do a mixed six pack and try a few different brands.
I also suggest making ice cream floats with stouts, the Youngs Double Chocolate and the Southern Tier are good for these.
Fenugreek supplements helped me a little, but I hated the maple syrup smell.
Merabella says
I was also going to suggest stout floats! The other thing that can be good are chocolate stouts mixed with strawberry or raspberry lambics (a Belgian light beer) – they are like chocolate covered strawberry/raspberry adult beverages. There are tons of different stouts available, you don’t have to do Guinness.
CHL says
You could also get Brewer’s Yeast and put it in cookies, oatmeal, whatever. That’s what they’re really promoting and I think most people prefer the beer delivery mechanism, but there are others available!
Katala says
I haven’t tried them yet but this recipe uses brewer’s yeast and looks yummy: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2015/02/lactation-cookies/
Now I really want a stout float. On the list for the May drinkstravaganza!
Meg Murry says
This looks very similar to my go-to lactation cookie recipe and is delicious! Enjoy Life makes dairy free chocolate chips, and you can use a non-dairy butter substitute.
You can also just make the dough without the eggs (add just a touch of water if they are too dry) and freeze the dough into balls and eat raw that way if you don’t feel like taking the time to bake them.
CHJ says
I love beer, so this was one of my favorite “rules” for bf’ing. If you don’t like beer, Southern Tier Crème Brulee could be a good option. It’s very sweet with lots of caramel and barely tastes like beer. They also make one called Mokah with chocolate/coffee flavor, but it has a darker flavor than the Crème Brulee.
I also highly support the suggestion of Guiness + vanilla ice cream. It’s amazing.
Amelia Bedelia says
thank you! sadly, my bebe is allergic to dairy . . . so there goes that idea.
Newly pregnant says
There are tons of non-dairy ice creams now! I’ve had flavored coconut milk-based ice creams that only give off a hint of coconut, so I could definitely see that working in a stout float. Which, by the way, sounds so good to me right now!
(former) preg 3L says
THERE IS SOY ICE CREAM AND IT’S DELICIOUS!!! The brand is called So Delicious. Really, try it. You’ll like it.
Lorelai Gilmore says
Have you tried domperidone? I had chronic low supply with both babies, despite doing everything possible to ramp it up, and the only thing that really worked was domperidone. You have to order it from a compounding pharmacy in the US or from Canada or New Zealand because it is not FDA-approved, but I was prescribed it by a doctor in the US and it is very commonly used to improve milk supply. Just a thought.
I would also recommend Making More Milk, by Diana West. It is a godsend.
Other herbs you can take include fenugreek, shatavari, goats rue, blessed thistle. I found that fenugreek wasn’t very helpful but goat’s rue was. You have to take a LOT of it. If you take fenugreek, combine with blessed thistle.
Finally, have you tried pumping more? (It is the least appealing suggestion for me, so I leave it for last – but that’s what everyone always says.)
Good luck. Low supply sucks, but formula is wonderful and a blessing and a perfectly sound way to nurture your baby.
Amelia Bedelia says
thank you!
I’ve tried the drug and it didn’t help. I’ve tried “power pumping” and that got me an extra ounce. but still not enough. Haven’t tried blessed thistle. I will, though!
anon says
The point of ‘power pumping’ is not to get more milk that day, it’s to stimulate your supply.
Amelia Bedelia says
understood. I meant that doing it a week got me an extra ounce. So I quit the 1hr a day time suck.
Meg Murry says
Honestly, if the drug didn’t help, chances are beer you don’t like the taste of won’t help either. I know this isn’t going to be a good answer for you, but once I resigned myself to the fact that my son was only going to get 50/50 breastmilk and formula, I was so much happier than the weeks I spent desperately trying to increase my supply that never worked.
My suggestion is to pump or nurse, then have a beverage (of any kind that you like, preferably alcoholic) and then relax for an hour or two. Repeat. Maybe your supply will go up. And maybe it won’t – but your baby will still be fine.
And I saw your comment that baby can’t have dairy. Are you getting enough fats (or calories in general) in your diet? Low calorie intake also will reduce milk output, so go indulge in something calorie rich with some fat, like avocado or guacamole for savory, and dark chocolate almond milk or chocolate coconut milk ice cream for sweet.
Meg Murry says
Basically, eat something you enjoy, drink a beverage of your choice, cry because it isn’t fair that you can’t make enough milk despite how hard you’ve tried and then take a nap – these things will probably all help more with your mental state, which may or may not help you make more milk – but will at least make you feel less desperate.
And hugs to you. This stuff is hard at the time, but will feel less painful looking back.
Amelia Bedelia says
thank you so much for the kind words. It is so hard not to beat yourself up over this! and I eat TONS of nuts and avocados. It’s really so weird. I had almost too much milk for 7 months. it was great. Always had plenty. And then three weeks ago it’s as if I dried up overnight.
Amelia Bedelia says
wait – milk thistle bottle says do NOT take during lactation or pregnancy?!
Lorelai Gilmore says
You want blessed thistle, not milk thistle. My breastfeeding MD told me to take blessed thistle in combination with fenugreek. They leverage each other.
Also, add in goat’s rue.
I totally agree with the very wise Meg Murry that it might be good to pursue a 50/50 strategy. There’s nothing wrong with a mix of formula and breast milk. Somewhere – and I can’t find it now – I’ve read research that suggests that very little breast milk is required to confer the “magic” immunity benefits of breastfeeding. And of course there’s plenty of research that says that the benefits of breastfeeding are mostly about class and privilege, not about breastfeeding itself.
Finally, how old is your baby?
Lorelai Gilmore says
Have you had the baby evaluated for a posterior tongue tie? I assume you’ve considered all of the options, but both my kids had posterior tongue ties and frenulectomies helped with both of them.
Amelia Bedelia says
I’ll add both of those into my regime, thank you.
And I actually would LOVE to switch entirely to formula. There is an issue, though (which may out me on this site): my bebe is allergic to milk AND soy AND soybean oil. and I mean deathly allergic. And guess what ALL formulas on the market containe? yes. soybean oil (even the hypoallergenic one). So, I have no alternative to breastmilk for my 8 month old. And this is why I am desperate.
Lorelai Gilmore says
Oh my gosh, I am so so sorry to hear that. My only consolation is that your 8 month old is probably getting pretty close to the point where the vast majority of her calories will come from solid food, not breast milk. I assume that you are getting great advice from doctors about other replacement liquids. Hugs to you.
mascot says
Yikes, this is an issue with soybean oil. Id heard that one of the Neocate formulas went totally soy free, but I’ve never had reason to look at it. Hopefully baby will be able to eat enough solids in the coming months to lessen the need for breast milk. Good luck.
Meg Murry says
Any chance its not you, it’s your pump? Some of them start to wear down at 6 months or so, or need parts replaced. Have you replaced the membranes (white flaps on a Medela)? Have you had it checked out to make sure its still providing strong suction? My lactation consultant was able to hook my pump up to a gauge to make sure it was still sucking strong enough. If your pump feels a little bit weaker, try pumping 1 side at a time – it may take 2x as long, but you may get stronger suction and therefore better output until you can figure out what’s wrong with the pump. Or renting a hospital grade pump like a Symphony for a month to see if that helps.
Last effort – Eats on Feets and Human Milk for Human Babies sometimes have requests for donated milk with food restrictions – if you are willing to try donor milk you could post there.
Good luck to you.
Frozen Peach says
Ugh, ladies, I’m pregnant and my PT has let me know (and my ob will probably confirm this afternoon) that I’ve got a “separated rib”. Which basically means that my ribs have become detached from my sternum. I’m at 33 weeks and the pain is almost unbearable.
From what I can gather, there is nothing they can do other than advising rest, giving me some kind of brace, and prescribing narcotics, hoping that it will heal before I go into labor. I’m super nervous about taking narcotics but I’m also flummoxed about the next month– I started a new job about 5 months ago, and I love it, but I’m not super comfortable, say, going on full bedrest right now, since I want to take my full amount of paid leave after the kid is born. My employer is incredibly supportive, but I am still just scared and frustrated. How do I balance the risk of taking narcs (and working while on them?!) with the risk to our family’s livelihood if I don’t work?
Also, we have been planning an unmedicated birth, and this is making that seem unrealistic. I’ll hopefully know more after my ob visit today, but I thought I’d see if anyone has been through something similar or has words of wisdom.
JJ says
I don’t think is nearly as painful as what you’re going through, but I did break a rib when I was 20 weeks pregnant (and I broke because I stifled a sneeze – lesson learned!). It was – literally – the worst pain that I’ve ever had, and I had back labor for hours with my first pregnancy. The doctors gave me super strong acetaminophen because I’m allergic to vicodin and narcotics. I won’t lie – the first week was incredibly painful and I could barely walk, sit, or stand without a groan of pain. But the medicine helped enough to take the edge off and within a month, I was doing pretty well.
All that to say – maybe you can take acetaminophen instead? And don’t borrow worries – it may heal before it becomes too big of an issue.
RDC says
I didn’t have anything nearly this severe, but I had rib pain (in my upper back though, not my sternum). I had an unmediated delivery. The baby will drop at the end, which helps some, and with everything else going on in labor you might be distracted.
Reading this again, it sounds kind of ridiculous, and I hope you won’t be offended. I just mean to say, I guess – things can change, so don’t give up yet on the idea of an unmedicated delivery, if that’s what you want.
NewMomAnon says
I would talk with the OB about the risk/benefit of possible pain meds as well. I was put on psych meds while pregnant (which I know is different), and the psychiatrist pointed to some studies that showed that babies born to anxious moms suffer way more side effects than babies born to moms who take psych meds; you can’t compare “babies born to regular moms” to “babies born to moms on meds” because a mom who needs meds and doesn’t get them isn’t a “regular” mom. Which is to say – if *not* taking necessary pain meds is going to make it hard for you to function, you need to consider that in the risk/benefit analysis and have a conversation with your OB about that. Ask about chiropractic care (omg, so helpful), and whether yoga or PT would be helpful.
Also, I had an unmedicated birth up until the very end, when I asked for Fentanyl (a narcotic), which got me through transition. So you aren’t locked into “epidural or nothing” for labor pain management. I found that reassuring.
Anon says
You should look into whether your hospital has nitrous oxide for delivering moms. It’s been used overseas (British Commonwealth especially) for decades and is totally safe. The FDA increased restrictions on it at one point (forcing women to basically choose between epidurals and non-medicated), but recently loosened those restrictions (because epidurals are expensive, mostly, not because they care about women making choices about their health/bodies). Several hospitals in the NY area now offer nitrous. It’s a good choice if available.