This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Happy Monday! I like the look of this highly-rated “crinkle” maternity dress from Tees by Tina. Although it seems suspicious that one size fits women sized 2-10, most of the reviewers really seem to love it. It’s $98 at Nordstrom. Tees by Tina ‘Crinkle’ Maternity Dress (Psst: here’s a dress that is not only less expensive ($27) but also comes in sizes up to XXL…) A few deal alerts: Bare Necessities has a great sale on some of my favorite brands like Fantasie, Freya, Panache, Le Mystere — 40% off plus an extra 15% off with code EXTRA15. Also, panties starting at $6.99. (Sadly, no nursing bras are on sale — but they do have a pretty wide selection.) Second: I mentioned this at the main site, but Ann Taylor is having a 65% off sale through noon (and then 60% off through midnight tonight). Again, no maternity clothes, but lots of good prices.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
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
Click here to see our top posts!
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?
ANP says
I need some help from mamas who are probably smarter than I am. I ordered my 19-month-old two pairs of nonreturnable TOMS (same color, two sizes — one for now and a second for later). The kid’s worn crocs all summer long and now when I put the TOMS on him he yells “Too tight! Too tight!” He does this even for the size that’s bigger than what he wears now. My guess is that he’s used to the looseness of the crocs and doesn’t like the fact that the TOMS are more fitted.
I’ve tried to get these on him half a dozen times to no avail. Is that it? Should I just give up and get him a pair of winter, fuzzy-lined crocs? Will he ever wear shoes that aren’t made of plastic?
(former) preg 3L says
Maybe have him start wearing socks with crocks to get used to something tighter on his feet? Then try the TOMS again after a week of socks? (That sounds SO FRUSTRATING though!)
JJ says
So we have some shoes that we bought and my toddler just flat-out refused to wear. Every time we tried to put them on him, he would either fight tooth and nail, or eventually rip them off. I don’t know if we’ll win any parenting awards, but for some of those we decided life was too short and gave up on trying to make him wear them.
For other shoes, it all depended on his mood. Just yesterday for church, we got him to wear some shoes that he’s always balked at before because we just matter-of-factly put them on him while he was watching TV and distracted. He didn’t realize what shoes they were until later and when he asked to change, we said we would do it later. He forgot, we never changed his shoes, and he wore them today to day care.
All that to say, maybe try distracting him with TV? Or making sure to do it when he’s in a good mood?
hoola hoopa says
Sizes can vary from brand to brand. A whole size difference wouldn’t surprise me. Then there’s the fact that some brands fit a certain foot better or worse. When he had them on, did they seem roomy? It may be that they are actually too small. I trust my kids; it’s their feet.
I’d try another sneaker and see if he responds the same way. You can do it in store, so you don’t have to buy any more. I recommend a kids shoe store. They are great with kids who don’t want to put on shoes and can help you find a good fit for his feet.
Meg Murry says
Crocs are rather wide as well – is it possible he needs a wide width shoe (or just is used to one now)? My son had a pair of wide width shoes that he got as a hand-me-down, and when I put on other shoes that aren’t wide width, he complains about them being too tight, even when there is tons of extra length, and they don’t otherwise look too narrow. Its all brand-by-brand.
But yes, I’ve given up on buying my kids shoes that aren’t returnable, because those, of course, will be the ones they hate or that don’t fit properly – unless I’m buying them secondhand for $5 or less, in which case I’ll chance it.
AnonToMomsAlready says
Looking for a bit of practical (non-medical) advice/ shared wisdom from moms-already or soon-to-be-moms… My husband and I are TTC. So theoretically, each month, there is a 2-week period during which I could unconsciously be pregnant.
How did/ do you handle this in-between stage when it comes to getting vaccinations or x-rays, having a drink or two after work, drinking 3 shots of espresso per day, running (not jogging) 5k in a decent time, eating sushi, cheese and raw meat, booking overseas vacations that might fall into a possible pregnancy, going to the sauna etc. ? I.e. anything that is not detrimental to (or might even be beneficial for) a healthy lifestyle, but is inadvisable/ needs to be moderated when pregnant.
BTW, before the bashing starts about not being able to forgo just a few things for the sake of a healthy baby: We have been TTC for a year, with a miscarriage and several late p… This has taken a significant toll on us emotionally, which in turn makes it more difficult TC. (I am a total basket case during the two weeks of being in limbo each month, and thinking about it every time I decide what to eat/ drink/ do is certainly not very helpful.)
Pogo says
I’m not a medical expert, but it’s only two weeks. I think anything you mention in terms of food/drink would be fine in that two week-window. I have many friends who did any and all of these activities before they knew they were pregnant and have perfectly healthy kiddos. If you are very active before pregnancy there’s no reason you need to stop running anyway.
X-rays and vaccinations I’m not so sure of – I would answer truthfully when they say, “Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” The medical professionals who are seeing you should know if the x-ray/vaccine you’re getting can be delayed, or if you should get a pregnancy test on the spot before proceeding (for example, if you were in a car accident and they needed an x-ray of your spine. For dental x-rays, I’m betting they’d say, “well, if you might be pregnant, let’s just skip them)
Booking an overseas trip is a little more difficult, but again I have had many friends who flew late into their pregnancies and were fine (not sure if it’s the flying or the foreign country you’re worried about – I would avoid any country where I had to be on anti-malaria medication or something, but I plan to travel to Europe during my pregnancy if I’m feeling OK and my job requires it).
AnonToMomsAlready says
Thank you Pogo – it´s really helpful to hear someone else´s suggestions.
KJ says
My understanding is that it takes a few weeks before you start sharing blood with the embryo, so you don’t need to worry about that. Most people are pregnant for at least a few weeks before they even realize it. Personally, I had a bunch of cocktails the night before I found out I was pregnant.
I also went on an overseas vacation during my second trimester, but it’s so variable how you might be feeling, refundable tickets or planning a vacation you could enjoy while feeling like crap might be a good idea.
KJ says
Oh, and anyone who bashes you re: “forgoing a few things for the sake of the baby” before you are even pregnant is an a$$hole and should not be listened to. All of these decisions are highly personal both before and during your pregnancy. I did my research and avoided all deli meat and soft cheese when I was pregnant, but drank small amounts of alcohol occasionally. I got criticized for being too uptight on the former and too reckless on the latter. You will never please everyone, so for the sake of your sanity, do your research, make your decisions, and then let it go.
AnonToMomsAlready says
Thanks KJ! Maybe for the sake of my sanity, I should take up yoga again :-)
(former) preg 3L says
IMHO, don’t have more than 2 drinks in a night during those 2 weeks or go to the sauna. Pogo has good suggestions re: medical procedures/vaccinations. I wouldn’t worry about sushi or cheese or raw meat, but I would dial back on high-mercury fish (like tuna, swordfish, and shark) in general — only have them once a month or every other week. I’m sure others are stricter or have more helpful advice, but FWIW, that’s where I would draw the line for myself if I were in your shoes. Good luck! (I’m not a doctor.)
mascot says
During TTC, I lived my life as normal. I ate what I wanted, I didn’t worry about having a drink, etc. I think I got my flu shot in there too. (My OB insisted on pregnant ladies getting it, so I figured during TTC, it was fine). I declined dental xrays, but like Pogo said, those aren’t generally done on as an emergency proceeding. We did have a spa visit booked during the process. I tested before we went and it was positive. The spa was really accommodating about switching my massage to a facial on very short notice, although I did miss the hot tubs and such.
We did a Europe trip at the very beginning of TTC. I knew I wanted to taste all the wine in our travels, so we were able to schedule around that. It was a once in a decade kind of trip and I didn’t want to have to worry about any pregnancy issues.
AnonToMomsAlready says
Just found out there is a triple OB/ fertility/ immunology specialist just around the corner from our home. I´ll probably go see him for my yearly round of shots instead of my usual OB. G**gle is a wonderful thing! :-)
Anon says
Felt old and obsolete after one and a half years of trying to conceive. Got drunk. Conceived one day after turning 25. Had no idea, had a tone of shots and medications and went travelling to a developing nation. Pregnancy was healthy and uneventful. Kid is healthy.
It will happen when it happens if it is going to happen.
AEK says
What I did is not change a thing, food/drink/exercise – wise doing our “two week window.” As I am learning, pregnancy is a long slog, especially when you find out at the first possible second that you’ve conceived. I’m glad I didn’t sacrifice an additional two weeks of normalcy every cycle (but for us it didn’t take long).
If we had run into trouble, though, I might have taken a different mentality. I think at least with drinking, although it’s way too soon for alcohol to reach / harm the pre-embryo, it can affect the whole implantation process, so maybe I would have just played it extra safe. But I haven’t been in that position so I just don’t know. I can equally see that doing everything “right” and then still not getting the result you want would be even more upsetting (because of course that’s probably the same time your hard-drinking little sister will tell you “OMG, I just got pregnant on our first try!”).
It sounds like for you, you don’t need any added stress or worry during that period, so please don’t worry about what others think. Do what makes you feel the best. Good luck.
AnonToMomsAlready says
Good luck to you, too!
And you are very probably right about not needing any added stress/ worry. The past year has been quite a roller-coaster ride – so far with the only (but significant) benefit of a stronger relationship between HB & me.
JJ says
I typed a much longer reply that was lost to the internet nether world. But I wanted to add that I was you a few years ago. During those two weeks, I would drink but not get “drunk” and would decrease somewhat my caffeine consumption. I was supposed to have a back x-ray, but told my doctor that I might be pregnant and he ordered an MRI instead.
If it helps at all – I ended up having to get x-rays when I was 20 weeks pregnant with my second son because I broke a rib and we had to find out if it was puncturing my lung. The x-ray techs and doctors were extraordinarily cautious (I had 4 lead vests over my mid-section) and very conscientious to only take the images that they absolutely needed. I didn’t enjoy potentially exposing my baby to x-rays, but he ended up fine.
Finally, I can also vouch that going through this time can make your relationship with your husband better and closer. And when you finally do have a child(ren), you will both be so grateful and, if he’s anything like my husband, pretty much the best dad in the world. So there is a silver lining!
Newly pregnant says
I was very surprised to learn I was pregnant. My husband and I had been TTC for several months, and I had just had an appointment with my OB who basically told me that we were “doing it wrong” (she said it kindly), so I assumed that I had missed the window for that month. In the weeks that followed I had several nights of drinking waaaaaaaay more than I normally do (and sometimes well more than 2 glasses a night), ate hot dogs, salami, unpasteurized cheese, oysters, and continued to chug coffee and work out intensely. So, yeah.
I have yet to hear the heartbeat (hopefully this week!) and I’ve been having a fair bit of anxiety about the above. I started reading Expecting Better, and it has calmed me down some. So far, the book seems to indicate that statistically speaking: up to 3-4 8oz cups of coffee (not espresso) per day is okay, a glass of wine a couple of days per week during the first trimester is okay (best if you drink slowly so your liver can metabolize it), sushi can be okay (obviously not gas station sushi), and hot tubs are probably best avoided. I don’t want to misstate anything from the book, but those were my immediate takeaways. I’d recommend picking up a copy of the book.
AnonToMomsAlready says
You (and your baby) will be fine! As my (very nice and very competent) OB said: In our high-standard country, nothing a woman does, eats or drinks will harm her embryo (apart from being a full-blown alcoholic gulping down vodka by the bottle…). He is from Eastern Europe and worked in rural Africa for several years, which apparently gives him a more down-to-earth perspective towards pregnancy. (Which is why he is such a good doctor for me, as I am such a nervous wreck.)
And thanks for the book recommendation. So far I´ve only read “What to expect before you are expecting” and it sounded like a looooong list of not-to-do´s.
Anon says
I think it’s really irresponsible to suggest, based on the ancedotal information of one OB, that nothing short of ‘gulping down vodka by the bottle’ will affect a pregnancy. That’s just not true.
Every public health agency in the western world (North Amercia, Australia, Britain, Europe) advises that there is no known level of safe drinking in a pregnancy.
I agree with you that Newly pregnant’s baby will be fine but I’ve worked with too many moms devasted by a FASD diagnosis for their children to pretend that you have to drink vodka by the bottle to create a problem.
AnonToMomsAlready says
And just how exactly did I suggest that nothing short of…?Let the bashing begin!
Anon says
in that case to quote precisely from your post “nothing a woman does, eats or drinks will harm her embryo (apart from being a full-blown alcoholic gulping down vodka by the bottle…”
AnonToMomsAlready says
P.S. My Eastern Europe OB had a hard time not to laugh when I told him I considered 5-6 strong cocktails or 1-2 bottles of wine/ evening as “significantly heavy drinking”.
AnonToMomsAlready says
P.S. While not TTC AND while on vacation… before anyone posts how irresponsible I am.
Carrie M says
I totally hear you, and it sounds like I took a similar approach as you. I didn’t want to put my life on hold while TTC because I had no idea how long it would take. But I also wanted to be responsible and cautious. After the first few months of acting like I was pregnant during the “two week wait” (and then learning that I wasn’t), I basically lived life normally (within reason). I booked trips (but bought trip insurance), ate what I wanted, drank caffeine (but had reduced my intake just so I wouldn’t go through caffeine withdrawal if/when I got pregnant), exercised, and would have a glass of wine or beer. I tested before a big night out when I knew I would want more than one drink (2 weddings and 2 bachelorettes fell during some of my “two week waits”) just to be safe.
Actually, the way I found out I was pregnant was that I opened a beer after a long day, and it tasted a little off. I tested, and it was positive. I had one more sip to “cheers” with my husband. At the time, I wished I had tested after having that beer so I could have enjoyed one last one:)
It can be a long slog, so I get where you’re coming from. I think you’re taking a reasonable approach, and if it helps make the whole process less stressful for you, then I think you should continue what you’re doing. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think any of the things you listed are proven to reduce your chances of conceiving. Good luck!!
oil in houston says
I stopped all alcohol during that ‘TWW’, but kept eating the same things as before, you can question my logic, but that’s what I felt comfortable doing!
regarding anything medical, I always explained to the doc/nurse that I was in the 2 week window, and let them judge the situation, anything Xray generally had to wait.
regarding sports, I did what felt good to me. Still the same now that I’m 24w pregnant.
hope it helps, good luck
Famouscait says
Question about birth announcements. Our baby’s name is officially “William Jefferson Clinton” (for example) but will be going by the name “Bill.” Has anyone seen a birth announcement that does a good job of distinguishing between the “offfical” name and the name the baby will be called? Also – thoughts on combining the baby announcement and a holiday-type card?
FVNC says
We didn’t send formal birth announcements, but in emails and on FB, we said something like: “William Jefferson Clinton was born DATE TIME. We are doing well and are thrilled to welcome Bill to the world.” Maybe something like that could work for a formal announcement, too?
ETA: Our daughter has an “official” name, but we generally call her by the shorter, common nickname. Most people caught on very quickly, although my father and mother in law do not use her nickname. Oh well.
Meg Murry says
What about one like this- put “Hello Bill” or “Welcome Bill” at the top in big, and put his full name at the bottom along with the day and vitals.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birth-announcements/bokeh-hello-boy-birth-announcement-4×8-photo?productCode=1120273&categoryCode=60306&skuCode=1120274
I’d be cool with receiving a combo birth announcement/holiday card from a family. Just include pictures of you and H as well as baby – I’m not a huge fan of getting holiday cards from families that only include pictures of the kids, like the parents just ceased to exist once the kids showed up.
mascot says
Would something like this work? http://www.tinyprints.com/product/925/boy_photo_birth_announcements_sky_blue_nickname_announcement.html
There are probably a couple of variations out there.
Pogo says
I have had friends do a combo birth announcement/Xmas card. It seems like a good way to save paper/postage.
Carrie M says
Same. Tiny Prints has a whole section like this under Holiday & Christmas Birth Announcements. Some of them are really cute!
Famouscait says
Thanks for mentioning this! I just found some good ideas.
Lyssa says
When Kat announced here (well, on the other one, I think) that her second had been born, I’m pretty sure that she phrased it something like that – announcing his full name (Harrison Something) and then referring to him as “Harry” a sentence or two later. So you could borrow from her.
hoola hoopa says
One of our kids is the same and born with an official nickname. We put the official full name in the main birth announcement area (weight, date, etc), then said something like “Bill is happily at home with his proud parents MomName and DadName and siblings BigSis and LittleSis” in the ‘comment’ section below.
I think a combo is fine, particularly for first children. For a 2nd or 3rd child, I’d personally send two separate cards in one envelope rather than combining all together into one card. I received the recommendation to do them separately because then you can get your holiday cards out on time and focus on your announcement, but that’s going to depend on due date and when you’d get the newborn photos, etc.
It’s worth mentioning that I care about cards and announcements more than the average person. I genuinely enjoy making and sending them.
Anon says
Cloth diapers.
We are planning to cloth diaper baby 1, daycare is on board. Kid will be going to daycare at three months. Husband and I both work full time. How many diapers do we need per day? Would love to hear from couples who work. I keep getting advice from moms who are doing a year of mat leave or who have nannies. I doubt I will have time to wash a load of diapers every day. :)
NP says
We use a cloth diaper service which is AWESOME. In the beginning I think we used 10 or 11 each day. At 5 months it is more like 7 or 8.
hoola hoopa says
Does your daycare do cloth diapers, or are you only doing diapers on weekends/evenings?
It varies from child to child, but rule of thumb is 12 diapers/day for newborns and gradually decreasing to ~6/day for a child ready to be PT’d. For a 3-6 month old and washing every other day (which was comfortable for us), I’d have 24 diapers. That’s roughly 10 per day plus a little buffer. For cost, we had additional prefolds (with snappi and covers) available for heavy days or late laundry. Prefolds are super handy to have around anyway for misc messes.
FWIW, We really loved the bumGenius Elemental One-Size All-In-One. Sooooo easy. Green Mountain Diaper sells Clotheez which are by far the best prefold. The AIO are easier for care providers who aren’t familiar with prefolds (and IMO, even those who think they are familiar with prefolds) and work a lot better in general.
In our area, diaper services were crazy overpriced and limited to prefolds. I’ve also been told that their laundry procedures aren’t very good if eco-consciousness is your primary motivation.
Nonny says
Hoola Hoopa is right on. Re prefolds, I bought a whole bunch but ended up preferring all-in-ones (esp. Tots Bots and AppleCheeks) – however, we ended up using our prefolds as burp cloths for our super spitter. We went through about 4 or 5 burp cloths per day! So prefolds are super useful no matter what.
I also didn’t use a diaper service, but found that doing a diaper wash every second day was seriously no big deal. Occasionally I would stretch it to every three days. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it longer than that, though, because the ammonia builds up and the diapers get a little rank.
However, I would say that if you do not have your own washer and dryer (in your house or apartment), I would think twice about not using a diaper service – I do think that it would have been quite difficult if I had been living in an apartment building with a common laundry room.
It’s so great that your daycare is on board! Ours is not (there are very few around us that are) so we have ended up having to switch to disposables (but otherwise we love our daycare, so I am willing to accept it). We still use cloth on weekends.
hoola hoopa says
Yes, I did assume OP has their own laundry facilities. Very true that if someone doesn’t, the diaper service is the way to go – for ease/time and to avoid drawing the eternal scorn of their neighbors for putting poop in the communal washer.
NP says
I should have said that I do not have my own laundry facilities. So the service is actually cheaper for us than disposables or washing via coin-op machines
(former) preg 3L says
There’s some good info on the blog young house love about cloth diapering: http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/08/the-much-requested-cloth-diaper-post/
sfg says
Also the Baby Rabies blog has some great info as well.
Pogo says
My SIL cloth diapered exclusively for her first, and I think they had 20ish total. She also ended up doing a load of laundry almost every day regardless of diaper situation- because the baby had thrown up or otherwise soiled other clothes/burp clothes anyway.
The one problem she had (and it might have helped to have more of them so they don’t get washed so much, I guess) is that the elastic started to fail on one of the brands she used. I think it was Rumparooz. She used the recommended detergent and everything but being washed 3 times per week for two years on end is a lot for any fabric to handle. Theoretically if you had like, 40 diapers, each one would only be washed once or twice a week, and might last longer (but still, two years given the wear and tear seemed pretty impressive to me!)
Anonymous says
I think (based on personal experience and poor laundry skills) that the dryer is what ruins the elastic. I’m pretty sure that’s what did mine in.
Msj says
We allowed for 24 diapers per baby for the newborn stage. They often decide to pee in the middle of a change so we can go through several for just one change. We wash approx every other day which is doable as we have a w/d on the same level as the nursery. I agree with everyone else that this is only doable if you have your own machine
We use diaper rite newborn prefolds and thirsties duo covers. We are moving up to the next size, but plan on sticking with the prefolds for now. They are the most economical and we haven’t found them difficult to use.
Anon says
Thanks ladies! That was super helpful. As far as I can tell my area has no diaper service :(
Anonymous says
We both work full time (I’m a big law associate and my spouse is an academic, so we are pretty busy.) I cloth diapered for 2.5 years, until my kid was potty trained, and we still cloth diaper at night. I had all-in-two style cloth diapers (soft bums echo). At the beginning, I believe I sent about 5 shells and 10 pads to daycare. We bought 16 covers and 32 pads. Washed every 2-3 days. When my son was first born, and we were learning to diaper, we went through a ton and had to wash all the time and freaked out, but by the time I went back to work we were much more competent. I seem to recall the daycare had a learning curve too. I recommend keeping a bag of disposables in your trunk in case you forget to pack diapers one day.
hoola hoopa says
+1 for stash of disposables. We always used one for nights, too.
Nonny says
Seconded re using disposables at night. We tried using cloth at night but switched to disposables at night within a matter of weeks.