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For my money, this is the only kind of maternity coat to get if you’re going to splurge (particularly if you’re having a baby in December/January/February): a convertible coat. When you’re pregnant, the coat has a triangle-shaped insert that helps cover your belly — but once you give birth and start wearing the baby, you can turn the insert upside down, and use it to cover the baby. Lovely. The coat is $210 at Nordstrom. Modern Eternity A-Line Convertible Maternity Swing Coat Building a maternity wardrobe for work? Check out our page with more suggestions along both classic and trendy/seasonal lines. (L-2)Sales of note for 3.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off sale; $50 off $200
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; up to 40% off almost everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off women’s dressed-up styles
- Lands’ End – 10% off your order
- Loft – 40% off your purchase
- Nordstrom: 4,400+ new markdowns
- Talbots – 25% off your purchase, including markdowns
- Zappos – 37,000+ 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 – 50% off pajamas & free shipping on all orders (ends 3/18); at least 40% off everything
- Hanna Andersson – 30% off all dresses; up to 40% off Easter
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 40% off kids’ dressed-up styles
- Old Navy – 50% off everything (ends 3/20)
- Target – 20% off tees, tanks & shorts for all; BOGO 50% off kids’ books, board games, activity kits & puzzles; up to $150 off select Apple products
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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?
B says
Newborn photography: Yea or nay?
I’m on the fence. I guess if you do it, you have to do it in the first 10 days, and it just seems like one more *thing*. Plus, I’m not sure I’m a big fan of wrinkled-naked-baby-photo. Also, expensive. At the same time, I don’t want to NOT do it and regret it.
For those of you that have done it, were you happy with the decision?
If you haven’t done it, why, and did you regret?
KJ says
I bought a decent, one-step-below-DSLR camera before the baby was born and took a bunch of photos of her on the bed in a white sleeper when she was a couple of weeks old. I took a ton of photos and got a handful that looked really good, which I used for the baby announcement and framed prints. No regrets on not going with a professional. I was hospitalized for 5 days when my baby was a week old, so there’s no way a professional photo shoot would have happened, but even without that complication, it’s tough for me to imagine getting it together to do that.
anne-on says
Ditto to KJ, my husband has a good DSLR and we just put the baby on a white sheet on the bed. He was a cranky newborn and we got a decent enough shot for the announcement doing it ourselves.
We were gifted a ‘newborn’ session, which we wound up using when our son was about 3-4 months old. Having a pro we knew and trusted was great – the baby was older and cuter, and we got a bunch of gorgeous photos that we framed and hung around hte house. I’d say a pro session when the baby is bigger (even up to a year) would be my choice.
Anonymous says
I did and I’m glad. I could have gotten an announcement shot fine on my own, but what I really treasure are the pics of the three of us and of me with DD. That said, I think that if you have the budget to do one pro shoot in the first year, I would aim for 6-8 months (pre-mobile, smiling).
Pigpen's Mama says
I didn’t for the reasons you outlined above — expense and I was just too damn tired to plan anything. And I regret it. We have a lot of pictures of her when she was a newborn, but frankly, they aren’t that great.
I have similar regrets about maternity photos, I thought they were somewhat ridiculous, but now I wish I had some good pictures of me while I was pregnant.
However, I also think I would have been perfectly happy with better photos non-professional photos with a real camera and some posing and styling, rather than casual iPhone snaps.
HSAL says
I’ve been thinking about this as well, and actually talked to a photographer friend about it. She said that for newborns, unless you have something cutesy/artistic planned (think the baby with the Princess Leia buns surrounded by Star Wars stuffed animals), you’re bound to get some decent shots if you take a ton with a DSLR. My mom will be there for the first week with her camera, so that’s all we’ll do. Like Anonymous above, we’ll probably get professional shots around 6-8 months. Honestly, that’s around when babies stop all looking like George Washington to me.
JJ says
If you have a DSLR, I would just read up on how to ensure focus and proper white balance (if you haven’t already) and then take your own pictures. There’s a ton of stuff on Pinterest and digital photography forums that are great for beginners. And you get to practice by taking hundreds (thousands) of pictures of your new baby.
Anon in NYC says
We did them, and I’m happy we did. It cost us about $400, so not inexpensive, but the photographer came to our home. I really didn’t want to have to travel to a studio to do photos. We didn’t do any wrinkled naked baby photos, and didn’t use any props (boxes, buckets, etc.) at all. We selected 2-3 outfits for our daughter. We did ours when she was about 7-9 days old, and because we didn’t have to go anywhere it really wasn’t a huge deal.
I’m glad we have professional family photos from when my daughter was so small. When we got the proofs back I had already forgotten how tiny she was. Of course we have the countless photos we took, but we have very few of just the three of us.
NewMomAnon says
I hadn’t planned on doing newborn shots, but there was a photographer at the hospital who popped in (and charged an arm and a leg), but those are the only really good pictures I have of my kiddo as a newborn and I love them. If I had a second kid, I would definitely line up a professional photographer to come during the first few days while still in the hospital.
TK says
My sister is semi-pro, she took photos when baby was about 3 weeks and they came out great. I wouldn’t have had the mental capacity to plan out backgrouds, etc. Her prices (though she didn’t charge us) are very reasonable since just does photography as a hobby-she-gets-paid-for. I suspect there are many less expensive options similar to her setup around the country; part time photograher seems a very popular choice among stay-at-home / mostly-at-home moms.
quail says
Didn’t do it, don’t regret it. First, too expensive for the number of photos I’d actually hang up in the house (max: 1). Second, too much planning. Third, I don’t particularly like cutesy things. Now having lived through those first 10 days, I am glad I did not make an expensive commitment like that – but our first two weeks were rough. I have a ton of regular iPhone pics that I’ve turned into many a photo book for the grandparents and that seems to cut it. It’s really fun to see his progression and growth, but I don’t regret not having a portrait so far. We have a lot of candids where my spouse and I look terrible, the baby is all wrinkly and old-man looking, but we are so happy and it shows.
I am planning to do family photos this fall – he’ll be 8-9 months by the time we get them – and I am looking forward to that. If we have another kid, I would consider getting pro sibling shots early on.
anon says
Also didn’t do and don’t regret. Honestly, all of our pictures were taken with our phones, and we love them.
anon says
A photographer came to my hospital room to ask if I was interested. I said yes on a whim and I absolutely adore them. I am so glad we said yes. They are still some of my favorite pictures and only some of the very few that I have of that time period.
Anonymous says
We also said yes when the photographer came to the hospital room. The grands wanted them, and were willing to pay, and it was nice and easy. We had a receiving blanket and hat set with us, no fancy outfits, and the pictures came out great.
I also did some on my own when DD was around 2 weeks, making a backdrop out of a blanket and propping the baby up with a changing pad and a few pillows. Easy enough, and since DD was sleeping, she didn’t care that I took almost 200 pictures in about 20 minutes, and there were some really cute ones that came out of it. They ended up on our Christmas card that year.
Lyssa says
I say yes, because it’s hard to get baby posed nicely without a pro. Their little arms and legs flail around and can look kind of awkward if they aren’t tucked in in certain ways (not that those awkward shots aren’t precious in their own way!). We got our first done in the hospital, for around $150, and our second at JC Penny’s, for a bit over $200 (cd and a number of prints, plus a family canvas). I was pretty uncertain about going with Penny’s rather than a more professional sort, but it wound up great- the photographer was excellent and spent a huge amount of time with us (it seemed pretty slow, and I think that she was pretty happy just to have company, actually). I would definitely do that again.
Amelia Bedelia says
I, like you, was on the fence. My husband is actually a pretty great photographer and I figured that would be sufficient. But then my mum convinced us to give it a try because the sitting fee was free! If we liked, we buy. I am SO glad we did. We did hospital pictures when the baby was 3 days old (c-section, so longer hospital stay). We were convinced to participate in the shots, too, and I’m so glad we did. the pics of our little family of three are fabulous. And the wrinkly pics are my fave because it is a reminder now of how much she has grown. I say do it. It’s a relatively small expense in the grand scheme of things, and you can never go back to the newborn phase.
quail says
First off, I AM DONE WITH THE BAR EXAM! And for anyone out there who will be taking a bar exam while breastfeeding, my jurisdiction was great. I got to bring my pump, I was in a special room with the non-standard test takers, and it worked out really well. Glad I didn’t just try to suffer and instead asked for an accommodation. I did not have to do an ADA accommodation and the paperwork was minimal. So if you’ll be in this position, make sure you ask!
Second, I had the regular puffer coat version of this coat for my January baby and it worked well throughout pregnancy and into baby wearing . It was the only way we got out of the house for two months because the sidewalks were so snowy/icy we couldn’t use a stroller. The puffer coat is a little on the cheap side as far as construction goes (my keys shredded the thin pocket lining in about two weeks) but the zip in triangle design is amazing. I plan to use it this fall for baby wearing as well.
sfg says
Congrats!
Anonymous says
Thanks!
Butter says
Thanks for the review – I’m due in early Feb and am trying to figure out what I should be planning to wear outside (inside: leggings and giant sweaters. done and done.). I didn’t know if a real mat winter coat would be worth it or if I could just get away with swaddling myself in a down comforter for outtings, but it sounds like this would be worth it.
octogon says
Me too – I’m mostly concerned about what I will wear in December and January when I am still schlepping to work before the baby comes in late February. (Though I understand some women run so warm that a coat is barely a concern?)
Meg Murry says
I was one of the people who ran super warm with all my extra padding, so I was able to get away with just layering a fleece (that was large enough to zip) under an extra large coat that didn’t quite zip at the end. However, I live in a car-centric area, so I was never walking outside for more than half a block from a warm car to a warm building. If you walk or take public transit, you will probably want a larger coat, although it doesn’t necessarily have to be maternity – sometimes one a size or two up will work just as well. And if your previous coats are very fitted, you may not fit into that very well postpartum, as I discovered the hard way when going back to work after maternity leave.
Anonymous says
I had my baby at the end of February. I found that a giant long down coat that I already had worked better than the maternity coat I bought off a neighbor — warmer (it was COLD last winter) and with enough space for the bump even at 9+ months. This worked because my down coat was already a little large, but I really recommend borrowing or otherwise finding (goodwill?) a slightly too big good-quality coat rather than buying a maternity coat whose quality is likely lacking.
quail says
I tried to get away with my regular stuff and my husband’s and it just wasn’t cutting it. I walked to school every day and it got pretty breezy by the end, and we also had one of our coldest winters last year. I also am on the short side and so going up a size or two would have made the sleeves way too long in a regular coat. It’s super expensive for the poor quality, but it was nice to have something that fit.
Anonymous says
Your jurisdiction was nicer than mine! They let me bring my pump and gave me a room during lunch but that was it – I wish we had been in a different room for quicker entry/exit for pumping and being closer to water! On the plus side, also an easy ask.
Ciao, pues says
Have any of you used a little “mother’s helper”? Our neighbor, who is 11 years old, asked if we needed a mother’s helper for our toddler, and I had to admit I had never heard of one! She said it’s like babysitting while the mom is in the house, leaving me free to do the boring things like cook and clean. Of course, if I’m going to pay someone, I’d rather pay them to cook and clean while I hang out with the kiddo, but the neighbor girl is 11, after all, and probably interested in a stepping stone to full-on babysitting. Any experience here? What do you pay/ what do you expect?
POSITA says
We’re in the process of moving and recently hired a neighbor girl to help on Saturday mornings while we knock out moving tasks. We’ve had one session so far and it was awesome. We both got a ton done during thayt time. Our toddler was in heaven to have the full attention of a big kid all to herself.
They played like crazy for about an hour and a half before our almost two year old started getting restless and wanting our attention. I would keep the time period shortish to start.
For us it felt very natural–almost like renting a big sister. The kids played in the house and we did chores. I liked it so much better than using a real sitter on a Saturday. It didn’t disturb “family time” nearly as much. We still could hear them play and interact a bit as part of their games while still getting stuff done.
We pay 7-8 dollars an hour in the DC area for an 11 year old.
sfg says
This was one of my first jobs outside the home when I was ten or so. I went over to their house to pretty much play with the kids (4 year old and twin infants) while the mom attended to one or the other. I think I got $5/hour, though this was 25 years ago. ;)
In my area now, I see listing on my local mom’s group for mother’s helpers that do more what you suggest, helping with prepping dinner and cleaning for a couple hours a day. I think either is helpful.
Meg Murry says
We’ve never used a formal “mother’s helper” but we have family in the area, so sometimes my aunts, mother, MIL or sister will come over and play with the kids while I tackle a project. I like to have someone while I tackle some dreaded task so that it isn’t dragged out forever while I jump every time to go solve an argument between my kids (they are a little older) or to go make sure the younger one hasn’t found a new way to try to kill himself in the last 15 minutes.
Tasks I’ve appreciated having someone there while I deal with included:
-vacuuming, spot cleaning and then shampooing carpets
-changing out a season of clothes or moving up a size from the kids dressers, and deciding what goes to Goodwill vs saving for the next kid vs giving to friends/family/neighbors, then hauling the boxes in/out of the attic
-getting an hour or two of solid work in when I had to bring work home over the weekend
-prepping a ton of food for an upcoming party
-just having an hour to myself to get something, anything actually done instead of just half started
I’d give it a shot to get to know the girl, because the other thing it’s helpful for is if you ever get sick on a weekend and are solo parenting, you could call over the mother’s helper to keep an eye on the kid while you rested .
Pigpen's Mama says
A neighborhood Mother’s Helper would also be good for snowdays when you may have to work from home, but your normal childcare has fallen through.
I haven’t used one — our neighborhood babysitter is an older teen, and I think it would be weird for me to be in the house when she was there, unlike a younger mother’s helper. But, if we do have snowdays this winter and I have deadlines, I’ll probably be calling her up so I can work!
HM says
I was a mother’s helper as a kid, and used one since having my first kiddo. Maybe its regional (I’m in the south), but around here Mother’s helper means babysitting lite + light housework when kiddo goes down for nap. So, I had a mother’s helper for 3-4 hours, and if toddler went down for a nap after 1.5 hours of playing, I set up my helper with a couple of loads of clean laundry to fold, or had her help me prep food. When I was a helper, I also did some light vacuuming, emptying the dishwasher, taking the dogs for a walk, etc.
Anon says
I actually was a mother’s helper in college, but it was for a premie baby and the mom was just super overwhelmed by all the food requirements, sleep requirements etc. Sometimes I just held the baby while she cooked (when the baby started eating, the doctor gave her a list of calorie dense recipes to make, so she basically had to make babyfood and since it all had cream and butter and oils in it it was much more complex than the “overcook/puree” baby food I’d made). Sometimes I did laundry or cooked. Sometimes it took two of us to get the baby to eat. Sometimes mom would run errands and I would be there with the physical / occupational therapist. Sometimes I was just there when the baby napped, because this poor woman needed to get some sleep (but had been told by the doctor not to let the baby cry, so she was in this hyper-vigilant state that was making her crazy). Sometimes we sat and talked while she held the baby.
I think the whole point is that moms who need any kind of extra help, but are still at home can use one. And they’re generally cheaper than a babysitter.