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The wind is starting to bite and this hat is exactly what I need now.
There’s nothing like a cute pom beanie to keep your head cozy on a blustery day — this one is made from a warm, wool-blend yarn and features a classic ribbed knit topped with a fluffy pom.
It comes in six colors ranging from bold (“matador red”) to neutral (“sea salt”). I’m tempted to get a few to coordinate with my coats!
Athleta’s Ribbed Pom Beanie is $42.
Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Anon for this says
Looking for advice about how to best manage the transition from one kid (15 months) to two with my nanny. I am fortunate to have 12 weeks of maternity leave, but it’s unclear what to me what are fair expectations in terms of how much my nanny will be contributing during that time. Ideally I would like to be able to spend some time while she is here doing things for myself, whether that’s resting, exercise, doing some work, etc. Is it reasonable to expect my nanny will be watching both kids at times, or should we plan to get extra help if that’s what I want? In our contract with our nanny we agreed to pay an additional amount per hour upon having a second child, but never discussed expectations about how that will work and when it would start. I don’t want to be resentful because I’m paying more but she’s not actually caring for both kids. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Anonymous says
You should think about the kind of “watching” your nanny could be doing for your newborn. Are you breastfeeding? If so, are you thinking you will be pumping or nursing during mat leave? IME you either want to give the newborn to the nanny and pump or just be the primary person with the newborn. Nursing, then handing baby over for a burp/change/nap seems like more work than just burping and changing the baby.
Maybe it’s been too long since rice had a brand new baby but in my memory all they do is eat sleep and poop for the first 2-3 months.
Absolutely let the nanny babysit the monitor and tell you when baby is up and hungry.
Anonymous says
If you want her to watch both kids at all, which it sounds like you do, then you should start paying her for the second kid per the contract you agreed to when you have a second kid.
Honestly sounds like you’re trying to take advantage of her, not a good look.
Mary Moo Cow says
Nanny might not see it as “not actually caring for both kids” if she’s watching the baby monitor, or occasionally changing a diaper or getting the baby up from a nap to hand off to you. I would think about what kind of relationship you want to have with your nanny — are you going to keep her on, or add extra hours and pay when you go back to work, or are you going to scale her back and have an alternate caregiver when you go back to work? With that in mind, for example, if you really like nanny and want to keep her, go ahead and talk now and set expectations and start paying her more the minute you ask her to do something with the baby. I would be worried that if she doesn’t feel like her time and attention are being compensated, she would leave.
Anonymous says
As well she should!
NYCer says
Honestly, if you like your nanny and want to keep her, I would start paying her the increased salary as soon as you have the second baby (or very shortly thereafter).
Anonymous says
It depends on a lot of things: the baby’s personality and schedule or lack thereof, how you choose to feed the baby, and your relationship with and future plans for the nanny. If your contract says that you will pay the nanny extra once you have a second child, that implies that she will be watching both kids, and it seems silly to bring in extra help for the baby. Assuming you plan to keep the nanny on and have her go back to work, I’d start paying her the extra amount specified in the contract as soon as you ask her to do any hands-on caregiving for the baby.
With a baby that demanded to be held at all times, largely refused to nap during the day, and spent several weeks clusterfeeding between 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., and pumping from Day 1, here’s what I would have tried:
Stay up most of the night feeding baby.
Go to bed when baby is finally done eating.
Partner gets up with kids and lets you sleep. Partner gives baby a pumped bottle.
Partner hands both kids off to nanny when they go to work. Nanny watches baby and older child while you sleep in, pump, shower, have breakfast, and maybe pump again if needed. If baby is hungry, nanny gives baby a bottle.
Around 10:00 a.m., you take baby.
Give baby back to nanny during older child’s nap. You pump once during this time, then work out or have whatever other alone time you need. If baby is hungry, nanny gives baby a bottle.
Take baby back when older child gets up from nap.
OP says
Thanks everyone, OP here. My first child was like the one you had – very labor and attention intensive, unlike average babies that slept a lot. I have no issue paying my nanny more and do want to keep a good relationship with her. It sounds like my expectation that she manage baby related responsibilities as part of that is not unfair or unreasonable, even while the baby is quite young. But welcome other comments about those with direct experience managing this transition and what are fair expectations to set in terms of what work she does vs what I do.
Pogo says
fwiw, I thouht you question made sense. It’s very black and white when you send older child to daycare – daycare sees no impact from your new baby. But it’s really, really hard for nanny to see no impact of a new baby. Honestly, as others have said – if you want to keep her, you might just want to add the full extra child fee on to her pay even if you’ll be there. The market is so tough for good nannies I would pay the extra money just to keep her happy.
Anonymous says
I would start paying her more when new baby arrives or shortly thereafter. Even if there’s not much for her to do hands on with the new baby, hopefully she can help by doing baby laundry and washing bottles (if she is already doing tasks like this for your older child & has agreed to do kid-related chores in your agreement). I would just start a conversation with her to make sure you’re on the same page.
Anon says
We went through this transition with our nanny last year (one toddler to one newborn and one toddler). I had 16 weeks of maternity leave. We increased her pay rate to account for caring for two kids beginning the next pay period after my second was born, even though I was on leave and still very hands on with the kids, as we have a great nanny and I wanted to keep her engaged and happy.
My newborn was a pretty easy baby and I was BFing, so I spent lots of time cocooned in my room with the baby, nursing and bonding with him, while she cared for my active 2-year old. He’s also our last baby, so I didn’t want to miss out on any sweet baby snuggles. My oldest is very attached to our nanny and I think it helped her adjust that she still had lots of solo, quality time with her “best friend” while baby brother was in the house and around but not actively taking any time or care away from her just yet. Our nanny would also take baby for brief periods of time so I could shower/eat/etc. and would also take over baby care when our oldest napped so I could get a break.
Around 10-12 weeks, as the baby got older/didn’t nurse constantly and we wanted to prepare for my return to work, I started having the baby hang out with nanny and oldest for an hour or two, gradually increasing the time each week. I think this helped everyone adjust in advance of my return to work and I had more time to myself, which was nice.
Anon says
Not the OP, but this is so helpful. We have a 13 month old and a nanny and hope to add a second child in late 2022/early 2023. This sounds like exactly what we’ll do.
Anon. says
Recommendations for somewhat lightweight winter boots for a 5-6 yr old? Should be waterproof, but don’t have to be rigid plastic like most snowboots.
We love the Superfit brand from Europe, but I’m not sure I want to pay for shipping and risk delays.
Example: https://www.babyshop.com/mars-winter-boots-black/p/418011
anon in brooklyn says
We’ve bought the See Kai Run Atlas boots for 4 years now—light enough to be everyday shoes all winter, but work as snow boots for moderate amounts of snow too.
Anon. says
Oh these look good! Thanks!
Anonymous says
Reima makes winter shoes that look nice and kind of similar, but we haven’t bought them yet.
Anon. says
Great find, I’ll look into it.
Anon says
Reima makes winter shoes that seem nice and similar, but we haven’t bought them yet.
Party Animal says
I’m due in March and have no interest in trying to pick out a bunch of matching baby clothes. Is there such a thing as a big bundle of baby clothes that will have most of what I need? I’d be happy to drop a couple hundred dollars on a big set of matching stuff. Looking for more than just a few pieces in a set.
AwayEmily says
The problem is that “what you need” is different for everyone depending on your preferences. I exclusively dressed my winter/spring babies in one-piece zip-ups, day and night, for the first few months, because I found it ten million times easier than trying to wrangle them into onesies and pants and socks that were always falling off. Also, we keep our house pretty cold. But some of my friends kept their babies in all onesies, all the time.
Honestly I would just spend fifteen minutes placing a big order on the Target website. They have decent list here of everything you likely need: https://www.target.com/c/newborn-clothing/-/N-v8787.
Anonymous says
I agree with all of this but with the caveat that big babies may not even fit into newborn sizes.
Anon says
+1 I didn’t buy newborn sizes based on family history of bigger babies and was glad I didn’t waste my money. My 8 lb 6 oz baby fit 0-3M fine at birth and it was in 3-6M within a month.
Anonymous says
Yes, I thought it was Murphy’s Law that I would have an 11 pound baby if I did get newborn clothes. Even so, my son was born at 42 weeks weighing 9 pounds even and 22+ inches long; 0-3 month clothes fit just fine.
jz says
We bought all of our baby clothes in heather grey from Primary. Onesies and footies and some sweatpants and cardigan. Everything matches all of the time, no need to think about picking out an outfit when you’re wiping up poop or vomit and it also looks great. Very classic. Would 100% do it again if i had another baby
Anonymous says
Carters sells some sets, like 5 color coordinating sleepers or 5 shirt and pant outfits. But I wouldn’t buy a whole ton of stuff until the baby is born, you don’t know yet what size you’ll need or what sort of outfits you prefer (some people love zipper sleepers, some hate them, etc.).
Cc says
Is this your first? It really doesn’t have to match. My newborn spent the first 3 months in just onesies (no pants). And sleep gowns. If you know if you are having a boy or a girl I could prob do this on Amazon for you
I also really liked old navy for colorful onsies.
anon says
Carters and others have “bundles.” What I’d recommend is resale – either look online for someone selling a baby bundle or go to Once Upon A Child/other resale. You can get a huge amount for $100-$200, all in one place. I find it way less overwhelming than shopping online for individual pieces. You could also probably do this pretty easily at Primary or Carters online by buying a few sets. TBH, baby stuff is pretty easy — onesies, pants/leggings, zip-up PJs, a few “cute” outfits for outings, socks/booties, seasonal (hats, etc.).
Anonymous says
There is exactly what you need: the Finnish baby box! I got one for my March 2020 baby and although I did end up buying supplemental clothes for fun, it wasn’t needed. When I got mine you could enter your due date season and some information about the climate where you live, although I’m not seeing that now.
I hesitate to include a direct link but the website is Finnish Baby Box dot com.
Spirograph says
My 2 cents: you don’t need to do this; people will gift you outfits, whether or not you register for them. You don’t need anything other than onesies and footie pjs for a 0-6 month old, really. Get a couple of 3-packs of zip-ups, and you’ll be good. Or better yet, wait for someone to offer to offload all their baby clothes to you. I got a giant box of hand-me-downs from a coworker, and gave a giant box to a friend once I was sure I was done. I regularly see “lots” of baby clothes on my neighborhood listserv.
Also, I wouldn’t buy too much 0-3 month size in advance, because you have no idea how fast your baby will grow. My kids only fit in NB sizes for about a week, and were straining 0-3 month footies by 2 months before they slowed down to a normalish growth curve.
Anon says
Baby clothes don’t need to match. Agree with advice to just go on Carter’s or Target website and order a bunch of stuff. I think I have a higher tolerance for doing laundry on a regular basis then some people, but we didn’t have that many clothes during the infant stage – we probably had two weeks worth of outfits at most and an “outfit” was pretty simple, just a onesie and pants or a one piece. So maybe 20 items of baby clothes total for that stage. We found that peak blowout age was later; our newborn didn’t actually poop on her clothes that much.
Anon. says
Honestly, I would probably buy second hand. I had a stay at home mom friend who knew her way around the stores, local FB mom groups etc and I said, here are $150, get me stuff until 6 months. And I ended up with two huge bag of pre-loved clothes. We got a few keepsake outfits from family, but the rest I could easily pass on and donate.
Cc says
Monica and Andy does big bundles (300-600). Over priced but soft and they are having a Black Friday sale
An.On. says
I can’t help you with matching, but if you’re looking for baby clothes in general, buy used if you buy at all.
My local goodwill sells garbage bag sized bundles of baby clothes for like, $10. Also, facebook marketplace, and buy nothing groups, although results will depends on your location. Definitely don’t buy new unless it’s absolutely adorable and you can’t live without it. If it’s your first, you’ll get a bunch, usually in newborn or 0-3 month.
We bought: a variety of swaddles until we found a style we liked, and supplemental items in the styles we realized we liked/needed more of (in our case, footie pjs, long sleeved tops for winter, etc).
Party Animal says
OP Here. Thanks to everybody who has made suggestions so far. Let me clarify- this is not my first, it’s my second. Opposite gender from my first. So I know what kinds of clothes I like and prefer. I’m looking for recommendations of places that have these kinds of boxes- I can look at them and see if they match my preferences. I know baby clothes don’t NEED to match, but I want them to.
Anon says
In your shoes, then, since you know your preferences, I’d just take 45-60 minutes on the websites of your three favorite baby clothes retailers for what fits your babies’ body types and grab what you need.
AwayEmily says
It seems like you have strong preferences for a box, and that most people here (including me) prefer to cobble together hand me downs and Target stuff, so it might be more helpful to just google “baby clothes bundle” or “baby layette” and see if that gets you what you need. Google shows me ones from Gap, Gerber, Carters, Mori, Hudson Baby, and Old Navy. Good luck!
Anonymous says
Not a complete box, but Target has sets of like 6 coordinating onesies, footie PJs, bibs, etc. in various color/graphic themes. You could grab several packages off the rack and have a complete, coordinated layette in a minute and a half. Bonus: You would only have to buy the types of items you like, and you wouldn’t get stuck with extra pieces you won’t use (e.g., nightgowns, if you don’t like those) like you’d get in a complete box set.
Anon Lawyer says
Yeah, I really liked the Cloud Island footie jammies (IIRC they were double zip, score) and onesies when my baby was tiny. Cute patterns, cheap, and all coordinated, as you say.
Anon Lawyer says
Oh also, I bet if you just want it done and aren’t a fan of doing the shopping, you could send a friend to Target to pick it all out as her baby gift to you (the shopping, you could just pay her back.) This would basically be my dream scenario if someone asked me to do this.
Anonymous says
I would love that assignment too! I love looking at all the cute tiny baby clothes now that I no longer have to try to wrestle an angry squid into them.
Aunt Jamesina says
I bought some one piece zippered sleepers in cotton from Old Navy and Target (Cloud Island three packs) in newborn and 0-3 month sizes and called it good. They’re all footed, have mitten cuffs, and zip from bottom to top for (supposedly) easy changes. I didn’t want to coordinate tops with bottoms or keep track of socks. While I love cute clothes, I don’t want to think about it for at least the first few weeks/months.
Alanna of Trebond says
Finnish Baby Box! A lifesaver.
Catchphrase says
My dad and 3 year old are (sweetly) obsessed with each other. They see each other once or twice a month, including weekend trips to my parents’ house a few hours away. It’s a good situation, with one exception- my dad has a tendency to say annoying and sometimes politically incorrect phrases that my son loves to parrot. He will keep it up regardless of whether he’s around my dad or not. There is one (pretty innocuous) one in particular that drives me and my husband crazy- DS will say it a few times a day. My parents will be visiting for Thanksgiving and then my son will be going back to their house for the weekend. Is there a nice way for me to tell my dad to knock it off, or is this something I should let go? Need a gut check here.
Anon says
I think it depends on the phrase. If it’s something you’d be embarrassed to have your kid saying at school or in front of friends it might be worth a conversation, but generally I’m team Let It Go when it comes to stuff like this.
NYCer says
+1. Definitely depends on the phrase, but if the phrase is pretty innocuous as you said, I would let it go.
anon says
Annoying- let it go. You want your kids to have good relationships with others, and micromanaging everything they say is not conducive. Politically incorrect– I’d try to correct. If DS is in daycare I’d blame it on that and use some humor. “Dad, if I get a call from school about DS saying XYZ, I’m sending you in to apologize to the director!” My LO repeated my mom saying “OH MY GOSHHHH” 100 times a day and I just ignored it until he found a new phrase he thought was great. (For friends and family that keep swearing after I’ve gently mentioned, I now just jokingly make an airhorn noise. It makes them realize what they did, laugh, AND it distracts LO so the focus is on mom’s funny noise and not the word he just heard!)
Anonymous says
Oh come on just tell us the phrase
Anonymous says
Does your dad know why it’s a problematic phrase? A big accomplishment for us was getting my dad to stop saying “shot your wad” (don’t think he realized what it meant exactly, had one of my brothers take him aside to explain).
Anonymous says
I first heard this phrase from an old lawyer dude in a meeting and assumed it referred to spitting tobacco, until the other woman in the meeting messaged me to share her outrage.
ElisaR says
hahaha reminds me of my old boss who would say “donkey punch” in front of clients…. i had to pull him aside as well.
Anon says
Many people seem to think this expression is s3xual but the origin of the phrase dates back hundreds of years, and refers to a piece of material called a wad that’s used in firing a gun. It is not an impolite or vulgar thing to say.
anon says
Off-topic but reminds me of my experience studying abroad in college. My host-grandfather and I got along well – he had the patience and time to deal with my crummy language skills and I loved his “war stories.” But he’d teach me the most outdated phrases and sayings. My host sister would always laugh and yell and him for teaching me things the high schoolers didn’t even understand. Think of him fondly.
Anon says
Tips for stopping Thumbsucking in an 11 month old? He started around 5-6 months and won’t stop. I want to stop it before he develops ulcers on his thumb (it’s that bad) and he also has a high palate. I am looking at buying those thumb guards off Amazon. Any success stories?
Anon says
No stories, but my daughter is 13 months and started sucking her thumb at bedtime/naptime when she was 10-11 months. She’s never taken a pacifier. Pediatrician said not to stress about it, she’ll either outgrow it when she’s 2-3 or we’ll deal with it then. Just gently redirect if she does it during waking times (which she rarely does, but if she does I just scoop her thumb out and say “Out of mouth!”).
It is easier said than done not to stress, btw. My husband and his brothers and nephews all had to have orthodontic intervention for thumb sucking when they were 8-10. Really hoping we never get there.
Anon says
my kid did develop an ulcer on her thumb, but honestly grew out of it by around 18 months. when kiddo was awake and doing it i would replace with some sort of teething toy, like that banana. both pediatrician and dentist said not to worry about it around bedtime and that most kids grow out of it, which is exactly what happened
AwayEmily says
My daughter started thumb-sucking at 9 months and as per our dentist’s advice we didn’t worry too much about it. When she was four we worked with her to drop to nights-only (mask-wearing and a chewing necklace helped with this), and then we told her that when she was ready, we’d put the special bitter polish on her nail to help her stop completely. A month ago she told us she was ready (she’s five). It was challenging but she stuck with it and now hasn’t sucked her thumb at all for a month (we actually had a little party for her last week to celebrate). I’m sure this strategy wouldn’t work for all kids but I’m really happy it was her decision and she feels proud of it. She’s a bit of an anxious kid so I didn’t feel comfortable forcing the issue before she was ready.
AIMS says
How did you get to nights only? My almost 4 year old is obsessed with his thumb and I would to redirect to at least night-time. Nothing has worked so far (although we havent tried polish).
AwayEmily says
For daytime stopping, we primed the idea via (1) me talking about how I stopped when I was her age and (2) a trip to the dentist where they encouraged her to stop. I told her that when she was ready she could pick out some special necklaces to use to chew on instead. After awhile to get used to the idea she said she was ready, and picked out a few. We kept one in the car and also a few in other places. I think it helped partly because instead of me saying “no thumbs” or “stop it” I could say “necklace,” which just sounds less accusatory. That being said, we definitely had relapses, and tbh they started getting worse over time. I think it’s mentally hard to keep doing it at night but not day. The bitter polish really, really works. The first couple of nights were hard (unsurprisingly) but we kept telling her how proud we were and she got through it — and even asked for more polish after the first coat wore off.
CCLA says
I’m here to recommend the NipIt! Used with our younger DD who around 18 months had a horrible blister on her thumb all the time from the sucking, it was painful and sometimes infected. NipIt worked – I want to say we used it for about 2 months before we stopped, so who knows if it would have worked sooner but after 2 months we stopped using it and she did not regress. She was only a sleep time thumb sucker, so we only had to use during naps and at night, but she did nap at daycare without the device, which worried me that we would never break the habit, but apparently the nighttime and home nap usage was sufficient. FWIW we were very hands off with our oldest, who was nights only and stopped successfully around 3 with just a weekend of the polish and a few reminders, so we were prepared to let it go with the little one but the blister situation got out of hand.
Powerwheels says
Did anyone buy a power wheels for their older toddler? Would you recommend?
Anon says
We invested in one of the Jeep ones for our 4yo at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s great if you have the space for it. We have had to buy a new battery, though. During the winter it needs to be charged once a month to make sure it maintains its capacity. Otherwise, highly recommend.
anon says
I found one on the side of the road for my nephew (the Barbie one, FWIW) – it’s a huge hit for play dates.
Anonymous says
we got the jeep when my oldest was 3.5. She’s 8 now and it’s still kicking three kids later! Highly recommend a two-seater. Gender neutral colors if you may have kids of mixed genders one day. beyond that, they’re all the same.
Anon says
kids seem to love them, but as a parent they make me a bit nervous bc i see lots of kids driving them in the middle of the road where i live without much supervision. while they seem like a great way to get kiddo outside, i’d rather them do some sort of activity that isnt just sitting
Anon says
I feel similar…if i have to be outside with my kids, they better be burning off some energy! Micro mini scooters have been workhorses for us
Anonymous says
Same, I’d rather my kid be riding a bike/tricycle/scooter or investing in a big backyard playset.
Anonymous says
I posted above that we have the jeep. We also live on 2 acres. We have a play set and a garage full of ride on toys. The kids mostly use the power wheels for cruising around the property. They bike or scooter on the road.
I also make my 5 year old haul firewood in it from the pile back up to the house, 1-2 pieces at a time ;).
anon says
Has anyone tried the Elvie pump? Is it as good as it seems? I have to exclusively pump and although I will be on maternity leave for another five months, pumping plus feeding my daughter (currently four weeks old) takes a TON of time. The Elvie sounds great but at $$$ I’d love to hear real reviews
Anon says
If you are on Instagram, Karrie Locher (karrie_locher) has reviews/comparisons of various pumps, including Elvie.
I debated getting one but ended up not b/c I wanted the higher power of my Spectra. I may revisit this decision when we have a second child (also, I wasn’t exclusively pumping, just while I was working/nanny was giving baby bottles, so that makes a difference in time commitment).
Momofthree says
I used the Elvie with my third (and I was exclusively pumping). When I was home on mat leave and responsible for taking care of the baby, the Elvie was the only reason I was able to keep pumping. I would not have had time to sit down and use the Medela spectra that I rented.
I agree that it’s probably worthwhile to read comparison sites between willow and elvie.
The Elvie has removable & reusable plastic containers that you pump the milk into and then can pour into a bottle. These are NOT leak proof so if you bend over with them in, they may leak. There is an automatic sensor in the Elvie so it will stop pumping when it hits capacity- this sensor can be a bit finnicky if not kept clean.
The capacity of each side is 5 oz but again bc of the sensor if the milk sloshes around, they may turn off before it hits 5 oz.
There is also a timer that will shut the system off after a certain number of hours & each battery is good for ~2-3 pumps. I did not find the app helpful or useful at all (but that may have been because I bought mine secondhand).
The Elvie worked great until it didn’t (started getting clogged ducts) and ~5-6 months in I went back to the medela spectra until I stopped pumping at 10 months.
R says
I exclusively pumped for six months and splurged on the Elvie two months in. It’s not perfect, but was a lifesaver.
The app is pretty useless. I also had some issues with the pumps randomly leaking (I often put a nursing pad or just a tissue in my bra under the pump just in case), and occasionally one just didn’t work (it turned on but there was no suction). I emailed with customer service and they were very responsive in helping me figure out what the issue was and how to address it, but it was still annoying and every time it leaked or didn’t work felt like the end of the world during those first few fragile months (if I remember correctly, one of the parts was almost imperceptibly bigger or smaller than it was supposed to be and I basically just had to push it a little harder when I was putting it together to make sure everything was perfectly aligned).
But being able to move around freely, pick up the baby, fold laundry, cook, etc. while pumping was a gamechanger, and I think it’s the only way I managed to keep pumping as long as I did. It also allowed me to pump in front of friends and family who were visiting/helping with the baby instead of feeling like I had to go hide to pump. And it was very useful for traveling – I pumped in the car while my husband was driving and on an airplane with minimal awkwardness. Output was definitely lower than with my Spectra pump, but that was okay for my situation – my kid needed a ton of milk and my supply could never quite keep up with him anyway, so we were already supplementing with formula and I quickly gave up on making serious efforts to increase my supply. I still pumped with the Spectra first thing in the morning and at night to get a little more, but mostly used the Elvie during the day.
There’s a FB group called Willow & Elvie Pump Group with a ton of reviews of both pumps and a lot of useful tips that I found helpful for both practical purposes and commiseration.
RDC says
I got an Elvie this time around (3rd kid) and it was amazing the few times I was out at meetings for work and needed to be able to walk around or sit in a meeting while pumping. Other than a half-dozen times when this was the case, I’ve continued to use my Medela (from previous kid). I find the Medela to be more efficient / produce more, easier to put on, and more comfortable (or maybe I’m just more used to it). For its very specific use (being able to pump discretely while not tethered to a plug) it’s fantastic; the rest of the time I think a “regular” pump works better.
paging ASD mom from yesterday :-) says
I just saw the comment on ASD-1 kid yesterday. I have a son who is also ASD-1 and completely understand what you mean about straddling the disability line– our son does not have a lot of sensory problems and doesn’t melt down but does struggle with social things, and we do have issues with people thinking that since he isn’t being disruptive, he doesn’t need support. And I haven’t clicked with any other autism moms because they are usually dealing with way harder things than us or they are on the other end and have a kid who just presents as quirky and doesn’t need much support.
Anyway, our son is just turned 6, so younger than yours, but so far I have been proactive with telling other parents, teachers, extracurricular people, etc. about his autism in advance. I was a little on the fence about that, because it seems weird to share what is really his private medical info if he wasn’t going to have any problems, but I think it helps the adults think ahead of time about what they might expect and how to react, and generally helps no one get caught by surprise if something pops up. I’ve found that most of the time they usually talk to their kids about it too, depending on how much that might bother you. I was okay with it, and it seems to have helped his peers to know that they didn’t do something wrong if he wanders off in the middle of them speaking to him, for example. I was worried he’d get TOO much leeway– he is totally capable of behaving well, and I didn’t want him thinking he had a free jerk pass– but so far that has not been the case with school or swim teachers or other parents.
Treatment-wise, we had a great experience with the Early Start Denver Model, which is kind of ABA-based but much more holistic than the sort of transactional, stim-suppressing ABA that gets a bad rap. He made astounding progress. We transitioned him out of that recently and into just speech and OT, and both are doing a good job of helping him practice scenarios he might encounter, and they also have associated social/play groups where he can practice with other neurotypical kids and with kids who also need practice– it has also helped him learn to be patient with other kids who are more disabled than he is, which I think is really valuable.
Struggling mom says
I just want to thank you and everyone yesterday for sharing their experiences. My 3 YO son is being evaluated next month. He’s presented as quirky since 18 months old and is currently in speech therapy. His preschool teacher says he is doing well in the classroom but has noticed “oddities” like flapping his hands and humming during circle time (which drives the teacher crazy). My husband and I haven’t really observed those behaviors. I am really struggling with a possible (likely?) ASD diagnosis and I am not sure why. The fear of him being judged by others? The fear of being judged myself by others? Some deep rooted childhood messages of being different is a burden and therefore bad? I know I need a perspective shift, but I am having a lot of trouble getting there. I’d really love to hear how moms have grown into this.
pager says
Speaking only for myself– and from what I can tell from the autism moms FB groups that I kind of regret joining, there is a HUGE spectrum (ha) of how parents handle this and feel about it– I came down on the side of, knowledge is good and my main goal is maximizing his choices. The diagnosis was great for us because 1) it confirmed something really was going on, and for us it was kind of a fight with his pediatrician and day care providers because he wasn’t throwing tantrums and he was making eye contact, but you know, he didn’t know his sister’s name, and that is weird, and 2) the benefits it opened up– insurance now pays for everything, he isn’t limited in how many ST/OT sessions they cover, the county we live in has paid for his swim lessons and to get special door alarms when he was eloping, etc. You can get really bogged down in indecision on how to handle all of it. I got freaked out reading stories by autistic adults who feel really harmed by treatments they received in childhood. So I really decided that I want him to be able to present however he wants to, basically. Maybe he will want to present as NT when he is older and I’d rather have him have the tools. We never suppress any stimming that isn’t actively affecting other people– so sometimes he crosses his eyes to stim, that is fine. Sometimes he yell-sings, which is fine when we are at home but I want him to be able to whisper-sing if we’re out or if I’m trying to drive. If he wants to play alone, that is fine, but I want him to have the skills to be able to play and converse with people if he wants to. Our therapy did a really good job of that, and it turns out he really likes being social! To a point :-) They helped build his language capabilities to be basically age-appropriate now, and it is so helpful that now he can tell us his feelings and what he wants. They taught him a little conversation train book so he can learn how to tell if someone wants to talk about something else, or how to respond appropriately to questions they have, etc. So now he has the ability to tell how someone is feeling if they are yelling and how he might want to respond, and he can stop doing something temporarily if it is disturbing people or making him self-conscious, and all that was my goal. I was extremely worried about other kids making fun of him, and maybe it will crop up sometime? But so far, nothing. And his sister is a huge tattletale, we’d know if he was getting made fun of at school. But the kids in kindergarten right now just know that sometimes people are different– they have two kids with ADHD in their class and they know that James has trouble keeping his body still sometimes and uses a fidget, etc. He has been totally accepted, so that is a weight off. I still worry about will he hold a job, will he have good relationships, but well… lots of NT people don’t have jobs or good relationships so that would always have been a worry anyway? So overall, I think the diagnosis reduced my stress level instead of increasing it. But that is definitely not universal :-)
anonamama says
Need gift buying advice. In looking at a looong winter ahead, want to get our 2YO something fun for basement since we sold our unused montessori climber. We already have a mini trampoline. He’s very into jumping and as of late, “crashing” into things – both himself and cars. I’m looking at a mini blocksy couch, the up/down ramps, or a set of smaller foam blocks for building and crashing. Can anyone vouch for longevity, versatility of these things, or provide an enthusiastic vote for one of these options, or another I may not be considering? I’ve been deliberating for far too long. THANK YOU!
AwayEmily says
Nugget is awesome. We have ours set up in the kids’ room next to an old mattress on the floor, plus a pile of blankets, and the kids spend hours jumping and balancing and building forts. Is it an aesthetically pleasing setup? Nope. But worth it.
anon says
love the nugget. i want a second one but the color i want is sold out
OP says
I am now heavily swayed by the Nugget. Is the demand still as high as it was peak covid? Are they likely to refresh stock before Christmas?
Anon says
not as bad as peak covid, they sent emails a couple of weeks ago saying to start ordering for the holidays to make sure it gets there in time. they were shipping within 2-3 weeks, but now their website says “Orders placed between October 28th through November 4th will ship within 3 weeks of purchase. Orders placed between November 5th through November 9th will ship within 4 weeks of purchase. Orders between November 10th and November 15th will ship within 5 weeks of purchase. Orders placed on or after November 16th will ship within 8 weeks. ” i will say in my limited experience they have overestimated their shipping times
Mary Moo Cow says
An alternative to the Nugget is the Millard trifold futon bed from Am-zon.
NYCer says
YMMV, but I would let my 2yo use a scooter in the basement.
OP says
I would, too. We tried some empty garage playtime yesterday and I think this would be fun. good idea!!
Anonymous says
We do SO MUCH garage scootering /balance biking in the winter. Have never been so thankful for a two car garage.
Anonymous says
tumble mats, an inflatable bounce house, the little tykes roller coaster, a climbing structure you assemble and keep indoors, honestly, anything. A plastic slide.
Anonymous says
One of those plastic Little Tykes toddler basketball hoops.
Anon says
There’s a product similar to the Nugget called Fort if you want more options. It seems more configurable and sticks together, but we already have a nugget (which my kid loves).
DLC says
Does anyone actually have a Fort? We joined the original kickstarter in February and still don’t have one. There have been several emails about supply and shipping issues and they even asked for more money, promising that if we did we would be among the first to get them when they do ship. It’s kind of been a sunk cost for us at this point.
Anon says
OMG I did not know about that. Why are they still advertising it like it’s actually for sale?
Anonymous says
At that age DS loved the Melissa and Doug cardboard playhouse. It’s nothing fancy but he’d spend hours arranging toys inside and loved having a “secret” space.
Anonymous says
Nugget!! But it might not arrive by Christmas right now. We got ours January of last year and it’s been our toy hero. Wasn’t used as much this summer (but we sit on it to read a lot), and now with DST it’s been heavily used after dinner most nights. 4.5yo and 2yo love it. I wish I had gotten one when my oldest was 1.
Curious says
Cross posting from main site because I know some folks are just here.
Quick update and thanks — after yesterday’s advice, we have an intake appointment with Pacific NW Fertility for oncology related fertility preservation this morning. It was super fast and easy to set up, and it turns out Amazon’s reproductive care benefits are rather extraordinary. So we are feeling hopeful. Still nothing from pathology. Thank you all so much for the well wishes and advice!
Pogo says
oh yay! So glad to hear.
Anon says
Wonderful news!!! Thanks for the update! Will be sending good vibes around the Seattle area :)
Anonymous says
what are you gifting the 7/8/9 year old girls in your life? I need inspiration.
anonamama says
Popcorn maker for 8 yo niece was such a hit last year that she’s requesting the Dash donut maker this year. Under $20 so I can throw in a little gift card to the grocery store for ingredients.
Anonymous says
+1 for doughnut maker, cupcake maker, or cake pop maker with fun mixes and accessories. Science kits and craft kits are also a hit with this age group.
Anon says
Probably books, but I did get my 8 year old niece the geodes that someone recommended here and it was a big hit.
EP-er says
Daughter of that age has birthday right around Christmas. Some ideas from us and others: Sur La Table cooking class (fully vax’d by then) , cook book, tiny whisk, cake decorating spinny platter, sprinkles, monogrammed hoodie, jewelry making kits, Lego, Nintendo switch games (just dance, zelda), bath bombs, lip balm, fun hand sanitizer, fancy slippers, books.
Mary Moo Cow says
I’m giving my 8 year old niece the Alex Unicorn Paper Swirls kit (her request), a big initial necklace, and the first Penderwicks book. I considered Jibbitz, stud earrings (she just got her ears pierced) or a popper; my sister bought her a pastel multicolored popper purse. When she was 7 I bought her some black Piggie Paint nail polish and Fashion Angels Unicorn Yoga and both were well received.
DLC says
For my nine year old, the stuff on her list: Books (graphic novels in particular… the Dragonet series just came out in graphic novel format), cook books (milkbar just came out with a kids baking cookbook), clothes, hair accessories, a watch (maybe a fitness tracker type…). A tablet is the big aks, though we are on the fence as to what.
Anonymous says
On the tablet, iPad all the way. Many friends have had nothing but trouble with the Fire tablets. The iPad is easy to use and will be reliable for years.
Anonymous says
We got our 8 year old niece a craft kit over the summer and it was the biggest hit.
Anonymous says
My husband has apparently been abducted by aliens and replaced by a being that looks like my husband but is suggesting that I take a relaxing trip either alone or with my mother. I must capitalize on this and make reservations before my actual husband is returned from the mothership. I have no idea where to go. Any suggestions for a relaxing winter getaway within driving distance of Virginia, preferably also easily accessible from Pittsburgh? Looking for hotel-style lodging (not a rental home or a B and B), pretty mountain or lake scenery, good takeout food, walkable area of cute shops, in a COVID-conscious location so we can relax and not worry too much about unmasked antivaxxers. Bonus if there is snowshoeing or downhill skiing, but it’s not necessary because mom doesn’t ski.
Anon says
I’ve heard that Nemacolin is nice.
OP says
This is perfect! Thank you.
anonamama says
Also Omni Bedford Springs! I’ve done both in the winter. Both $$$ but Nemacolin – no shortage of activities including casino, huge spa building, lots of dining, a little over the top in some ways. Bedford – smaller, quieter, also a nice spa and indoor pool, but definitely the low-key option. More of a halfway point distance wise.
Spirograph says
+1 Nemacolin IS nice!
ElisaR says
also they filmed bachelorette or bachelor at nemacolin…. so there’s that endorsement!
OP says
Hmmm, maybe that means I should look at the Omni instead? My mom and I are not that … sparkly.