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There are a lot of places that sell fabric storage boxes, including IKEA, which is the ultimate spot for affordable ones, but some of the sturdiest boxes we’ve gotten (that are also sort of gorgeous) are these kid-friendly ones from 3 Sprouts. They’re great for holding the kids’ toys, and I highly recommend them. We have the peacock and dragon (and one more that I can’t remember now), and they’re strong and don’t collapse like some we bought from Target. They look really cute on your bookshelf, too! Besides the design pictured, there are 12 others, including a mouse, an owl, and a rhino, and each is $16.99 at Amazon (Prime eligible). 3 Sprouts Storage Box
(If you’re looking for a budget option or for smaller bins, check out our earlier post on how to store toys in an Expedit/Kallax shelving unit.)
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Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ 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 – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
dc anon says
Tell me about three-year olds. My kiddo seems to have undergone a change recently. She used to be a bit reserved, a good listener, and I could have a conversation with her. Now, she is unlike her former self. For example, she previously would never just run around screaming at the park, she could sit and color for a good 30 minutes at home, and I felt like I could sit and chat with her and explain a concept. Now, she runs around in circles at the park and at home, she goes from one activity or toy to the next. Its hard to explain, but I feel like I am not connecting with her. We have have had some changes: new school, travel, illness, spoiled by grandma visit, all at once and I am wondering if she just needs some time to come down from that whirlwind or has she changed for good?
Anonymous says
Sitting down to color for 30 minutes is pretty unusual for a three year old. Ancedata of course but I currently have two three year olds, plus my older child, plus my two BFFS have kids born a few months on either side of my twins.
Running around screaming at the park sounds like fun and typical three year old behavior. We were super conscious of not encouraging our daughter to be quiet or play nicely if we wouldn’t have treated a boy like that – not saying that you’re doing that but it wasn’t until I had a boy that I realized how much people defaulted to shushing girls and expecting them to play nicely and quietly. Even my relatively woke parents tend to treat my daughter differently that her same age boy cousin.
Walnut says
I have a two year old boy and the words “be quiet and play nicely” come out of my mouth a half a dozen times an hour. That’s never struck me as a gender thing.
Clementine says
Any one of those changes might have been something that a kid had to re-adjust from. Kids often aren’t able to convey that they are overwhelmed (in a good way or a bad way!) and thus, they kind of look like they’re not holding it together anymore.
The other thing about three is that they are learning that they’re really exploring their independence from you. They have to test their boundries and show some defiance (I’m going to play with THAT toy not the one you’re playing with) as a developmental phase.
Everything is a season. It sounds like this is a challenging one for you.
Anonanonanon says
Three was tough. I remember around the time my son turned 4 I was able to look at him and think “you’re human again!”
Honestly it would be very unusual for any 3 year old I know to sit and color for 30 minutes. Also, around this age, they really start to emulate the behaviour of their peers more than what you tell them, so if they’re all running around the playground screaming at preschool, that’s what you’re going to get when you take her as well.
Also, as you mentioned, as they gain independence it’s easy to feel less connected, which is a tough adjustment.
CPA Lady says
Sounds developmentally normal. Kids are always changing and growing and going through phases, some less fun that others. And if her acting like this doesn’t happen now, it’s going to happen at some point. My coworker had a “perfect” (i.e. docile) daughter who smoothly sailed through ages 2 and 3 with minimal fuss and is now raining down chaos and hell fire at age 4. My kid was so wild and defiant and explosively emotional toward the end of 2/beginning of 3 that I was seriously about to sell everything I own and move to Mexico alone. She’s still got a (defiant) mind of her own a few months later, but it is tempered with times where she’s more reasonable than she’s ever been before. [Also, FWIW, I was raised to be a silent doormat and I am trying not to put my foot down with my kid unless I need to, because I want her to be able to speak up for herself.]
It’s going to be okay and there will be a time again when y’all can have conversations and be on the same page. It might even be tomorrow. Or in 4 weeks. Or in 8 months. It’s going to happen. But what’s happening now is also a totally normal part of her development.
dc anon says
I want to give you a hug. Thank you, CPA Lady!
H says
My LO is about to be 3 and we are definitely going through something similar. He actually does really well in public (sits mostly calmly in restaurants, stays with me at the grocery store, goes potty by himself at school etc) but once we are home he goes crazy. Doesn’t listen, we have to force him to sit on the potty, force him to brush his teeth, he throws a fit when we tell him he can’t ride his tricycle even though it’s dark out etc. I really do think it is normal. He’s asserting more independence and doesn’t understand the responsibility that comes with it.
mascot says
There’s a reason they are called “three-nager”
Tfor22 says
These are adorable. I might need the hedgehog for myself. The big guy (12) is a little too old for these, I think. If anyone needs a fun escapist read, the “Regency Romance” Frederica is on sale for $1.99 for the Kindle.
Anonanonanon says
I loooooove Georgette Heyer books. Perfect “fluff” reading!!
Mrs. Jones says
Me too!
anon says
Does anyone have experience with the PB grow with you craft tables? Assuming they hold up as advertised, they seem like a good option and I’m thinking of pulling the plug for christmas.
Anonanonanon says
I don’t have experience with this table in particular, but I have experience with quite a lot of their other furniture. I would suggest, if you have PB Kids location near you, calling the store to see if they have one on the floor you can check out. I find that the quality of PB furniture varies widely based on the item. Some things I’ve gotten have been excellent quality, other things I’ve purchased or examined in the store could honestly just be from the higher-end IKEA stock.
Definitely don’t buy anything that’s not 20% off. They’re constantly running 20% off sales on stuff there, and if you buy in person you can usually get 20% off of furniture purchases even if there’s not a sale.
anon says
Thanks. They have 20% right now for furniture so that’s why I’m tempted. Good to know you can get the discount sometimes in person
Anonanonanon says
Talk BFing to me.
I did it for a bit last time (6 weeks of mostly pumping because I hated actually BFing, I had a huge supply so was able to mix it with formula for another few weeks after that) but kind of hated it. This time around I have a lot more support so I may feel differently, and I’m open to trying it, but the second I feel like it’s causing more harm than good for my emotional well-being/bonding with the baby I’m done.
That being said, what supplies are worth getting? BFing isn’t cheap if you just do it for a short time! I’m thinking the following are worth getting, but please let me know if I’ve missed anything:
-The pump covered by insurance (It’s an ameda purely yours but I’ll upgrade if I’m still pumping when I go back to work)
-Bags for milk storage
-pumping br@ (I didn’t have one last time and would have made it a bit longer with one probably)
-boppy
-Pads for leakage
-Ointment for the sore bits
-pump parts (of course)
-those bags you microwave to sterilize the pump parts
Am I missing anything huge? Or included something that’s not necessary? Of course I’ll have bottles because I’ll need those regardless, and appropriate nursing clothes. Like I said, I don’t want to drop a bunch of money on something that may only last a few weeks.
Anne says
A well-recommended lactation consultant – not cheap, unless your insurance will cover it, but made all the difference in the experience.
Anonanonanon says
I’ll certainly look in to if my insurance covers that. Honestly, it’s not worth it to me to spend the money on it if it doesn’t, because I’m completely OK if BFing doesn’t work out, but I should certainly look into what level of support is available, might as well use the resources if they’re there! Thanks!
Pigpen's Mama says
Your hospital, or another local one, may have a free BF support group as well.
FTMinFL says
The hospital where I delivered my babies allowed women who delivered there free unlimited access to LCs on staff for the first six months after delivery – no insurance involved. It is worth a call to find out what may be available.
Anonymous says
Oh yeh… my daughter’s pediatrician had an LC on staff, and it was covered by insurance because it was billed to her, not me. Also – the women on this site are non-judgemental about how you feed your baby. If you don’t want to stick with BFing, no biggie!
Pigpen's Mama says
YMMV but I preferred the MyBreastFriend (groan) over the Bobby –although the Bobby had more post-BF uses as a lounging spot for my LO.
mascot says
+1 for this pillow over the boppy. Also, I second the recommendation for a lactation consultant. I saw mine a couple of times on an outpatient basis and she was so helpful. She was completely supportive of combo feeding and could trouble shoot some of the issues we were having in those early few weeks.
Anon in NYC says
Agreed – MBF for the teeny tiny stage was super helpful, although the boppy was used for a longer period of time.
Second the recommendation for a lactation consultant if your insurance will cover it. My daughter had a terrible latch, and I saw immediate improvement post-consultant.
avocado says
Chiming in to agree that I found MBF much easier to use for the teeny tiny stage because it is perfectly flat so baby doesn’t get all squished up against you, but Boppy was more portable and less cumbersome once baby got bigger and less floppy. I would buy the MBF ahead of time to have on hand when you bring baby home, and wait on the Boppy.
Anonymous says
+1
EB0220 says
I will add this – if breastfeeding feels uncomfortable after the first week or two, have your pediatrician check kiddo for tongue/lip tie. It was much less comfortable to breastfeed by 2nd because she had tongue/lip tie. She was gaining weight, and it didn’t really *hurt*, so I only knew because my 1st had a perfect latch.
Anonn says
I definitely recommend the pumping bra. I didn’t use one for a long time because I thought it was unnecessary, but it has made a world of difference for me.
I also had some wipes for cleaning pump parts. I used them occasionally when I didn’t have easy access to a microwave or sink to wash the parts.
Anonanonanon says
Good to know that’s it worth it! I really should have gotten one the first time in retrospect.
Good call with the wipes too, I’ll add that to my list!
Cornellian says
instead of the wipes marketed to pump parts, arm and hammer sanitizing wipes for pacifiers are cheaper. That’s what I use. Plus, if you end up not pumping, you can use them for something else.
avocado says
I would add a large throw or blanket to cover the chair that will be your nursing spot. It is nice just to toss the blanket in the wash when a mess erupts.
NewMomAnon says
If you aren’t sure you want to commit to BF’ing, why buy all the pump stuff? Exclusive BF’ing is cheap – you need some n*pple balm, disposable pads, and maybe a hand pump and a pack of bags for times you need to be away.
Anon says
Here is my take on your list:
Pump
pump parts – get 2 sets if you plan on pumping when you go back to work
nursing bra – you probably already have some bras in a larger size since this is your 2nd, but I was given the advice to buy nursing bras during pregnancy when I sized up. I also didn’t get expensive ones; mine are from Motherhood, I think.
-Bags for milk storage – I actually liked the Target brand the best
-boppy – don’t necessarily need. I just used a throw pillow to prop baby up.
-Pads for leakage – I used disposable ones from Target. If I have a second, I might look into ones you wash.
-Ointment for the sore bits – breast milk is actually the best thing you can put on sore bits. I never bought ointment.
-those bags you microwave to sterilize the pump parts – According to my LC, washing with warm water and dish soap is sufficient. I never used the bags.
AIMS says
I actually don’t think you need that much. I also agree that you don’t need to worry about pumping right away if you don’t know that it’s for you. The only things I needed in the beginning are (1) a balm (one should be enough for you to adjust; I liked Earth Angel Baby Mama and you can use it as a cuticle cream/lip balm after or if you end up not needing it); (2) a nursing bra, which you can use on weekends or whatever even if you don’t nurse (the Kuci (sp?) ones on amazon are inexpensive and wonderful; and nursing pads (which not all women need, btw, but good to have if you do). All in I would think that should run you less than $40.
I nursed for a year and never needed a pillow and only needed the storage bags once I started pumping regularly, which was after about 3 mos. Prior to that, if I pumped I just did it into the bottle and used the bottle within a day. The milk bags have other uses though – they’re great for taking other food for baby or even for bringing salad dressing to work. I had no trouble using up my extras once I weaned. Considering that insurance covers the pump, it’s actually a really low cost endeavor.
anonforthis says
I know breast is best and all that, but I had a very difficult time breastfeeding and would not do it again. It was not painful, and I had a decent supply, but it made me have emotional problems. I very very rarely cry. But I would absolutely dread nursing, my heart would race/I would sweat, and would usually cry the entire time and shield my face from my child so he couldn’t see me cry. I definitely didn’t bond with my child through this experience. I am not sure why I cried, but the physical sensation was very strange and I know this sounds bizarre, but I felt violated. I also hated pumping at work because it interrupted my day and the pumping process also made me cry, often uncontrollably and strongly. Again, I don’t know why but it made me feel so strange and like an animal. It also interfered with my work because it took me so long to settle down, making me get home later, and have less time with my family and making nursing even more stressful. I struggled to sleep both because of the dread of all this, as well as an infant awaking me. I made it about 7 weeks until my husband persuaded me to quit. It was the best thing I could have done. Less than a week later, I felt like my normal self and my son did well on formula.
The reason I am sharing, at risk of being chastised for not BFing, is that BFing really isn’t not for everyone.
NewMomAnon says
Yes, completely agree. I should never have pumped, and should have been far more flexible about giving formula when I was tapped out from nursing all the time. In retrospect, I’m not sure the hormones would have allowed me that flexibility; if I had a second kid, I’d probably switch to formula pretty quick to save myself from that rabbit hole. Formula is wonderful stuff.
Metallica says
Personally, I think a healthy mom is more important for a kid than breastmilk versus formula–do what works for you! I’ve been known to spike my kid’s nightcap bottle with formula so she gives us a longer chunk of uninterrupted sleep.
Anonymous says
Yes to the lactation consultant and I also suggest attending a nursing moms group or La Leche League meeting (which is free!). It’s very common for women to stop BFing at 6 weeks since baby goes through a growth spurt then and you’re still sleep-deprived. I’ve been BFing for 8 almost 9 months and here’s my experience (if you’re interested in BFing for longer this time). BFing in the beginning is very hard. It’s hard to have a baby attached to you every 2 hours, especially when they take 30 minutes to feed like they do at the beginning and you’re recovering from childbirth. It also means they are totally dependent on you and that you never really get a break. BUT, the juice is worth the squeeze in the long-term. It gets a bit easier at 8 weeks, it gets much easier at 3 months when they’re easier to hold and have more head control, and then it’s a total breeze at 6 months. It has meant we can travel without bottles, formula, and bottled water. And at even 8-10 weeks feeding her in the middle of the night was so much quicker than heating up/making a bottle. I could throw her on my boob and then go back to sleep 15 minutes later. Even though it’s so so exhausting and hard the first few weeks, if you stick through it it’s very convenient and free!
In terms of supply – a nursing stool. It makes a lot of women more comfortable.
K. says
I second this–if you can get through the first 8 weeks, it becomes so much easier and definitely convenient, but those first 8 weeks can be rough! Also, if you can avoid pumping at first, that makes it easier too. Not everyone can do that, but to me that was my least favorite part of it all.
Cornellian says
Agreed. I would spend the money/otherwise get access to an IBCLC, and not spend money on pumping stuff. If you can make it to 8 weeks, you are golden. If you’re home and not pumping, breastfeeding is super easy. No extra dishes, no sanitizing wipes, no boiling things, no knocking over formula/milk bottles in your sleep-deprived haze, etc. Going back to work and pumping sucks, though.
Anonn says
Has anyone here breastfed past one year? I’m just a few weeks away from the one year mark and kiddo doesn’t show any signs of wanting to stop. We’re still breastfeeding about 4 times a day plus 2-3 bottles at daycare (or from dad at night). I’m happy to keep going as long as he wants.
Do I keep pumping at work as long as he’s continuing to breastfeed? Or should I stop giving him bottles at some point and just let him nurse directly from the source when I’m around? I’m having trouble finding resources on breastfeeding past a year. I don’t hate pumping, but it’s not like I love it either. I also think I might start to get some looks at work if I’m still taking pump breaks too long after he’s a year old… but honestly I’ll do anything for my kiddo, so it doesn’t matter. Just wondering what others have done. Thanks!
GCA says
I did actually breastfeed till 19 months – kid still showed no sign of wanting to stop, but at that point *I* was done! For the first 18 months, however, I quite enjoyed the nursing snuggles.
I hated pumping, though. By 11 months I was down to one pump a day, quit altogether around 13 months by switching him to sippy cups of cow’s milk, and just kept nursing till 19 months. The day I stopped pumping felt like the day I got my life back. (Like, kid, seriously? I’m paying through the nose for daycare AND still not able to enjoy my work and uninterrupted work-time because I have to pump every few hours?)
AwayEmily says
I started tapering down pumping when she was 10 months (supplemented with formula for some of her daycare feedings). When she turned a year old, I stopped pumping altogether (and daycare switched her over to cow’s milk). We kept breastfeeding at night and in the morning until she was 14 months, at which point I went on a 4-day trip and we took the opportunity to wean. It was pretty painless both for her and for me — I think we were both ready.
I agree with GCA that stopping pumping is AMAZING. I’m due in January with my second and my plan is to stop pumping MUCH earlier with this one (maybe at 9 months?), but keep BFing in the AM/PM as long as it both works for us.
Anon in NYC says
I stopped pumping at 12 months, and BF until about 15 months when my daughter self weaned. I slowly cut down pumping sessions over the course of a few weeks (dropped 1 session per week), and started giving my kid cows milk mixed with breastmilk in bottles as my freezer/pumping stash started to dwindle. Eventually she drank only cows milk during the day and BF in the morning/evening. And then she just stopped BFing.
FTMinFL says
I stopped pumping at 11.5 months, but continued to nurse in the mornings and evenings and for comfort on the weekends until my son was 15 months. I only weaned then because I was pregnant and exhausted. You definitely should not need to pump to maintain enough supply for occasional nursing if you’ve made it to a year. Kudos for making it this far!
Tfor22 says
It is all a blur now but I think I stopped pumping around 14 months and just nursed at home after that. The lad got sick more often when we started giving him cow milk during the day, as I recall. I think it was due to the transition to the toddler room and a mild dairy allergy.
AwayEmily says
Wow, it’s really interesting (and kind of surprising!) how similar most of our experiences are (stopping pumping at about a year and weaning a few months later).
Clementine says
I actually BF’d for 22 months… We stopped because I was ready but kid would probably have kept nursing in the early morning.
It changed quite a bit as we went on. For us it was like this:
Birth-6 Mos – On demand. All the time. Always.
6 mos-12 mos – On demand at home plus bottles at daycare. I pumped 3x/day at work.
12 mos – 15ish months – dropped to 2 work pumps then one and felt SO FREE when I wasn’t regularly pumping at work.
15-18 mos – walked over to daycare and nursed kid at lunch if I was free. Only pumped if he spent a full night away.
18-22 mos – Just early morning and bedtime feeds. Kid didn’t mind if we missed the bedtime one but really really loved that morning session.
At 22 mos, we had a big trip and the flight home was the last time we nursed. It was great and I don’t regret a minute of it.
K. says
Similar experience–stopped at around 28 months after getting pregnant and losing milk supply, but at that point it was usually just before bed at night. Stopped pumping around 15 months. Took an international trip around 23 months and was so thankful for the option. For the last five months, it was definitely more a comfort thing, with some nutrition. I don’t regret it but probably wouldn’t have nursed much longer even if I hadn’t been pregnant.
Sabba says
Very similar. Kiddo was not ready to stop, but I was DONE. For a few months, kid was even asking her babysitters if they had any milk for her (and pointing to their b**bs if they tried to give her a sippy cup). Kid was a very high needs baby and probably would have nursed until age 3 if I had allowed it. I was glad for the relationship while we nursed, then glad to have my body back. I stopped pumping right after a year, but we weren’t doing as many bottles and sessions at that point as OP.
If this was me, I think I would try to get down to 2 or 3 sessions (morning, night and maybe one right after pick up) and stop pumping. But I think everyone should do what works for them.
Sarabeth says
Similar, breastfed until 20 months. After a year, I only pumped if I didn’t breastfeed for 12+ hours. Mostly did morning, return home, bedtime – but I did let her nurse during the day on weekends.
Anonymous says
I’m in Canada so most women are back to work at 1 year. Almost no one pumps during the day but it’s pretty common to keep nursing morning, after work and before bed for a while. Usually the after work feed was the first one to drop because they just want to play. On my kids, that resulted in them self-weaning completely around 16 -18 months. I don’t know anyone who kept going past two years without daytime nursing or pumping. If you really want to keep going longer, maybe leave the lunchtime pump?
Anonymous says
I did until 24 months or so, but I stopped pumping around 13 months, which was SO WONDERFUL – that I highly recommend. No more washing pump parts! I mostly dropped down to nursing morning and night; we were giving cow’s milk in a cup otherwise I think. I am sure this was a gradual transition but I really don’t remember how we did it. I think I nursed a bit during the day on weekends, probably before nap time, at least in the beginning. I thought my supply would tank and my son would loose interest when I stopped pumping, but while I am sure my supply went way down, he didn’t seem to care. I don’t remember dropping day time nursing sessions being an issue at all. I was convinced he would be unwilling to stop nursing at bedtime but he was totally fine with it. We didn’t replace it with milk in a bottle or water or anything, just songs and snuggles. So maybe he was just humoring me at the end!
Cornellian says
I probably will. I’m coming up on 11 months and he’s EBF, no formula or cow’s milk.
I went back to work at 5 months and pumped 3x a day until 9 months. Now I pump 2x a day. I would like to transition to one pumping session a day soon, especially since late nights mean I have to pump an additional time anyway.
I think my plan is, loosely:
-switch to pumping once a day at 12 months, and supplement with frozen breast milk and then cow’s milk.
-stop pumping around 15 months, keep nursing at home and pumping if I am away when he’s going to sleep.
-??? beyond that
Anon says
I went back to work at 1 year and now feed my kid in the morning, after work and before bed. On the weekend, whenever she wants to eat, she can. I just didn’t want the hassle of pumping, honestly. Still going strong on the nursing and I really enjoy it.
lsw says
I quit pumping totally at 11 months and supplemented with stash for the last bit before he started cow’s milk. We weaned at about 13 months; I had still been nursing morning and night, but he honestly wasn’t that into it, and then just got so busy he wanted to run around with his milk and not sit still for it. I was on board with BFing longer, but he just didn’t seem to want to. I was more okay with it than I thought.
I never, ever regretting dumping pumping!
EB0220 says
I breastfed my 2nd until she was about 15 months. The main driver was that I haaated pumping at work. When she switched to the toddler class at 12 months, and wasn’t allowed breastmilk anymore, I slowly started reducing my pumping at work. By the time I got down to 1 pumping session a day, my supply was significantly down and it dried up when I dropped the work pumping. I probably would have continued on at home if my supply had survived the lack of pumping, but I wasn’t too sad to stop.
Cornellian says
not allowed breastmilk anymore? How does that work? Is it a hygiene thing?
EB0220 says
She goes to a montessori school and they use open cups. They said it was a potential health hazard if the milk accidentally spilled or another kid took a drink. I didn’t really like it but didn’t care enough to push it.
Anonymous says
At a year, I stopped pumping at work and switched to cow’s milk in a cup during the day. I felt so free! Breastfed mornings and evenings, and on demand on the weekend, until around 19 months, when kiddo stopped on her own.
anon says
I have three kids – with the oldest -he started demanding a bottle at night at 11 months, which is when I also stopped pumping (just not enough supply) – he was still nursing in the morning, and we quit shortly after his first birthday.
Middle – generally refused to take a bottle (fun), but took to a sippy cup at one year fine. I stopped pumping at 12 months (I was sending milk to be mixed with cereal), and weaned at 16 months when I was two months pregnant. He was more looking for comfort, so it was fine, although annoying (because he would wake up really early and I used to doze while he nursed and then I couldn’t anymore).
Youngest – also generally refused to take a bottle. I stopped pumping at 12 months, and weaned at 19 months. She was old enough to understand what was going on, but was not happy and asked for at least a month to continue nursing. But I was done!
LegalMomma says
I breastfed the first until 14 months when she self weaned – I had stopped pumping at one year. Today is my first official day of NO MORE PUMPING!!!!!! with my second, but I will still breastfeed him when we are together.
AwayEmily says
WOOOO congrats!!!!
Cornellian says
Congrats!
I have this image of beating my pump to shards with a baseball bat when I’m done. Since it’s not meant for multiple users, it has to get trashed anyway…
Momata says
I gave mine to a friend to use as her secondary/home backup pump. Somebody else had done that for me (and that one was totally shot by the time I was done).
avocado says
I am having visions of the fax machine scene from Office Space. Cue the music…
LegalMomma says
Thanks all! And yes, my husband did bring up the fax machine scene and ask me if I wanted to reenact it.
Anonymous says
I nursed my daughter for 27 months. The last 10 of which I was pregnant and had a newborn. My daughter finally stopped nursing when her little brother was 3 weeks old – I think the over abundance of milk is really what made her stop.
Around 15 months we were only nursing when she woke up and before nap and bedtime. A few months later we dropped the pre nap nursing. Then I dropped the morning nursing session a few months later because I wanted to get pregnant and wasn’t and had heard that nursing might be the cause. So then we were down to just nursing before bed (and I got pregnant right away – who knows if that was why…). And we just kept going with it until the baby was born. Then I started to find it uncomfortable and she thought getting shot in the mouth with milk was funny but no longer soothing.
So basically I would say nurse when you want to, but ditch the pumping. Your kiddo and your body will adjust to whatever you decide to do. And it is totally possible to drop down to a nursing session or two per day and sustain that long term of that is what both of you want to do!
Jeffiner says
Before my daughter was born, we got the Raccoon 3 Sprouts bin to use as her laundry hamper. Its been great for that for the past 2.5 years. Lately she keeps turning it so the Raccoon faces the wall, especially at night. I asked, and she says, “He’s mad at me.”
PinkKeyboard says
I love this. My daughter’s James train (from Thomas) made “bad choices Mama” so he had to sleep under the bookshelf instead of his normal spot of honor in her teepee.
SG says
We have the exact same one also for laundry, love it!
Now I want everything 3 Sprouts Makes says
Usually this website is not too bad for my wallet, but…too cute! Maybe actually useful!
JP says
We have these boxes and they’re awesome! And they hold a ton. Do it! We have the gorilla, the peacock, the rhino, and the gorilla. And the octopus hamper.
lsw says
We have two small and one large (more like a toy chest version) of these that my in laws got for my son. They are so great! He loves climbing in the big one. It is really pretty sturdy. He can lean on them and reach inside, too, without crushing it.
rakma says
I got the large one to use as a dress up box, figuring it’d last a year or two and I’d be ok replacing it for the cost. A year later, it looks brand new, unlike the Rubbermaid pop up hamper that’s gotten much less wear and tear (and I think might have cost more!)
HSAL says
I love them. We have 6 of the totes pictured, the elephant toy chest, the octopus hamper, and two of the large totes that we use for blankets and stuffies. We used the totes in a wire rack, but the first few months postpartum, I kept one downstairs for random laundry (mainly burp cloths) that needed to go upstairs. So, so useful.
TBK says
The director of my kid’s preschool just sent an email with information about the different charitable activities the kids will be doing in the Christmas season. She closes by saying:
This is a wonderful way to teach our children about “giving” and showing “compassion”
for others!
Must. Resist. Urge. to Judge. Scare. Quotes.
AwayEmily says
LOL, the scare quotes make it sound like a veiled threat.
anne-on says
HA! I would laugh SO hard at that (to myself). But – I always appreciate when schools/daycares try to reinforce giving/compassion this time of year.
That is also the reason Santa has always only brought 1 gift in our homes, we’re trying to avoid the ‘why can’t Santa just bring them that, were they bad?’ conversation when we do our yearly donations of toys/gifts/clothes to local families in need/toys for tots. We try our best to emphasize that Santa brings what you need most, and for some families they need a new coat the most, so we try to help make sure they also have something they just ‘want’ like a new toy.
Anonymous says
At a former job, a CEO of our nonprofit would put “thank you” in quotes – I think he meant for emphasis, but when you are sending a letter thanking a donor, you don’t want to look like you’re fake thanking them! I had to talk to him about it, which I was a bit embarrassed about because I was young at the time, but now I realize he was probably grateful to know about the mistake. Or, maybe, “grateful.”
Anonymous says
As someone who works in development, this is “HORRIFYING” – thank goodness he listened to you!
Anonymous says
I would read that as she knows preschoolers too well to believe they are giving or compassionate!
avocado says
I would read it as a cynical indictment of the holiday giving machine. I hate the whole Christmas toy donation thing. Do the kids actually want a bunch of cheap junky toys and clothes they didn’t pick out? Wouldn’t it be better for the parents to get cash to buy what the kids were really wishing for?
TBK says
I saw a wonderful article last Christmas about a program that takes all the toy donations and creates a sort of store. The parents volunteer with the organization to set up and manage the store, and in exchange get tokens they can use to shop for the things their children want. Part of the reason the program was run this way was that the organizers realized that low income parents are often ashamed that they can’t afford toys and then watch as other people get all the appreciation and joy from their kids when the kids get the toys. With this system, the parents get to be the ones giving the gifts to their own kids, and also get a say in what their kids get.
NewMomAnon says
One of our local domestic violence shelters does this! They take in donations of unwrapped items, and then both parents and kids within our DV network can pick out gifts for each other. They go all out decorating and staffing it so it’s like a real store.
avocado says
This is awesome!
anon says
OMG the person I supervised just offered me free Hamilton tickets for tonight! AND THE GOOD BABYSITTER IS FREE!!!!!!!!
Cornellian says
nice!
avocado says
Woohoooooo!
Definitely Anon says
I return to work from maternity leave very soon. I have no real complaints about my job (not in law). It’s strictly 40 hours a week but not a lot of flexibility. I have a short commute and excellent compensation. I found another opportunity that sounds intriguing, far different from what I do now, that I’m well positioned for and is 100% remote. Company culture sounds amazing. I imagine it would be a paycut. Using my last few hours of maternity leave to explore this opportunity is crazy, right? Baby brain? Or is the potential to work remotely with a more progressive organization worthwhile?
Anonymous says
Not crazy! Do it!
Anonymous says
Not crazy to explore at all but think hard about whether you want the stress of learning a new job right now, whether you would actually like the culture and working from home, how much you need the money (esp once you start paying for childcare), and how likely a similar opportunity is likely to appear again.
avocado says
Have you worked remotely before? It’s not for everyone, and the transition might prove to be very stressful when combined with the adjustment to working parenthood. When I went back to work, I really liked going in to the office and talking to grown-ups about grown-up things.
Anonymous says
Not crazy but depends in part on your childcare arrangements. Do you have a nanny that you love and want to keep? Would you be able to WFH with the kid in the house? I can’t. My kids go to daycare because i need them out of the house. I have a separate home office but I can’t focus if I can hear them fussing.
NewMomAnon says
Ugh….I just got publicly scolded by my supervisor, who replied all on an e-mail string to chew me out. Several people who were copied have reached out to me to tell me supervisor was in the wrong, don’t worry. Also, the first time in my career that someone has reached out to coach me through a difficult political situation. But it still feels so lousy and I’m trying not to cry in my office.
And now I get to spend an evening at a work function with said supervisor. WHY?
avocado says
Oh, that really stinks. Get your revenge by standing tall and sailing through the evening with grace and graciousness. Everyone will admire your composure and supervisor will look even worse. Hang in there–you can do it!