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I love a good kimono sleeve, and the swingy circles — it’s just a very airy and fun way of distracting from a growing (or already huge) baby bump. I like this Kimi and Kai top in black we’re picturing, but it’s also cute in the emerald. It comes in sizes XS-L and it’s $48 at Nordstrom. Myah Ruched Maternity Top This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support! Building a maternity wardrobe for work? Check out our page with more suggestions along both classic and trendy/seasonal lines.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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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?
ElisaR says
Does anybody have experience with this Kimi and Kai brand? I don’t remember seeing it during my first pregnancy and some of their stuff looks cute at Nordstrom online.
rosie says
I got one of their sweatshirt-style sweaters in the fall and returned it. I am a small or medium pre-pregnancy and ordered a medium, and the waistband was so tight already at that point, I didn’t think it would be comfortable for the whole pregnancy. It was fairly cute, though. I got a jacket from them, though, and the fit on that was much better–one of the few down maternity jackets I could fine, and it has a panel to use for babywearing. Looking at the website, some of their maxi dresses are lovely especially.
lsw says
My brother is getting married in October to a woman from Taiwan. Their October wedding is about a six hour travel destination from our house – no problem. (Although on a Friday, which I don’t love, but whatever.) Her immediate family live in the US and will be there. Her extended family is in Taiwan, so they are traveling there for a traditional Taiwanese wedding reception in December. My family really, REALLY wants us to go. If this was a few years ago – hell yeah! I was single, had disposable income, lots of vacation time. But now – I’m concerned about traveling about 24 hours from door to door with a 16 month old. Who hasn’t flown anywhere yet. Then being in a different time zone for a week. 24 hours travel back and adjusting back to our schedule. And dealing with a carseat. And figuring out nap time. It feels really, really overwhelming to me. And I would not feel right going with my husband and son and not taking my stepdaughter, so we’d also have an 11 year old.
My mom and brother keep telling me how much they want me to come, and offer to pay for one of our flights with points, and point out how they scheduled it over the holidays when my workplace is closed (my husband’s is not, he’d have to take vacation), and how “once we get there it would be free” because my mom assumes we’ll stay with Fiancee’s family – which is even worse because then I’d have to stress about how my baby freaking out and crying and not sleeping will disturb people I don’t know in their own home.
I absolutely love the idea of being there for my brother and I love to travel internationally but doing it with the baby seems INSANE. Am I the worst person for just putting a kibosh on it? Should I just go alone? I worry if I do the second, they will somehow hold it against my husband, because my family is just weird that way. (Like, “LSW’s husband really just does not like our family, look at how he didn’t travel to Taiwan with us.”)
Ugh. Can I just say no? Can I just go alone and then ride the fallout from this somehow being my husband’s fault? (I always feel really bad when he gets flak from my family, he is a great guy and they can be weirdly unfair to him.)
Pogo says
I think expecting someone to travel cross-country with small kids, let alone internationally to Asia, is unfair. Not everyone is up to that. I would feel totally fine declining, but I get that doesn’t help with the family situation. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this!!
Lurker says
Is there someone you trust that could watch your baby back home? Husband’s family? And you two go without baby? I understand if the thought of being 24 hours travel time away from baby in an emergency is scary though.
JayJay says
Granted, my family would possibly be more understanding in this scenario, but if the guilt was going to be too much, I would leave kiddo with husband and go by myself. It seems like the best compromise of all not great options. Any chance husband can have some work event that he can’t miss on those dates as an excuse?
JayJay says
I also say this as the spouse staying home with the kids this summer for husband’s “family trip” with all his siblings and parents to Vegas. I didn’t want to bring our preschoolers to Vegas for a long weekend (and only a few weeks before we take them to Disneyworld with the same extended family), so husband is going without me. I’m happy to pretend I have a work “function” and husband doesn’t mind me staying home at all.
Meg Murry says
It’s not totally clear to me – is the whole family (Husband, toddler, stepdaughter) traveling for the October wedding? If so, I think it’s 100% valid to say that H is happy to support coming to the US wedding but that it’s not feasible for him to also make the trip in December and that he is staying home with the kids, but that you are super happy to go and support your brother.
I think it’s worth pointing out to your mother and brother (if they are reasonable people) that you want to go and be able to 100% be part of the wedding celebration, but that you know that’s not possible if you are trying to take care of a baby during the trip – you would have to bow out of a lot of occasions in order to take care of the baby. Therefore H has volunteered to stay home with the kiddo so you can make the trip. Make H the good guy who’s making it possible for you to go, not the bad guy who doesn’t want to travel.
avocado says
This is a really great way to phrase it. It almost sounds like your husband is making a huge sacrifice by missing the big event so you can be fully present.
lsw says
Yes – we are all going in October. Thank you, this is really helpful! Positioning it the right way is a big part of the battle.
Momata says
I see your two options as going by yourself or having somebody watch the baby. If your family holds this against your husband, then it’s your responsibility to explain to them as best you can that he is taking one for the team (single parenting during the holidays) to support your family so that YOU can attend.
AIMS says
I also think that family holding this against husband shouldn’t be a real consideration because IME if that’s likely, it’s just as likely they would reach this conclusion if none of you went. “Oh, since they got married, she won’t come to family events” or “he didn’t want them to travel” or whatever. If you are okay traveling by yourself and leaving baby, I would say go alone and make it clear that you didn’t want to bring your kid and that is why your husband is missing the wedding. If you decide to go together, may you can use the miles your family is offering for an upgrade to first class for everyone so you can travel more comfortably.
rosie says
Yes, once I started taking “unreasonable expectations of and/or conclusions to be drawn by family members” out of my decision-making equations, things got a lot less stressful.
Famouscait says
I totally understand and support your desire to stay home. I traveled to Scandinavia with my then 16mo and it was AWFUL. My kiddo was at the crawling stage, and there was simply nothing he could do on the plane, in the aiport, etc. The only place he had any fun was crawling around the un-baby proofed hotel room or family home (not fun for us his parents) and we were similarly stressed by a jet-lagged and cranky kiddo disturbing other in the house. When he was 26mo we traveled to Malaysia and it was so.much.easier. because he could walk, climb a playground and be entertained by an iPad. Whether you decide to go or not, I think you are totally justified in not taking baby along. I shudder when I recall that earlier trip to Europe.
Anon in NYC says
We’re going to take my 2.5 year old to Asia in November. I’m dreading the flight/jet lag, but I think the trip itself will be enjoyable.
But, I took my then-16 month old to California and it was TERRIBLE. She wailed every night when we put her to bed, she woke up and joined us in bed every night b/c she would otherwise just cry, and then she woke up at 4 a.m. Plus, I think she was teething / starting to hit her 18 month sleep regression. It was just awful. Maybe it’s the age.
Famouscait says
If feasible, I would highly recommend a layover in Doha. There are playgrounds all over the airport (genius!) and its a godsend after the ultra-long-haul from the US. We were nervous about that trip (based on the earlier experience) but it was so, so much better for all the reasons you listed. Have fun!
NewMomAnon says
Yikes. 16 months old is a tough age for any flying, much less 24 hours each way. I would offer to come alone. Pose it to your family as, “We talked about this and kiddo’s been sick so much [or is so restless, or sleeping so badly, or some other kid-related excuse] that we couldn’t figure out how to swing that. Husband was so awesome and offered to take on both kids for the week so I could come and enjoy the celebration! He sends his wishes and wants to do a Skype session with everyone.”
Sabba says
Agree. We’ve traveled a lot and the trip we took when my child was 14 months was by far the worst. The kiddo was not old enough to sit and watch a screen on the plane, but was not young enough to just sleep or be entertained with simple things. Once at the destination, I had to constantly be on top of the toddler because she wanted to be into everything, and of course nothing was babyproofed.
ElisaR says
There is no way I would take that trip – it sounds stressful! I agree with the other posters that maybe you could go alone, but I probably wouldn’t even want to do that.
I feel like people without babies (or parents that had them a generation ago) do not appreciate the difficulty of travel (or going out to dinner, or going to the grocery store….) with a toddler. The one consolation: if you brother starts a family soon he will suddenly get it. He and his wife will totally realize how ridiculous it would be for you to attend the celebration. Hopefully they get pregnant right away! :)
lsw says
Haha, yes. Agreed!
Thank you, everyone – this really helps. I am going to suggest going solo and having my husband Skype for an evening with the baby (great idea!). And I will run interference on any pushback about my husband not being a good sport. (This is something I do OFTEN with my mother.) I think we will wait to drop this information until closer to the date so that it can seem tied to something with the baby. That much just be easier.
Anonymous says
I agree with all the advice to go solo. With respect to family blaming your husband, I think you really need to affirmatively tell your family that you wanted him to stay home with the baby. Rather than saying something like “Husband offered to stay home” which kind of makes it sound like husband is trying to get out of attending the wedding, I would say, “Mom, it’s simply impractical to travel 24 hours each way with a 16 month old, which means husband and I can’t both attend the wedding. I feel that me attending is better than nobody attending so I’ve asked him if he’d be willing to stay home with the baby and he agreed.” Make this about *your* decision, don’t throw your husband under the bus.
lsw says
Thank you!
AKB says
Good advice! My sister is getting married in Italy, and I am going alone. My husband is staying home with our 2 toddlers — just seemed so much easier.
LSC says
Another weapon in your arsenal: Vaccines. I think by 16 months baby will still be lacking some of the most major ones and it would be legitimate to say it is not a good idea for that reason.
Anonymous says
I agree it’s perfectly fine for OP to go solo or even to skip the wedding altogether if that’s what she wants, but I think vaccines is an absurd reason. Our ped told us airplane travel was perfectly safe after the eight week shots. We traveled internationally with our daughter when she was three months old, and most friends who have children have taken the baby out of the country before the one year mark. And Taiwan isn’t a developing country, so there really aren’t any health/safety concerns about traveling there except what applies to travel in general. I wouldn’t side eye someone with a 16 month old who said they couldn’t travel a long way for a wedding, but I would totally side eye who said they couldn’t come because the baby hasn’t been fully vaccinated yet, because I know that’s a load of BS.
P says
I think this really comes down to your personal preference, so just sharing how I would make my decision:
I would not split up the family over the holidays. That’s my time with my family.
I think that the trip would be doable with the whole family. It sounds like you could set the terms somewhat: I would get a hotel suite, for example, or rent a house. If this trip were important to you, I think you could make it somewhat fun. (Also, for me, 9 months was A LOT harder than 16 months, and I traveled at both of those ages — it really does get easier!) But I would only go if *I* wanted to go — if I were close with my brother and his were important to him. I would not go in order to please my parents.
Also an observation: my parents and my in laws are each fantastic, but it is a little bit of a transition for them to go from thinking about holidays as a time when they are in charge of our schedule and travel plans, to realizing they don’t get to make those decisions on our behalf anymore. Don’t wait for that to happen by itself – you might need to put your foot down.
Rainbow Hair says
Do any of y’all have experience with babies and allergies?
I suspect my kid is allergic to something in our house/her room — am terrified it’s our kitties! Every night as we do lullabies she starts coughing, and she has 5-or-so-minute coughing spells in her crib like every hour all night. This is beyond the regular toddler cold thing because it’s constant, week in and week out. We do have a humidifier (immaculately cleaned daily) running in her room, which helped a few months ago but now we’re back to the constant cough.
I don’t even know where to start? Do you take a two-year-old to an allergist?!
NewMomAnon says
It sounds like her bedroom is the only place kiddo is coughing, which would be strange for a cat allergy (unless they’re sleeping in her crib or generally living in her bedroom – make sure you block them from her room). It sounds more like post-nasal drip or congestion, which gets worse when laying flat. Have you tried propping the mattress up so she sleeps on an angle? And try nose suctioning/saline spray before bed. I also give kiddo a sippy cup of water in her bed to help with those bouts.
Also, track it for a while – it could be acid reflux or asthma. I don’t know the symptoms of reflux well (sore throat/scratchy voice in the morning maybe?), but asthma sounds like cellophane in the kid’s chest when they breathe. It sounds a little like they need to clear their throat or cough, but no amount of throat clearing helps.
NewMomAnon says
Also, in case this wasn’t obvious – I wouldn’t jump straight to the allergist, because this doesn’t sound like allergies to me. I would talk with the pediatrician first in case it’s RAD or reflux or something else. But definitely worth calling the pediatrician.
Em says
My son has a plethora of food allergies and we were told two is when they do allergy testing as that is the point most kids grow out of the ones they will grow out of. So you can probably ask your doctor about allergy testing so you can at least know if it is the cats. I would start with your pediatrician to rule out an ongoing illness, and they can refer your to a specialist if they think it is necessary.
Rainbow Hair says
OK thanks! The kitties hang out in her room, but no more than anywhere else in the house, and she doesn’t cough elsewhere. Perhaps my mind went there because it’s the thing that would be hardest to deal with.
She’s had her chest listened to a bunch of times and no one said asthma (she’s been in the ER twice for croup, for example).
I think these are good ideas, suctioning (gosh she’ll HATE that) and propping the mattress at an angle. It’s weird though because she *starts* coughing while sitting upright in my lap before bed… so weird.
NewMomAnon says
My daughter got her asthma diagnosis after three rounds of “bronchiolitis” – her pediatrician finally said, bronchiolitis is not a thing that happens three times in a year to an otherwise healthy kid. Similarly, two ER visits for croup is not a normal thing for an otherwise healthy kid (unless they were the same illness). I’d check with your ped about respiratory issues. Asthma often gets worse at night, and apnea can get worse even when seated when a child is tired at night.
Sabba says
Some children have bad post-nasal drip. My daughter coughs and coughs all night long when she has a cold, and sometimes for weeks after. She will be fine during the day. If you have an opportunity to see how she does in a different sleeping environment, you could try that (any vacations or family visits coming up)? You could also do a really good spring-cleaning of her room and see if that helps for a night or two. If environmental changes helped, then it may be allergies and you can start to hone in on what it is. If not, then I would blame the lingering effects of a cold, or possibly childhood asthma. Neither of which, as I understand it, are treatable at this age if the only symptom is night-time coughing. Just something you may need to wait out.
NewMomAnon says
Childhood asthma manifesting in night time coughing is treated with a nebulizer. My daughter was on a neb once a day for almost a year, and now we’ve dropped to “as needed” only when she’s sick. It was very helpful.
Sabba says
Thanks!
lucy stone says
My daughter is also on the neb at least 2x a day for coughing, more when it’s worse. She doesn’t mind it and it’s made a big difference.
Meg Murry says
I agree to start with the pediatrician and go from there. It’s possible the humidified air is thinning out her secretions, making it easier for her to cough them up. It’s also possible the humidifier is too much, especially now that it’s no longer the dry heating season and now you’ve created another problem in the room like mold or mildew.
Does the humidifier have a filter, and have you changed it out regularly? Are you using anything other than just water to clean the humidifier? Now that it’s getting past prime heating season, I might try putting away the humidifier for a few days and see if it makes a difference.
allergy tests says
Just wanted to say that I took my 18 month old to the allergist for testing recently. I was afraid it would be a horrible experience but it was totally no big deal! They definitely test this young and most of our appointment was the doctor playing detective and it was pretty interesting. Maybe start with a ped, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go to a good ped allergist.
JayJay says
Yup – both of my kids have been to the pediatric allergist right around 2 years old. One for food allergies and one for a major contact allergy. Scratch testing isn’t fun, but the pedi allergist is a great resource.
Rainbow Hair says
Thanks, everyone. Looks like a trip to the ped is in order, to get the ball rolling.
P says
If you are worried about the cat hair, or any other airborne allergens in the room, a good place to start would be a HEPA air purifier. It doubles as an awesome white noise machine! My daughter’s allergist also recommended dust mite covers for the crib mattress (any brand), and wash the sheets in hot water once a week.
Also, my daughter has seen an allergist since she was 11 months (food allergy). Our local clinic has an entire pediatric allergist practice.
AwayEmily says
This is such a weirdly specific question and I kind of feel bad bothering anyone about it but it’s been frustrating me for awhile now and I could use some input from more experienced parents. My 13-month-old currently nurses right when she gets home from school (~5pm), and then she is not hungry for dinner. We’ve tried just feeding her dinner at 5 instead, but if she sees me she gets hysterical (and I do pickup most days). I think it’s partly hunger and partly wanting to reconnect/reset after daycare.
I don’t know if we should try to train her out of this, or just figure it will stop on its own eventually, or what. She’s getting enough to eat during the day, so it’s not a nutrition concern. Mostly it’s just annoying because dinner is when we’d like to introduce her to new foods, and if she’s not hungry, that can’t happen.
She doesn’t take a bottle at daycare, and has a snack and sippy cup of milk at 3pm.
Sabba says
If this were me, I would just trust that this phase will eventually pass and roll with it. She is still really small and she probably does just want to reconnect/reset with you. I think that could be really important to her at this age. Could you introduce new foods at breakfast or on the weekends? If she is growing well and sleeping well, I wouldn’t worry about a light dinner–she might just like eating the bulk of her food earlier in the day, which can be totally healthy. You certainly could train her out of this if you really wanted to by finding a different way to reconnect and be close, but it doesn’t sound like you need to.
AwayEmily says
Thanks; I really needed to hear this perspective.
mascot says
I agree with all of this. For foods that have a higher allergy risk, I’d wait until the weekend and not stress about trying to get them in during the week.
Anon says
What happens if another adult picks her up instead? Is she hungry? Maybe try and swing that to break the cycle?
Meg Murry says
Yes, I 100% agree that you shouldn’t stress about this now – only worry about it if it starts to become a problem, like she is acting starving right before bed or starting to wake up in the night hungry. Otherwise just try to look at her intake over the course of the whole day (or even the whole week) to make sure it looks balanced and don’t stress about any one mealtime.
I do agree with Anon though that when/if you are ready to drop that after school nursing session, the best way to do it would probably be to have another adult pick her up and feed her dinner for a few days in a row, and then not nurse her right away when you get home – but you don’t need to rush that until you are ready.
If you and H are eating dinner before she goes to bed, I would continue putting her in her seat at the table and offering her a little food, even if she doesn’t eat much of it, just to keep her in the habit.
Anon in NYC says
Have you tried babywearing when she gets home? That might provide a similar level of comfort.
AwayEmily says
I did, but being close to milk but not able to have it proved too frustrating for her.
Anon in NYC says
I personally wouldn’t worry too much about her not eating a full meal at dinner at this stage. If it’s not a problem for you to nurse her, and she seems to really want it, just roll with it.
AEK says
I don’t think you should worry about this too much. It she needs that mama time and the BF is convenient for you, stick with that. She is likely getting some different foods at daycare (yes?), and if she’s hungry for dinner (which will probably happen sooner rather than later; it’s all stages!), she’ll make that known. You could also try just an evening “snack” instead of offering a dinner—just one small thing, and you can vary it from day to day. If she takes to it, it will help her get used to the idea of eating something after BF’ing. Maybe use a Very Special Bowl. (Do you have enough time before bed for her to wait an hour?)
shortperson says
i wouldnt worry about dinner for a 13 mo. if it’s important to you that she eats the family food to develop the taste or whatever, i would just send leftovers to daycare for lunch.
GCA says
Probably less rare than you think! At that age (till about 18 months when we weaned), my son would get home from daycare around 5.30pm and immediately demand to nurse. And nurse. And nurse. And then pick at his dinner. He definitely wanted the closeness after a day away from me. So we did an evening ‘snack’ (a mini portion of dinner), and then if he was still hungry, another mini portion before bed.
And…after a while I gave up altogether on the one new food at a time, and just started giving him small portions of whatever we were eating. In any case, more often than not he’d swipe a handful of food off my plate anyway.
AwayEmily says
Thanks, all. This was super helpful advice. I think I will just carry on as is, try to introduce more new foods at breakfast, and revisit this in another couple of months if she doesn’t naturally taper down. And in the meantime I will try to focus on enjoying my time nursing rather than worrying about her dinner — after all it’s pretty much the only time she will snuggle.
Anonymous says
As long as you’ve done the major allergen foods (eggs, peanuts, fish, shellfish, strawberries, milk, soy and wheat) there’s no need to “introduce” foods. Just feed her. And if she’s not eating dinner, that would be perfect to pack into her daycare lunch (in fact, she may be more likely to eat something she’s already seen).
AwayEmily says
Definitely — I’m not concerned about allergy issues at this point, just trying to make sure she tastes a lot of things. I try to send new stuff to daycare a couple of times a week, too, although generally she’s more open to trying new things when she eats with us (maybe because she sees us eating them too?).
Betty says
I’m headed to a work conference at the end of this week (Wednesday-Friday). Aside from the 6am flight out, I am looking forward to a few days away from “real” work and a break in my routine. I know this is not a vacation, but with two little kids at home, this is about as close as I get. Any suggestions on how to make this trip feel more like a break or luxurious?
AwayEmily says
Do ahead-of-time research on some essentials (what movie to watch in bed, where to go for a coffee in the morning) so then you have that to look forward to. Last time I traveled I failed to do this and ended up watching something awful and drinking terrible hotel coffee. Not luxurious.
Cb says
Is there an evening event you can bow out of? Get takeaway sushi and a decadent dessert, take a long luxurious shower, early to bed with a book…
Cb says
At 6 months pregnant, with a new job and a dissertation deadline looming, I realise this is basically my dream. You may want something more adventurous though.
avocado says
1. Carve out time for a manicure, especially if you are like me and can’t get one at home because you will destroy it within 24 hours cooking, cleaning, etc.
2. Download a book for uninterrupted reading on the plane and in the hotel.
3. Research restaurants and ask locals for recommendations. Pick a great place you wouldn’t ordinarily get to try with the family in tow, take a book, and enjoy the peaceful experience of solo dining.
4. Glass of wine + cable TV or binge-watching on your laptop in the hotel in the evening.
5. Get out of the hotel/convention center to walk around the city and see one local attraction–sculpture garden, art museum, etc.
6. Make sure to pack comfy clothes for relaxing in the evenings.
When my kid was little she used to call my business trips “vacations.” Adorable but annoying.
Rainbow Hair says
Yes!
My things are (1) a cocktail at the airport bar or hotel bar — lately it’s been an old fashioned. And I think about it a bunch before-hand, which makes it really feel like a treat; and (2) when I get into my hotel room, I shower (a long shower! with no listening for *crash!* noises) and then put on a robe and put on lotion and lounge on the bed watching HGTV (these are all things I never do at home).
shortperson says
my favorite part of work travel is catching up with old friends in whatever city i happen to be in. usually i can find someone and have a great time.
lsw says
I just had this experience. Luxurious manicure/pedicure, room service, reading until late at night, and time in the hotel pool were just the ticket for me. Enjoy! (And also enjoy the welcome home – I have never seen my 9 mo smile so much!)
rakma says
On my last work trip, I packed a bunch of bath and body products that I love, but never seem to find the time to actually use (tissue masks, sugar scrub, nail polish) I didn’t have enough free time to duck out for a mani/pedi, but I had enough time in my hotel room for diy spa treatments with no one trying to open the bathroom door.
shortperson says
i always keep a one-time use face mask sheet in my travel toiletries bag. once in a blue moon on a work trip i’ll actually get a chance to use it.
Anon (OP) says
Solo work travel is what sheet masks were made for. Bonus points if your hotel room has a bath tub!
H says
I love finding a nice place to walk/run. And getting take out from a restaurant that doesn’t exist where I live.
anne-on says
Download a ‘fun’ book (or buy one). Gossip or home magazines are my airport ‘treat’ to myself. During the conference I make it a point to take a long, hot, bath, and then lounge around in a robe watching tv and eating room service at least one night. Bonus points if I remember to pack all those luxurious sephora samples (face masks, etc.) to try. I also try to always order room service breakfasts (if your company allows) to give myself more time to leisurely (to me anyway) get ready in real, adult work clothes and drink hot(!) coffee.
SC says
I’m also traveling to a conference (maybe the same one?) later this week and feel the same way. Manicure/pedicure is not in my budget, but I’m planning to download something on my Kindle app and read by the pool in the afternoon on the last day of the conference before a late return flight. I usually try to spend time exploring the city and doing touristy things when I travel, but I’m going to let go of that expectation and just take time to myself.
Betty says
DRI???
SC says
Nope. Just a coincidence then :-)
Betty says
Thank you for all of your advice! I’m really looking forward to this time, even if it is a few hours by myself in the evening.
Pogo says
+1 to everything else, but also take time to hit the gym or jog if you can. If it’s a nice city jogging is my favorite way to get some exercise and see the area – usually on the afternoon that I arrive, or otherwise an early morning wakeup one or two days.
bluefield says
PSA: Kleenex are very strong! I went to get a tissue to (Kleenex ultrasoft) to wipe my daughter’s nose today, and when I came back with it she promptly puked right into the tissue. The issue did not rip and valiantly held all the puke until I got it into the garbage. I personally was very impressed.
avocado says
Wow, that beats the toilet paper commercial where they show how the paper can hold a stack of coins!
AEK says
But the real question is, how much of that weird blue maxi-pad liquid can it hold? Otherwise, it’s so hard to tell!
bluefield says
Oooh good point I need controls. Next time I will have her puke into a Kleenex, a generic tissue, a maxi pad, and several brands of toilet paper. Science!
NewMomAnon says
Today, I dropped kiddo off at her regular preschool, and half the kids were crying while the other half were screaming and committing mild violence against each other. She just looked at me and said, “Mama, I not wanna be here.” I know it could be a rough transition to the new preschool (next week!) but I hope it’s better than this….
Anon in NYC says
Yikes! We’re transitioning my daughter to a new school next month and I’m dreading it. I hope it goes well for you!