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Last summer, when I had to admit that I really needed to buy a new swimsuit, something completely unexpected happened: I found one I actually like. I read a lot of reviews and checked a bunch of websites, from Zappos to Lands’ End to Athleta, looking for a bathing suit that was flattering and forgiving, covered a bit more than usual, and still looked cute and not frumpy. A tall order, to be sure, but the Amazon reviews for this suit were promising (300+ reviews, 4.4 out of 5 stars), and I was hopeful about the “slimming, shaping tummy panel,” so I bought it (in two sizes to be safe — it does run small).
The verdict: I really like it! It’s comfortable, flattering, cute, and retro without making you look like you’re on your way to a costume party. I have the black/white polka dot print pictured here, but there are many, many fun options, from solid colors to gingham to cherries, anchors, or hibiscus flowers. The suit, which is made in the U.S., is available at Amazon for $25-$82 (with many Prime eligible); here is everything from the brand that’s available there. Over at the “Official Esther Williams Fan Page and Swimsuit Shop,” it’s a bit easier to get an idea of what’s available (and avoid Amazon’s oddly-Photoshopped, unnatural model photos at the same time). There the suit is $77-$79, in sizes 4-16 and 16W-26W. Esther Williams Classic Sheath One-Piece Swimsuit
(L-4)
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Philanthropy Girl says
Very cute!
Surprisingly, even given post-baby bulge and hormonal issues contributing to additional weight gain, I also found a suit I liked – at Sears, which is not my typical go-to for clothing. It is one of the few flattering plus-sized options I’ve found, although I wish it had more support in the bust. For taking the kiddo to the lake or the pool, it was a good buy.
It’s currently 65% off
http://www.sears.com/a-shore-fit-women-s-plus-swim-dress-paisley/p-017VA81577512P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14
Meg Murry says
Does/did anyone here have gestational diabetes, and can you share some tips? A close friend was just diagnosed, and she’s struggling with it. She’s felt crummy pretty much the whole pregnancy (throwing up daily still well into the 2nd trimester), and carbs were one of the few things she actually craved and didn’t feel sick after eating or preparing. She’s supposed to eat a lot more protein and veggies, but those don’t appeal to her at all, and take a lot more time to prepare when she’s currently exhausted.
Any suggestions for something I can do or make to help her? I’m not a great cook, but I thought I could at least do some chicken in the crock pot or rotisserie chicken and shred and freeze it to give her some quick grab and go protein. Any other suggestions for foods I could help her stock her freezer with so she can eat the healthy things she needs? Are there any low sugar/low carb protein bars or other shelf stable snacks she could stock up on? I’ve found a few by googling, but I’d prefer some recommendations of things people have actually tasted and could tell me if they are worth putting in your mouth or if they are utterly disgusting or cardboard-like.
pockets says
Peanut butter and almond flour (available cheap at TJ’s) were my GD saviors. Normal diabetes people can’t really have carbs, but people with GD aren’t supposed to cut carbs out, they’re supposed to balance them with fat/protein (this is assuming, I guess, that your friend doesn’t have a really terrible case of GD). Almost anything can be made GD-friendly with the additional of peanut butter or almond flour. I mixed almond flour into my yogurt and ate fruit (apples, bananas) with peanut butter (cheese works too – cheese and crackers are OK). People with GD can also eat ice cream because it’s half carbs, half fat. Ice cream with nuts? GD heaven.
Could you try to make her muffins or a bread using almond or chickpea flour instead of normal flour? That might satisfy her carb craving in a GD friendly way.
Also, FWIW, I felt much better once I was diagnosed with GD and starting eating properly. I wasn’t throwing up, but I felt tired and achy every day. Once I started eating better all those symptoms went away.
Anon says
If you have access to a Costco, they have awesome chicken salad cups made with Greek yogurt. They’re about $10 for 6 of them. I’ve been able to eat them even with my morning sickness (something about them being cold makes them more appetizing to me than hot meat). The no prep work is an added bonus.
Anon says
I just saw pocket’s comment, which reminded me that I have basically been surviving on a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter and a few slices of turkey bacon for breakfast since I’ve gotten pregnant (this has also been morning sickness friendly for me). It sounds like that may fit the bill for your friend, as well (and is pretty fast to prepare since most turkey bacon is precooked).
Meg Murry says
Thanks for the tips! I think the problem is that she has been eating very carb-heavy, and isn’t supposed to cut them entirely, but rather to make them a much smaller part of her meals and balance by adding more protein and veggies. The recommendation was to have 1-2 servings of carbs at her snacks (balanced with protein) and 2-3 servings of carbs with meals. So fruit or yogurt with PB or nuts is probably a good snack suggestion I’ll make to her.
Honestly, I probably need to increase my protein and veggie intake too, so I’ll try to look for some meal ideas that I can make for both of us for lunches. Any favorite go-tos, preferably something that freezes well?
Due in December says
No GD, but I’ve been having DH make huge pots of turkey black bean chili. I heat it up, add plain Greek yogurt, and eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It freezes well. It’s not horrible for you. It’s full of protein. It’s delicious (if not, perhaps, seasonally appropriate).
Anon says
I don’t know about freezing, but my lunches are pretty low carb, without being “meat” heavy and I make all five once a week. I have about 10 oz of baby carrots (or carrots and celery), three oz of hummus (that’s the size of my plastic containers), a cheese stick, a hard boiled egg, and then 6 oz of fruit (usually grapes or cherries) (again, the size of the container). Since I got pregnant I added a bag of skinny pop popcorn. I’ve gone up and down on the amount of carrots and settled on 10 oz for me.
As long as you don’t use cut up fruit you can make five lunches on Sunday night and they’ll be fine in the fridge (or you could make two or three and have them every other day).
Anonymous says
I had a customized meal plan that told me how many servings of carbs/fat/protein/veggies I should eat at each meal. It also required 3 snacks – morning, late afternoon, and pre-bed.
For snacks, string cheese, peanut butter, celery, laughing cow cheese, actual cheese, turkey, nuts.
Nature Made has “protein” granola bars that are just one serving of carbs.
Trader joes has mini ice cream cones that are less than 1 serving of carbs, so I had one of those every night as a treat.
For meals, I don’t have great suggestions for what to prepare, except that she can probably have as much as she wants of protein, low-carb veggies, and cheese. Watch out for sauces, b/c they’re a big hidden source of carbs.
GD sucks, I had it for both pregnancies, and got so sick of the diet. But it made me so much more aware of the fact that my body does better with fewer carbs even when I’m not pregnant.
Good luck to your friend!
NewMomAnon says
I didn’t have GD, but I have blood sugar issues and need to keep a steady flow of protein to avoid sugar crashes. In early pregnancy, I liked the Diamond Nut Thins. They had enough salt and crunch that it satisfied my cracker cravings, but enough protein to avoid the sugar dips.
I also ate a lot of yogurt and hard-boiled eggs, though mostly later in pregnancy. I couldn’t handle the smell during early pregnancy.
mascot says
My biggest problem with the slimming suits is that they tend to be tight in the leg holes even if the rest of the suit fits me.
PEN says
I need work maternity clothes. I have moved to a new, bigger, more formal city and what I got away with in my last office during my last pregnancy is just not cutting it. And it is summer, so my prior somewhat-nice uniform of ponte sheath over maternity leggings with boots is certainly not going to work. I am an 18 pre-pregnancy. The archives and recommendations here do not typically (ever?) include anything in my size. Any advice?
JJ says
I was a 16 pre-pregnancy, 6′ tall, and often in court or otherwise business casual. So I understand your plight!
For the dressiest stuff, I bought two skirt suits (Sejour at Nordstrom) that were two sizes larger than my normal size and wore those to court a lot. I could also break up the pieces as necessary for work.
I lived in the Gap straight black maternity pants. Old Navy also had a lot that were long, in my size, in maternity (a unicorn!). I would wear those with wedges, a maternity tank and top, and necklace for normal days at the office. I bought one blazer (dark charcoal grey) from Motherhood Maternity that I would pair with the pants for “less formal than a suit but need a jacket” stuff.
I also wore a lot of the Liz Lange dresses from Target in XXL. Not the most formal, but for the wrap dresses and more structured ones, I would pair them with open cardigans and pointed-toe flats.
Anonymous says
I would try to find non-maternity blazers that work over maternity dresses. You may need to size up, but it never bothered me that my jacket didn’t close. These were my savior when I was clerking and needed to look professional. I did gray or black non-maternity blazers over black or gray maternity dresses. You could do color for a less formal environment. A jacket over a ponte sheath would cut it in many work environments.
CHJ says
A “would this bother you” daycare question… I’ve sung the praises of our daycare before, and we’ve been very happy with them. There are a couple of things that came up this week, though, that are bothering me. The first is that I learned that they are adding a new class by cutting my son’s classroom in half, so his class (young toddlers – DS is 2) will have half the space they currently have. The room is already small, and adding another class of toddlers in there will make it pretty cramped.
On top of that, I also learned that the older kids in his class (including DS – he’s the oldest one in his class) aren’t being promoted to the bigger toddler room this year. So he’s going to spend another year being the oldest one in his class, and in a space about half of what they currently have.
On top of THAT, I also learned that the class above him, which includes kids who were born only 2-3 days before him, is going on a field trip to the aquarium, but my son’s class is not. So it feels like not only is my son going to be the oldest kid in his class for another year, he also is going to miss out on the fun activities of the older class, even though he’s only 2-3 days younger than those kids.
Would you be bothered by this? I asked the center director about it, and she kind of hemmed and hawed about space and not having room in the older class, and I don’t think there’s much she can or will do about it. DS is happy right now, but it does feel like he’s outgrowing the space he’s in, both mentally and physically. The thought of changing daycares is so daunting, and I’m not sure if this is change-worthy. What do you all think?
(former) preg 3L says
For me, it would be enough to call around to other daycares. If he’s happy, that’s what matters, but I think your concerns are really well founded. Is there a chance that in 3 months, the teachers and kids will all be so stir-crazy from having smaller spaces and more kids that the daycare could expand? Are they in a facility where they could get more space? Is it possible kids would leave the older class and your son could be the first on the list to be moved up?
(former) preg 3L says
I ask all those questions because it’s easy to feel like everything is the new “permanent” setup, when sometimes, things can change overnight.
anne-on says
Also – I found it much easier to switch daycare centers at 2-3yrs old since the ratios are higher at that age. Plus there tend to be more options for 2’s and 3’s programs, especially if he’s potty trained.
Spirograph says
I recently got an e-mail about my daycare raising its prices because of the minimum wage increasing… I wonder if adding another room to boost enrollment may be how your center is avoiding a price increase.
Anyway, yes this would bother me, but I don’t know if it’s change-worthy. If your son is happy and there is outdoor play space and/or a big indoor room for the kids to run around, I wouldn’t worry too much about the smaller room. As long as there is a handful of kids close to his age in the room with him, the teachers will have to accommodate that level of development and provide appropriate activities (It would be worth talking to the teachers about how they plan to modify activities for the broader age/development range in the classroom, though). He’ll get to do field trips next year, and on the weekends with the family even before that; meanwhile, he’s not going to even know he’s missing out because he’ll be busy playing with his friends in his class.
anne-on says
Honestly, that would really really bother me. Does your state do pre-k? Or have a harsh winter? We just moved my 3-yr old to a new daycare center as our state doesn’t do univesral pre-K, so the daycare centers vary widely in the amount of play vs. learning, and I felt he wouldn’t benefit much from a mainly play-based class in which he’d be one of the older children for the next two years.
His old center also didn’t have much indoor space, and for busy older toddlers it was awful not to have them be able to run/play/get out in the winter time. We helped ameliorate that by doing a weekend gym program but I definitely see a difference in behavior now that he’s in a new center and able to play outside much of the day.
TK says
Agree with (former) preg, , I’d start looking / asking around. It doesn’t sound like there’s a huge rush – so don’t devote all your time to it – but ask friends or send a few e-mails, just to investigate what other options are out there.
I understand that none of your current concerns are earth shattering, but on the other hand another entire year is a space that he’s already outgrowing isn’t ideal if there are other viable options available.
JJ says
I agree that I’d probably start looking around. At the opposite end of the spectrum, however, my son moved up to a new and older daycare class in March (it’s 3-5 years olds and he had just turned three) and he has struggled some with the transition. He’s mentioned that the older kids make fun of him. Once he had a potty accident at school (didn’t get to the toilet fast enough after nap time) and apparently the kids made fun of him and he wanted to wear a diaper to school for the next few days to avoid that. Heartbreaking. I’ve talked to the director about it and she always promised they would put a stop to it, but he still says he doesn’t like going to class with the older kids.
The good news is, we just gave our two weeks’ notice and are moving to another (closer!) daycare soon. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to not have that concern hanging over my head. If this is something that you’re going to be dwelling on, I recommend checking out other places. More information and options can never hurt.
Meg Murry says
By cutting the classroom in half, will they be cutting the group size? For instance, if right now it is 3 teachers with 20 kids, will it be going down to 2 classrooms that each have 2 teachers and 14 kids? Or are they going to basically cram twice as many kids into half as much space?
My other concern would be that unless the kid:staff ratios go up dramatically for the next age group or there is currently an additional 3 year old room, does that mean when this group moves up they’ll have to divide the current 3 year old room in half too?
As far as him being the oldest – do they go by your state’s kindergarten date? For instance, right now my daycare has one pre-k classroom with kids going to K this fall, and then a preschool classroom with kids going in 2 falls, then the next one for kids going in 3 years, etc. Are the kids 2-3 days older on the other side of the kindergarten date line? Or is it just kind of arbitrary that they moved up but then the class was full so your son didn’t?
I also think it makes a big difference how much time they spend in the individual classroom. Our preschool has several big indoor play areas as well as outdoor play areas, so the individual classrooms are used for meals, naptime and only an hour or two a day beyond that – so the kids have lots of time to run and play in the big spaces. If your son spends most of his time in the small room, that would be more concerning.
tabby says
we don’t have the space issue, but our kiddo has an october birthday and the area cutoff for grades is 10/1. So the preschools, daycare, camps, etc, all use that date and our mid-Oct kid is ALWAYS the oldest. It kills me because she a bit developmentally advanced and more on par with kids 3-4 months older than her in terms of language, mobility, size etc. So all the kids that are right where she is developmentally and physically (she’s tall!) are all in one class above her.
At least now, in daycare, she’s in a facility that has a small young toddler and a small toddler program so there is a lot of crossover between the two classes (in fact, they are only a half-wall apart).
I do remind myself that the alternate is that she’d be a full year younger if we pushed her– but it is hard sometimes!
CHJ says
Thank you all for your helpful comments! I love this site – all the insights from other working moms in similar circumstances are so helpful.
To answer a few of the questions that came up, my understanding is that they are taking my son’s class of 8 kids and putting them in half of the room, and then adding 8 more slightly younger (12-18 month) kids to the other half of the room. They don’t have the space or layout to physically expand into a larger footprint. And the age division is arbitrary – his birthday is mid-July, so it is just an outcome of when the older toddler room had openings. If someone leaves the older toddler room, he will be the first one to move up, but it’s not clear when that would happen.
And the outdoor time point is a good one too. We live in Boston, so there’s a good 4 month stretch when they barely get outside at all. The daycare has a nice outdoor play area for the summer, but it’s covered in snow all winter.
I’m glad to hear that my reaction isn’t completely off-base. We’ve loved this center and it’s hard to imagine leaving, but I do think DS will struggle with the smaller space and being the oldest guy around.
Tabby says
If you are in Boston (we are in the ‘burbs), I have an idea of what you are paying for daycare. Given that amount, look elsewhere. You have lots of options and if you’re going to be paying the equivalent of college tuition, you can get a spot in a full sized classroom!
Sarabeth says
The space thing sounds like it sucks. For the issue of being the oldest, have you talked to them about how they will change the programming as the kids age? I wouldn’t mind having my kid be the oldest *IF* the programming was growing with him appropriately. However, I’d be pretty unhappy to have another year of the exact same programming. I mean, at this age, yes, it’s basically all some form of play, but there are still ways that it should change as the kid grows. Slightly longer periods of time on task, more opportunities to work on fine motor skills, more following-up of expressed interests, more true imaginative play, etc. Also, is the room set up for potty training? Our daycare splits 0-18 months and 18-36 moths, so the younger room doesn’t even have a kid’s toilet.
Clementine says
Anyone have any experience with the Graham Glider from West Elm?
We’re looking for a glider with a high back and arms that looks nice and costs less than $800. I don’t love the look of wood frame gliders. This should not be as hard as I have found it to be thus far.
Any suggestions?
Momata says
To me, that chair’s arms look unforgiving and not comfortable for any sideways sitting, leaning on, or support during feeding. I also would want an ottoman with that chair since it isn’t a recliner. I spent a ton of time researching gliders with high backs (I’m tall) and ended up with the Rory from Costco. It’s certainly not as sleek as the Graham, but I adore it. It held up fabulously, is very comfortable, easily wipes clean, and reclines almost completely flat to become the near equivalent of a twin size bed. Best money I spent for that first year when SO much time is spent in that chair!
JJ says
So, I wanted a pretty glider so much for our nursery. But my husband overruled me and we bought a leather Lay-Z-Boy recliner. And I hated how it looked. But when I sat in it, it was literally the most comfortable chair that I’ve ever been in. The arms were padded, the back had lumbar support, it reclined flat, and it wiped clean. In retrospect, I spent SO MANY nights sleeping and nursing in that chair that it was the best baby purchase we made. And now it’s in our family room (still looks like a Lay-Z-Boy, sigh) and we all fight over who gets to sit in it.
My advice? Find a comfortable chair that you can nurse and sleep in. Sit in all of them before you buy one.
HSAL says
We also got a LaZBoy gliding recliner, though that was all my idea, not my husband’s. I don’t love gliders as they always look like nursery chairs. Some LaZBoys are definitely more attractive than others, but we got a light green that works with the nursery and will eventually work with our living room furniture (and yes, we definitely got comprehensive stain protection). It’s insanely comfortable. Ours was around $800 (I think the glider was an add-on) prior to stain protection/delivery/taxes, but I think it’s worth checking out.
mascot says
We have a rocking recliner from Best chair company (Storybook series?). Super comfortable for sleeping and feedings. Is there a comfortable chair type store in your town? (ours sold those home health lifting chairs). It helps to sit in a variety of chairs and see what fits your body.
JEB says
We have the same thing – a rocking and reclining chair from the Storybook series. We also got the matching ottoman. It’s really comfy and doesn’t look too much like a nursery-specific chair. And my husband really likes it because the back comes up high enough to rest your head comfortably. If you’re in the DC area, we ordered it from Great Beginnings. They had tons of options in the store to try.
CPA Lady says
Yes, we have one from the Storybook series too… the “bilana” I think. We got to choose our fabric at the store. There were a bunch of different color options. I love this chair. I think it was on sale for around $600. Best money I spent. I don’t know how many hours my husband or I have spent in that chair. I’m 5’3 and he’s 6’3 and it’s comfortable for both of us. It’s like sitting on a gliding/reclining cloud. Love it.
CPA Lady says
Oh, and it was great for nursing too. I had a boppy pillow, and the pillow fit between the arms perfectly, so I could rest my arm on the arm of the chair and put the baby on the boppy.
PregLawyer says
Haha, we have the Graham Glider and a leather Lazy Boy rocker-recliner. I love the glider. I actually need a more vertical back for nursing, and the glider is the perfect pitch for me. The tall back and sides give good neck support too so you can rest your head to the side. Our lazy boy isn’t as comfortable for nursing (see my need for a more vertical pitch) but is wonderful for naps and newborn snuggling.
meme says
I think it looks great – sleek but functional. It gets good reviews from nursing moms too (I googled the name of the chair and a lot of blogger reviews popped up). My nursery glider is falling apart after 10 years of use, and this one looks more comfortable and sturdy.
TK says
In addition to comfort, don’t under estimate the vaule of wash-ability. Ours (don’t remember brand) has removable covers, which was totally necessary because milk went everywhere.
sfg says
I sat in it at the store and didn’t love it – but I’m about 5’5” and short waisted. I wanted something cushier and ended up with the Presidio from Serena & Lily (my splurge) – it has removable slipcovers, so that was my justification for the cost. ;) You could also check out Room & Board – the Ellery is high backed but it’s a bit more expensive.
Clementine says
So after reading all this, I think husband and I just need to suck it up and go spend several hours sitting in a few chairs.
Although, PregLawyer’s comment now has me considering getting both this glider and a recliner (for another part of the house) so that I’ll have the option to either glide and nurse or sleep elsewhere. My husband has wanted a leather armchair/recliner for a few years- maybe we’ll just bite the bullet and get two now!
Tunnel says
For those looking for a cute bathing suit – I really like one that I got at Walmart of all places. It’s called “Suddenly Slim by Catalina Women’s Slimming Shirred Halter One-Piece Swimsuit” (was $32.96, now on sale for $25). I would link, but don’t want to get stuck in moderation. There are over 2,000 reviews and it has 4.5 stars. It came highly recommended to me and did not disappoint. It camouflages a postpartum belly (and hips) pretty darn well and you can’t beat the price.
TBK says
I had luck with swimsuits at LL Bean. I actually feel better in my new mom suit than I used to in skimpier suits for younger, pre-baby women! (I feel better in a lot of my clothes. It’s kind of nice to be approaching 40 and feeling like I can be polished and elegant — and more covered up — rather than trying to feel s3xy the way I did when I was in my 20s.)
Sarah says
I have this swimsuit and really like it. It does a nice job of keeping everything in without being too tight. I will say if you have a larger chest, the built in bra is not super supportive. I ended up attaching a minimally used bra inside to give me more support. My boobs looked dumpy without it (30FF).