Maternity Monday: Eastbrook Turtleneck Cross Back Sweater
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When I was pregnant with both of my kids, I would often buy non-maternity clothes that accommodated my growing waistline — A-line dresses, stretchy tunic sweaters, and empire waist tops. One wardrobe item that became a winter pregnancy essential was the cross back (or open back) sweater. Pre-pregnancy, I always thought these sweaters were a little silly. The open back seemed to defeat the basic purpose of a sweater — staying warm. But, as a twice pregnant person, I saw them with fresh eyes.
You can find many variations of this sweater. (I had a luxe orange cashmere tunic.) Right now, I’m partial to Madewell’s Eastbrook Turtleneck Cross Back Sweater for the cold weather that’s settled in post-holidays.
It has a longer, boxy fit, comes in three easy-to-match colors (I’m torn between Etruscan Clay and Marled Zebra), and has a relaxed, almost cowl-like turtleneck. As your belly (and the opening in the back) grows, just slip on a stretchy cami or shirt underneath. (I like Uniqlo’s Heattech.) Post-baby, it’ll work well for a weekend outing, work-from-home day, or a more casual office.
The sweater is $98 at Nordstrom and is available in XXS though XXL in all three colors. It’s currently on sale at Madewell for $69.99 — with an extra 30% off — but there are only limited sizes in each color. Eastbrook Turtleneck Cross Back Sweater
Sales of note for 6/30/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – 2,700+ new markdowns for women — and the Anniversary Sale preview has started!
- Ann Taylor – 40% off your purchase, including new arrivals + summer steals $39+
- Banana Republic Factory – July Fourth Event, 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – $19+ select styles + extra 50% off all sale
- J.Crew – End of season sale, extra 60% off sale styles + up to 40% off select cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – All-Star Sale, 40-70% off entire site and storewide and extra 60% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Sitewide Sale, save 25% with code — 48 hours only! Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Free shipping on everything
- Talbots – 40% off entire purchase, includes all markdowns (ends 7/3)
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?
I interviewed for a job last year as COVID sent us all into lockdown and the company froze hiring. The job is now open again and they reached out to me about it. I’m still interested but just found out I’m pregnant (6 weeks so still super early). Any thoughts/experiences on when to tell the company about the pregnancy in the hiring process?
Daycare finally got with the times and decided we only have to wash the bedding weekly! Hallelujah for small victories and less laundry.
Mask help — I am having a hard time finding masks that fit my 11-year-old well. Many of the child-size masks are too small — they move around a lot when he talks — and adult sizes are huge. He also is very hard on his masks and tends to chew on the inner liner when he’s stressed, so I’d prefer to buy a cheap multipack and be done with it. Any suggestions? I have spent so much money on ill-fitting masks. Ugh.
Can anyone recommend any books on management/running your own team/etc? I have gone from being a grad student to an academic job where I am starting my own lab and managing grad students/research coordinators/teaching assistants/etc, and I have never learned any management skills/etc. Any book recs (or even advice) would be very much appreciated!
Lord help – how long does the climbing phase last? We are in full lockdown and my 17 months old is climbin on EEEEVERYTHING, it makes WFH without childcare even more impossible than it was a few months ago.
Any advice?
Big thank you to whomever mentioned the KAI “my first knife” a couple weeks back. We got one for my 4 year old for Christmas, and he loves it. Any time someone mentions food, its “will my knife cut that? Can I help?”
He helped me make ants on a log on Christmas day, and he’s been telling everyone that he got a knife and celery for Christmas.
I’m sure that the past ten days brought a lot of high highs and low lows for many and I don’t even celebrate Christmas but enjoy living vicariously- so any holiday highlights you’d like to share? Biggest hits with your kiddos? Funny moments?
So we’ve never had legos in the house and my four year old got a pretty big box full for Christmas. I’m not sure if it’s going to be a thing that sticks or not (my kids have weirdly never been big magnatile builders?) but in case it is, any suggestions for best way to organize and store them? I’m assuming these aren’t the last legos we’ll receive. And I should probably be encouraging them to play with them more right?
Separate question – does anyone have brilliant puzzle storage solutions?
I got vaccinated last week!! Wanted to share my experience:
I received Moderna, and the shot itself is so not painful I was concerned later that the vaccination and I had been chatting so much that I didn’t get it. Arm a bit sore the next day but not even as bad a flu shot. Around the 36 hour mark I was very very fatigued, I remarked I felt like I do when my body is fighting off a cold which.. duh. It passed by the next day. To my knowledge, I have not had COVID (anecdotally I’ve noticed that people I know who have already had it seem to have more vaccine side effects, I imagine from a stronger immune response)
I noticed the same (fatigue on the second day after) in my husband who was vaccinated a week before me, but thought it was just work/christmas exhaustion at the time.
Back from leave today and I feel like such a rookie – was taking off my flanges and spilled milk all over! Little guy is taking the bottle from DH so that’s good, and I’m surprisingly engaged with my work despite being like six feet from the nursery. What a crazy time to do anything, including having a baby.
This is my last week of maternity leave (first baby). What are your best tips for returning to work?
Relevant info:
– I work full-time remote (pre-pandemic)
– Baby will be in our (small) home. My parents will watch her the first week, and then my husband and I will juggle our full-time jobs plus childcare until we hire a nanny (we had one lined up – and she backed out Dec 26). We have to pay on the books due to our jobs and that plus Covid childcare shortage = no one yet!
– I’m breastfeeding so will plan to do so whenever possible during the day – otherwise, pumped bottles. Can’t breastfeed on calls bc she is a VERY loud eater at first!
Ugh, you guys…full lockdown from midnight tonight. It’s absolutely the right thing to do, but oof… I’m going to apply for part-time furlough, which will likely be denied, but at least points to a systemic problem, especially when other colleagues with young children do the same.
Glad to have this forum back! Not to start on a low note, but I am struggling today with gray skies and sadness that the city where I live (DC), which is usually tolerable/even fun with kids in the winter because of all the museums, indoor pools, kids theaters, libraries, and fun events has none of that this year. Instead, I am worried, and resentful that I am worried, about violence on Wednesday thanks to Trump and every single person that has enabled and supported him. Any silver linings I am missing?