Maternity Monday: Short Sleeve Scoop Neck Beaded Detail Top
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Sales of note for 2/7:
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy’s – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
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?
My mother watches our nine month old daughter two days a week. I need opinions on two things that are annoying me, but I recognize I might be being ridiculous about:
1. Lately, my aunts seem to be dropping by ALL the time to visit when she’s there. Once in awhile I thought it was cute. Now I find it annoying that they think they unlimited access to my kid when I’m not there. It’s not that I think anything bad will happen, but it seems unfair to hubby’s relatives who don’t have that opportunity and quite frankly I get a little jealous they are all having a grand old time when I’m at work. Again, once in a while I didn’t mind, but it’s a weekly thing now it seems. On the other hand, maybe this is a control freak problem of mind I need to let got.
2. my parents are digging up old toys of my 28 year old sister for my baby to play with! I’m talking Fisher Price little people house, etc. I checked and it was never subject to a recall (earlier, smaller little people sets were). My mother think it’s fine b/c she wiped it down with antibacterial wipes first. Meanwhile I’m worried aobut recalls, lead paint, BPA, etc concerns which probably never entered her mind.
Am I being crazy to want to say something about either issue?
To continue the daycare theme of today’s comments… had my first day back at work today and my 4 month old’s first day at daycare (a half day). I cried at drop off as expected and also in the car on the way to work, but once I got to work, it was ok. He did fine. I think the dread was worse than the reality. It really helps that this daycare is convenient to my regular commute and also super warm and friendly. The lead teacher gave me a hug when I left this morning. They took picture of my baby having a good time playing. I’m so relieved to have the first day over. Just an update for those who gave me advice last week when I was worried about the transition!
Daycare center question for all of you: I am an expecting first-time mom looking at daycare centers. I recently visited a place that seems like a potentially good fit (decent price, good hours, policies I agree with, etc.), but when I toured the facility with the director, the infant teachers weren’t speaking to the infants at all. It is so important for their development for infants and young children to hear words, and as a result, this really worried me. One teacher was feeding some of the infants, but not really interacting or speaking with them besides giving them food, and another teacher was playing with them on the ground, but once again, was essentially silent. I wonder if this was perhaps due to the time of my visit, end of the day on Friday, but I wanted to see how much weight you all think I should give this?
Also, the director said all of their teachers had been at the center for years, and that parents have access to a video feed of the kids during the day as well as an open door drop-in policy. This makes me think that if silent teachers were really a problem, some parent would have complained already, but all the comments I have seen on this facility on local listservs have been positive.
Thoughts?
Do you say something to a friend and her husband that are often careless with their children? Examples:
– routinely leaves their baby unattended on changing table (i.e. walk to kitchen from nursery to grab something, not turn around to grab something in nursery…although neither are a good idea, the former is really bad.)
– allows 16 month old to play in the back yard by himself (it’s a 1/4 acre fenced yard but there are things he could get into at his age…the grill, yard tools, he could injure himself on the rocks, etc.)
– she mentioned the other day that she found a steak knife in her 16 month olds toy box and wasn’t sure how it got there. She thought it was funny.
These are just some examples of the things I’ve witnessed. Her 9 month old fell off the changing table last week and hit her head on the wood floor and immediately started vomiting. She thought she was vomiting because she was crying hysterically…could be that or a head injury. She took her to the ER after waiting an hour for the on call pediatrician to call her back. She called me in the interim and I told her “I’d take her to the ER immediately if she’s vomiting”. They did a scan and found that she was just fine.
These were great childhood friends of ours before we all had children. Now I’m always on edge around them due to their parenting. Do I just keep my mouth shut? What do you do in this situation?
Went home over lunch today (20 mins per direction) and stopped at the store to pick up milk so the hubs who is a SAHD wouldn’t have to lug the toddler and baby to the store. As I sat down to nurse the baby I said, “Would you like to heat me up some leftovers?” He said, “Not really.” I then was more explicit, “Would you please heat me up some leftovers? I have to return to work as soon as baby is done nursing.” He gave me a side eye and his butt didn’t move from the couch.
I think my blood pressure is still elevated.
Out of my circle of friends with babies two of us were terminated without cause from our jobs right after returning from maternity leave. One voluntarily decided not to return and taken alternative employment. Another two are extending maternity leave with support of their companies. Is there a blog anywhere about maternity leave and professional women? Just wondering how unusual or usually experiences have been.
Thank you so much, Kat, for posting something in the plus-sized maternity category. Plus-sized maternity clothes are just a nightmare in general, especially business-appropriate plus-sized maternity clothes (and that’s if you can even find them!). Thanks for speaking to this readership.
Ok, I’m at the halfway point and think I’m ready to bite the bullet on some kind of pillow, as various little aches and pains are now popping up in the night. I know there are a ton of recommendations for the Snoogle, but wanted to see if everyone here agrees and/or recommends something else. I’m slightly afraid of the Snoogle because of it’s size, but am open to pretty much anything.
I am 2 weeks post-c-section, and missing my old exercise routine. I know it’s too early to start anything strenuous, but I’m researching some ideas. So –
MuTu system: discuss.
Any tips for traveling away from the little one?
First (work) overnight trip without the little one is coming up. Husband and tot are coming with me for the weekend before, then heading back home and I’m staying for another four days.
I thought I was okay with this when I planned the trip — I was actually looking forward to it. Now I’m starting to get nervous, mostly because I’m going to miss her like crazy. Her dad will do just fine with her, but he’s apprehensive.
Favorite work maternity pants with a full panel? I am having a hard time finding ones that look professional and aren’t giant bootcut style.
A tunic with a pencil skirt? That cannot look good. On anyone.
I need some collective mama support. Dropped off my toddler at a new daycare center today and she played happily while I was there but when I said goodbye she screamed bloody murder. I could hear her down the hallway as I was filling out paperwork. Then, went to the car and her caregiver was holding her while she frantically screamed MAMA! out the window. My heart breaks :(
Happy Monday everyone! Immediate TJ – I had a c section with my first and am now pregnant with my second. My doctor has asked me to start thinking about the VBAC thing and I’m having trouble finding useful information/resources – everything she gave me is really general and all I can find in books/online seems to have an agenda. I guess I’m looking for an “Expecting Better”-type thing – i.e., more specifics re: the real issues and the risk numbers than the hospital pamphlets give you, and without a bias one direction or the other. So frustrating that these things are so hard to find. Thanks y’all!