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I like this shirt as a maternity version of the crisp white button-down. (As I was writing that, it occurred to me that since having a child, I could not describe anything I currently wear as either “crisp” OR white.) I like how the buttons are on the top half as if it were a non-maternity shirt and the rest flows over the stomach. The tie-waist part is a nice feature to define the top half from the bottom. The shirt is $36.99 at Old Navy, is machine washable, and is available in sizes XS–XXL. It also comes in a blue and white stripe, which I also really like (and which is 35% off), though not all sizes are in stock currently. Maternity Tie-Waist Tunic Shirt Target has a plus-size option that comes in sizes 1–4X and is $26.99. Building a maternity wardrobe for work? Check out our page with more suggestions along both classic and trendy/seasonal lines. This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!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?
Spectra S2 says
Work totes that are wide enough to transport the Spectra S2? I leave it at work during the week, but want a bag big enough that I can transport everything at once, but still looks decently professional. Right now I’m using a canvas tote that I really like, but is a little too casual for my office.
Anonymous says
Pretty sure it fits in the OMG.
Anonymous says
+1 It fits in my OMG
anon says
I used a canvas tote, but it was swag that had a law firm logo. I deemed it formal enough.
Knope says
Check out Henri Bendel’s Jetsetter Zip Tote and/or Diaper bag – big, nylon, but professional-looking!
Anonymous says
And get it before the store closes.
Knope says
Oh no, I just saw that!!! So disappointing. I may order another one to have on standby for when my current bag wears out!
shortperson says
i dont know about the spectra but i transport pump and supplies in the cuyana “Oversized Carryall Tote”. and sometimes use it when i need a professional looking diaper bag. or to carry binders and my computer.
Anonymous says
A week or so ago we were looking at Nod chairs for my daughter. However, over at the Crate and Barrel website, they’re getting poor reviews for quality. Are they OK? Is there a better quality option out there? I see some at Pottery Barn for about $30 more, but would prefer to keep it under $125. Thanks!
Anonymous says
I went the PB route, and got mine on a big sale. If you’re willing to wait and price track, you could be in luck.
AwayEmily says
Also consider a beanbag instead of a chair. We were on the fence and got the beanbag and are very glad we did because it means WE can also sit on it. So much more comfortable than sitting on the floor.
avocado says
+1 for beanbag. We went with the beanbag instead of the chair, and my kid is still using it at age 11. Ours is from Land of Nod and has held up great.
OP says
I have considered that, but as a lifelong cat person, it’s been my experience that cats like beanbag chairs as a place to relieve themselves. Open to other alternatives, though!
AwayEmily says
oh no! our cat likes to SIT in it but has never peed in it. Thank god. But if your cat is a Known Beanbag Offender than yeah, prob not a great idea.
AIMS says
We had a loveseat from Land of Nod (now Crate and Barrel) that wasn’t great quality but what impressed me was the customer service. They took it back and gave us a credit. So if you like it, try it.
But, also check out homegoods. We got a similar chair there for about $50 and my kid loves it. It’s been about 1.5 years and it’s doing well.
Anonymous says
No advice on PB or Nod but check out Room & Board kids section too. They have solid quality items but more limited selection.
Anonymous says
My son (not quite 3) started preschool two weeks ago. It’s a very casual, play-based school that we enrolled him in because he’s otherwise with a nanny and we wanted him to do some other activities (arts and crafts, for example) and practice sharing, listening, etc. While he seems to be enjoying school, he’s become a nightmare at home. He’s gotten quite physical with his baby sister (pushing, hitting, kicking) and pushing boundaries more than ever. I don’t know if he’s overtired (he doesn’t nap at school, but goes down for 2-2.5 hours as soon as he gets home, but then is up late because his nap is later. He’s still getting about 12 hours of sleep a day), is trying to adjust from lots of 1:2 attention from the nanny to his teacher’s attention being spread among more children, or if he’s just getting closer to three-nager. Any tips for easing this transition? I know it hasn’t been long, but it’s really tough staying on top of him constantly to keep his sister safe.
Anonymous says
Ask the daycare providers if they’re noticing pushing/hitting/kicking behaviours at daycare. If they are, then you know that those specific behaviours need to be addressed. If not, then focus on addressing the overtiredness. My LO is way more tired when he comes home from daycare than he is on the weekend, and it definitely colours his behaviour as well. I’d try an earlier bedtime rather than an evening nap. When he gets home, limit interactions in general and with baby sister specifically, and move him swiftly through dinner/bath/bedtime routine.
Anon says
I’ve found 2.5-3.5 are the roughest ages for my kids (sort of the terrible twos meets the threenager) and any sort of transition just spirals out of control faster than usual.
In fact, just this morning, I yelled in my 3yo’s face because we were late for school but he kept taking off his shoes as I was putting the other one on, and then he unzipped his lunch box and dumped everything out on the ground. Not my best moment. I had to take a deep breath and then apologize while he cried even louder because I hurt his ears. And then my 5yo told me “Mom, you should have used your words, not yelled. That made Brother feel bad.” I’ve felt terrible all morning.
Just summon up inhuman levels of patience, take breaks when you need them, apologize when you mess up, and get through this period. I bet he’ll be fine by November, and then he’ll have another rough period with all the chaos during the holidays.
Edna Mazur says
My kiddos stay at home with their dad while I am at work. When they started preschool at age 3-3.5 they were terrors when they got home for the first while. They acted out, pushed boundaries, etc.
My advice, if they are behaving at school, it to wait it out and see how it goes in a couple more weeks. It’s almost like they spent all their “behaving” capital at school and need to let out all the naughtiness they kept inside. After the first month or so, it got way better.
Playing outside in the evenings seems to help a bit.
Anonymous says
Yup. Give it a few weeks, he’ll settle on. My kiddo had no sleep issues but is all kinda of monster-y adjusting to Preschool (this is her 3rd year! It’s old hat!) from her lazy summer at home with siblings & nanny.
Anonymous says
Thanks all. I don’t know if it’s happening in school– we haven’t heard that it is, but I don’t actually have an opportunity to talk with the teacher (drop off is super fast, by design, to minimize opportunities for kids to feel sad) and nanny does pick up. I’ll find out– that’s really relevant.
Strategy Mom says
Literally dealing with the exact same thing! Hopefully it just takes time to adjust
anon says
Did anyone else have a rough weekend with their new kindergartener? Our Ker was sometimes okay, but we we had a disastrous swim lesson this weekend where she was all out of sorts. She loves the water and loves to swim, but she was totally unnerved by the chaos of 150 or so parents and kids assembling on the pool deck waiting to be sorted into lessons. She was sobbing before she was even assigned teachers. She ended up in a small group with two super nice teachers and only four kids, but she never recovered from the cattle call beginning. She wailed through the whole lesson, to the point that I’m pretty sure they’re downgrading her to a lower class with the 3yos next week. She was frustratingly inconsolable and I was the recipient of so much judgment from the other parents and coaches who all thought I signed up a kid who was afraid of the water for big-kid swim lessons. I had no idea there was going to be so much chaos or that she’d react that way. They were just swimming lessons for goodness sake–she’s been in various swim lessons off and on for the past 2 years. She’s been in lots of other activities without problems (though she also had issues with soccer which also started with a cattle call start). I’m sure a lot of her overreaction is that she’s still adjusting to K. Then when I got home I caught my husband googling ‘helicopter parent’ because he thought I was asking too much of her to participate and not wail at the top of her lungs for an hour. This is a kid who spent the summer diving (really diving) off the diving board and swimming to the bottom of 9′ of water to retrieve rings. I signed her up for swimming because I thought she’d love it. Now all involved consider me the bad guy. My kindergartener is still an emotional wreck and now claims to be terrified of swimming. My husband is doubting my parenting. The other parents are pissed that my daughter spoiled their kid’s lesson. And the coaches are hoping that we don’t come back, even though they make you pay for a full year up front so we’d be out like $800. Gah.
Anonymous says
I think you just need to chill. You didn’t do anything wrong and neither did she. She got overwhelmed! Try again next week.
anon says
Like I didn’t have a crappy enough weekend…. thanks.
Anonymous says
I think she was trying to encourage you!
Anonymous says
Yes!!! Obviously!!! You didn’t do anything wrong! I literally said that. All you can do now is chill. Who cares if other parents are annoyed? Maybe the coaches should be better organized! Your little kid got scared and overwhelmed by a chaotic new activity. This is completely normal and you need to chill a little.
Anonymous says
+1 I think it’s good advice. Sometimes we need to demonstrate to our kid and the other adults (like your husband and the other parents) what the appropriate reaction looks like. In this case, it’s sloughing off one wobbly swimming lesson so that your little kid can continue enjoying a favourite activity.
JM says
You are not a bad mom. I would be overwhelmed by a cattle call start too, and I am an adult. It will be better next week, for sure.
avocado says
First of all, give yourself and your kid a break! This is surely not the first time the swim school has seen a similar situation, and it won’t be the last. When my kid was around that age, there were always one or two kids in every activity who melted down during the first class or two, or even longer. It’s totally normal, and the coaches should know how to deal with it.
Did you talk with the instructors and explain what she has been doing in the pool all summer, and that she’s had issues in the past with giant crowds but is generally fine with small group instruction? I wouldn’t pull her out of swimming just yet. That will reinforce the idea that swimming is scary. Is it possible for you to wait somewhere where she can’t see you? A lot of kids do better once the parent is out of sight.
Anon says
+1 to the explaining to the coaches or support staff. Especially if they’re trying to downgrade her class. Explain her abilities over the summer (WHOA to diving at age 5!!!) and that she was overwhelmed by the chaotic sorting process. Ask for another session or two to let her get used to the situation and demonstrate her skills. Also ask if they have other options – could you go at a less busier time for a few weeks until she gets her bearings?
Aly says
Ooof, that’s a rough weekend. But you know your kid best. If she loved soccer after the cattle call start, then that’s a good sign. Also, if she loves swimming, she’s probably going to enjoy this too. Be gentle on yourself. Also, what the heck husband… Can he take her next time?
Anon says
So sorry about this, been there. If the other parents were really giving you the side eye, karma will catch up with them. We all take turns having ‘that kid.’
I would give it another try this week. Can you make it to the pool sometime between now and the next lesson so she remembers how much she loves the water? Assure your daughter that this week she can go right to where her teacher is. Also consider having Dad take her if he’s so sure this is your fault. (I hope for your sake that in other contexts he is more supportive. )
Betty says
Solidarity! My kids’ school had an ice cream social Friday night at the upper part of the elementary school. All was great until my kindergartner decided to play tether ball. It went great for about 5 minutes until she looked the other direction and got hit in the hand/face. The tether ball spot is at the bottom of a hill and all the parents were standing on various parts of the hill. I went to her, still in my suit because I didn’t have time to change before the ice cream event, picked her up and we tried to calm down. I *may* have had a tad less empathy than I could because it seriously felt like all eyes were upon my parenting and I could feel the mud getting on my suit. She started to calm down but then something else happened (I don’t remember), and I called an end to the evening as it was clear to me that she was hurt, overtired and the train was not going to go back on the rails. She started SCREAMING at the top of her lungs: “We just can’t leave!” on repeat. We walked to the car (also in view of the parents) and she refused to get into her carseat, while continuing to scream, which just wound my son up (ASD so he started dancing around and mocking her). I could not wrestle her into her carseat — it became a two man affair (DH and I) with our son dancing in the background.
So moral of a long story: Although I forget too, I think there is alot of adjusting to K, and the adjustment phase takes far longer than feels possible. Hang in there! We all have kids that go off the rails at points, and anyone who is casting judgment will feel karma at some point. Even with these events, we went to soccer and had her birthday party on Saturday. I would give swimming another try.
Anonymous says
Yup! We didn’t have any super public meltdowns, but he had 2 friends over — one neighbor one from preschool — and when the preschool friend’s mom came to pick up her child, that’s when my kid decided to go into full on brat mode. Talking back to me, telling the neighbor friend he doesn’t like her and isn’t her friend and doesn’t want to play with her, throwing toys, pointing gun fingers at me when I hissed at him that we are going to talk about this once the friends leave.
Buffybot says
Ugggggh I hate Medela pumps so much.
Shouldn’t be ungrateful that my work makes hospital grade pumps available (symphony) but I just spent 15 minutes trying to get one side to pump – to no avail. I have no idea what is wrong, everything looks fine, but the parts don’t work. I never have this problem at home with my spectra.
Any hot tips for troubleshooting? Seems to be the flange/collection bit rather than the pump side.
anon says
It’s almost always the white flap. It probably isn’t sitting flush with the yellow doodad to form a seal.
rosie says
I had a post that got eaten, but agree with this. If I remember correctly (I only used the symphony in the first few weeks with extreme sleep dep, then switched to Spectra), if the membrane piece is still pretty wet from washing, it can get stuck as well. Basically it needs to be flush but able to move. Also shouldn’t have any tears in it. Can you swap out those pieces? Have you tried testing the parts you know work with the connection, and switching things up to try to isolate the problem?
buffybot says
This is clever – I swapped sides but didn’t isolate each part. I’ll try that for my next session. I do think you’re probably right that it’s the flappy membrane thing, although I don’t really know how to fix it if there’s nothing obviously wrong. Maybe I just need to buy new parts, sigh (of course, the last time I did that, they all arrived broken). Just three. More. Months. of this nonsense.
AK says
I second that a pinhole or tear in the white membrane could be causing the issue!
rosie says
I think you are supposed to replace the flap parts about every 3 months, even if you don’t notice any tears, as they get worn out.
If you want a laugh, I once was trying to use my Spectra and I couldn’t figure out what was going on but it wasn’t working. It turned out somehow, with the tubing all tangled together, I had managed to pump both ends of one tube into the pump and both ends of the other into the two flanges…so I was not actually connected to the pump.
Pogo says
Check that all parts/connections are tight.
Also check that a piece of your clothing isn’t interfering with the flange sitting flush next to your skin (it sounds like this wouldn’t be the issue if you were able to get it working when you switched all the components). That used to happen and infuriate me – like a tiny bit of my tank top would be in the way, under my b00b where I couldn’t see it, and then the vacuum wouldn’t form.
You should get 1 or 2 free membrane thingies with your parts when you buy them. I definitely did, purchased Medela official parts from amaz0n.
BPS says
Membrane clean out/replacement? Sending you love. Pumping is no fun. BYO-Pump or not, it’s the pits (even though, yes, it’s a choice blah blah blah, but isn’t most everything a choice in life anyway?) and you should always be able to complain!
HSAL says
Going on off Buffybot’s post above, wow I had no idea the Symphony pump was that expensive. Is it truly THAT much better? With my first I used a Medela and got an ounce or two over what I sent to daycare, so I called it a success. I’m using the Spectra S2 now and getting just about what I need to send to daycare for both, but having to pump four times some days. I used the Symphony for a couple days in the hospital to get the milk party started, but it didn’t seem that impressive to my sleep-deprived self. What are the pros?
HSAL says
*I’m pumping for twins now, not pumping milk for two differently-aged children, because no thank you.
Anonymous says
A zillion years ago, I had to rent a Symphony because I got absolutely nothing with the Pump in Style. The Symphony was much more comfortable than the PIS. That was before the Spectra was on the market, so no basis for comparison there.
rosie says
I started out with a rental symphony b/c the lactation consultant made it sound like it was necessary, then I returned it and used my S2 after about 6 weeks. The S2 was fine for me, don’t think there was any huge difference. Plus I felt like i was hearing the noise from the symphony all the time in my head since I was running it so much between pumping and drying out the tubing. I EPed for a year with the Spectra, no issues, had oversupply.
Pumping for twins says
I pumped for twins and rented a Symphony, which I left at work, from Babies R Us. I thought it was more comfortable and faster to empty than my Pump in Style, which is what I got from insurance, but I never got to compare it to the Spectra. My BFF who pumped for her preemie used the Symphony while he was in the NICU and the Spectra at home and thought they were comparable, FWIW.
I will say that even with the Symphony, I had to pump 4x/day (3x at work and 1x at night) until my babies started eating considerable solids around 10 months. I also pumped 1x/day on the weekends to top up. Pumping for twins was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Solidarity, mama.
buffbot says
I get as much milk, if not more, from the Spectra. Honestly the only reason I bother with the Symphony at work is because it allows me to not schlep the Spectra back and forth. Admittedly, I don’t turn up either particularly high, but the Spectra is quieter and more comfortable, as well.
Pogo says
I only use the Symphony once at the hospital but found zero difference between it and the PISA.
I think a lot of it is personal preference – I didn’t find the PISA uncomfortable or loud, for example. My main gripe with pumping is being tethered with bottles of liquid sticking off your chest.
Betty says
My employer told me (via email) this morning that because I am a highly compensated employee, I can only contribute $3800 for this year to my dependent care FSA, which is within $100 of what I have compensated to date. Based on the test used for me, I don’t think my DH would qualify as highly compensated. Anyone else faced a similar issue? Is it too late to have DH sign up for a dependent care FSA this year at his job (no idea whether this would be a qualifying event)?
Anonymous says
I’m pretty sure the $3600 limit is for a family, and applies if either of you is highly compensated. Sorry.
Anon says
I’ve not heard of a lower limit absent discrimination testing issues at a particular employer. My husband’s work does discrimination testing mid year and typically cuts then what he can put in a dependent care FSA. I never had that issue at the firm (probably because so many highly compensated associates took advantage of the benefit), so we just used mine. Had to do it during open enrollment, though.
Pogo says
Uhhhh I literally just heard of this limit?! Wouldn’t this be IRS-based, relating to your tax filing and not employer-based, related to your salary?
Pogo says
nvrmnd, just read the IRS rule. Interesting. Luckily I work for a very large company where more highly compensated people definitely take advantage of this.
Anonymous says
This happened to me last month too. Super annoying. My husband tried but was told by his HR department that it wasn’t a qualifying event. But another coworker’s spouse tried the same and had success. So tell your husband to at least look into it.
Adulting says
Wise hive, please tell me all the reasons why saving aggressively for retirement is better than a fancy house and car. At the moment, I’m forgetting.
Anonymous says
I wish we were in a position to save aggressively for retirement!
Anonanonanon says
Because if something horrible happens (one of you loses your job, huge unexpected medical bill) you can scale back retirement contributions, but you cannot scale back paying for your house or your car. That’s what I tell myself, at least! My greatest fear is ending up in a situation where I’m “house poor”, so we have a house based on what mortgage we can afford on ONE of our salaries.
Anonymous says
First,it depends on how you’re defining fancy and aggressively. If you’re trying to put 50% of your take home into retirement and that means you need to live in a cramped, dangerous space, and drive a car that breaks down every other week, back off the retirement savings; there’s something to be said for being comfortable now. We aren’t all lucky enough to live to retirement age, after all.
But if you have perfectly serviceable, less-expensive options for house and car, you really should leave room for healthy retirement savings.
The big two for me:
– Peace of mind for your child(ren). Don’t make them spend their adult-hood worrying about whether you can afford to live. It will not make any of you happy. Happy family > fancy house and car
– Money gives you freedom to make choices. Wouldn’t you rather decide how much you want to work at 65 rather than be forced to keep grinding away?
DLC says
Because no one else is going to take care of you when you get old and elder care is expensive as f**** and you don’t want your kids to have to shoulder that burden of it comes to that. And you might hate your job when you are 59 and want to get out? Good for you! Your future self thanks you!
Although, having said that…in my mind owning house is part of saving for retirement. Which might not actually be true, but I come from a family/ culture where property was definitely viewed as an investment.
Can’t give you any good reason to have a fancy car, though.
Anonymous says
You don’t want to be a burden to your kids and their own families when you’re old. I’m 35 and unable to save for my own retirement or do anything fun because we spend $5k+ per month on my brokea$$ in-laws. It’s been very very hard on my marriage and my kids have nothing but the bare necessities and no college savings to speak of because so much of our income goes to my in-laws.
Edna Mazur says
5K+ per month!!! That’s a little bit more than my annual take home pay (after payroll deductions and taxes) that supports my family of five. Hope this situation changes for you soon!
No says
WTF you do not have to do this. There are government assistance programs. Your spouse should not be allowing this at this expense of your own children and this is not ok!!!!
Spirograph says
Yikes! This is an insane ask on the part of your in-laws, unless you are super wealthy, which it sounds like is not the case given the trade-offs you are making. What is the $5k/month paying for? Assisted living? Medical care?
Anon says
I’ll add to the WTF. Are they recent immigrants under a status that requires you to pay for their healthcare and other living expenses or they get sent back to a war-torn or otherwise very dangerous country?
If so, I hope they’re doing everything in their power to make your lives easier. If not, it seems really awful of them to take so much at the expense of your children, their future, and your future. I consider myself a caring and generous person, but I would decline to help at a level that was so difficult on the family budget.
Betty says
Before you even get to retirement: If a car payment + mortgage means that you are unable to save responsibly, that probably also means that you are tied to your current level of income. In other words, you would be unable to make those payments if your level of income were reduced nor would you have the choice to decrease your income.
We bought the expensive house before I started in biglaw, and the result was that I could not think of leaving my biglaw salary (or something comparable) without selling our house. I was miserable but had little freedom. It took 4+ years before we decided to sell the house, leave the big city and big law. After learning our (my) lesson, we bought a lovely home + farm that we could afford on one salary. We can save aggressively and both have the liberty to follow our careers without being tied to a certain level of income
Anonymous says
We did something similar but less drastic. We bought a “nice enough” cookie cutter colonial in nice town, which we could afford on one income vs a nicer home or a home closer to the city/in a super prestigious town. We did this when we had one kid.
Well, life happened. I got laid off and it didn’t matter financially. We had 2 more kids and instead of going back full time, I was able to spin up a consulting practice where in a good year I bill about 70% my former salary, but on my terms and about 30 hours/week. My income goes to projects we want to do, “top off” college savings and retirement (eg we contribute under DH’s income alone but my income allows us to save aggressively). I always think back to what if we’d bought assuming 2 FT corporate salaries…we’d be handcuffed.
anonforthis says
Agree with most everything here, and my husband and I are both in high earning professions – HHI of aorund 500k. Personally, nothing makes me happier than having little to no financial risk and planning to retire when I am around 50-55. I have standards, but having a small nice but not fancy space in a good neighborhood and older but reliable cars is OK with me. We save about $10-15k a month and all of our bonuses – it feels amazing. Also generally like living in a condo that is close to a lot of stuff and not having to take care of a home since we’re really busy – fine with a relatively small HOA fee in lieu of that.
anonforthis says
Realized I didn’t say “why.” Because we can pay all of our expenses on less than a quarter of one of our salaries, meaning we can save a lot of retire pretty early, doesn’t really matter if one of us gets paid off, one or both of us could leave demanding careers to do something more chill, etc. Basically, financial freedom.
Paging nanny-on-vacation poster says
This is for the Friday poster looking for backup care while her nanny travels to her home country for several weeks.
Just wanted to offer a different perspective on backup day care. My employer has a contract with Bright Horizons, and we had to use it when our nanny suddenly was unavailable. Up until then, my kids (twins) had only been home with her or a parent or grandparent. To everyone’s surprise, they did great at BH. It ended up being a really positive experience and one that helped us realize they were ready to start preschool.
TL;DR I wouldn’t rule out backup day care, especially if you can send kiddo 1-2 days/week while nanny is away and keep him/her home the rest of the week. It could be a great transition to out-of-home care.
EB0220 says
I have used Bright Horizons backup care, too, and have been very happy with it. I think I’ve used 3 different facilities at this point, all solid.
OP says
Thank you!! This is so helpful to hear.
Strategy Mom says
Not sure if someone already suggested, but 2 local churches hava great mommy’s morning outs – we’ll send kiddos to that in the AM, and they nap several hours in the afternoon and then we’ll get a 12 year old neighbor to ‘babysit’ when they wake up. One of us or my mom has to be around for the afternoon, but I can still get in almost a full day of work
sfg says
Finally realized that the California Baby combo soap/shampoo is probably not the best choice for my kiddo’s fine, wavy hair. I used some of my $$ shampoo on her with the normal spray conditioner we’ve been using and her hair looked so much better. Any recos for shampoo for kids?
Hi there says
We liked Jason’s Just for Kids shampoo. My son has fine, straight hair.
AIMS says
My daughter has fine but curly hair and we use the Aveeno baby shampoo and wash. I like it.
Anon says
My kids have fine hair – one straight, one semi-wavy. We’ve had good luck with the Johnsons No More Tangles. Get the green bottles that have a separate shampoo and separate conditioner. (They also have a detangling spray, which we use in between washes). Just make sure to really scrub their scalp when you rinse out the conditioner to avoid the kid version of cradle cap – this is true for any brand but something I didn’t think about at first.
mascot says
Does it have to be for kids specifically? If tear free isn’t necessary either because you are doing hair-washing or they are old enough to do it themselves, I use regular shampoo. My preference is for a 2in 1 so I don’t have to mess with conditioner (Pantene or Garnier), but I’ve got a boy so that may not work with longer hair.
I need sleep says
Update from poster “I need sleep” – I’m getting more of it! Thanks for everyone’s encouragement. Kiddo is now waking up only once per night (instead of 2-3+) after two weeks of intensive (ugh, for both of us) “cry it out” sleep training. I read The Good Sleeper as recommended and essentially gave myself permission to let him cry. I wasn’t sure about CIO at first, but when I tried interval checking in he ended up crying way harder after I left.
I tried to get him to drop all feedings, but I’m happy now that he’s at one feeding per night (and falling asleep v. easily after the feeding).
Thanks all, and happy sleeping!
AwayEmily says
YAY!!! So happy for you and really glad that you liked the Good Sleeper. You are a great mom and I bet your baby is thrilled to have learned the skills to sleep better and longer.
Anon says
Do people do anything for their nanny’s birthday and if so what? Also, is the one week’s salary the standard holiday bonus for a nanny regardless of geography? We are in a large Texas city, but are new in town so I don’t really have anyone I can ask here. Do you pro-rate bonus if the nanny hasn’t been working for you for that long?
Anonymous says
I give her a card and $100 plus a small tangible gift from my kid (like a little thing from sephora or something edible I know she likes). We do one week’s salary and we prorated when she started (but told her we were going to do that when we hired her so she knew what to expect). this is all in NYC though so I suspect you would be on the high end of generous in TX!
sfg says
I’m in a HCOL west coast city and we gave our nanny one week’s salary as a bonus (prorated for less than a full year). Many people on my local mom’s forum claimed that one week was the standard but our nanny had been a nanny for probably close to 15 years in our area at that point and said the most she ever got was $50. Going hourly rate is $20+ here. (And that was for multiple years with the same families, too.) So if a prorated full week is not in the budget, I would not sweat it.
For our nanny’s birthday, we gave her a card and around $100 in cash.
SC says
I’m in New Orleans, and for the holidays, we gave our nanny $300 and something tangible. She’d been a nanny for a decade and seemed really surprised/appreciative, so I don’t think other families gave 1 week’s salary in the past. One week’s salary would not have been in the budget for us. (That was a tight year financially–we spent $50 on presents for our 8-month-old and bought nothing for ourselves/each other, and gave homemade gifts to adult family members.)
IHeartBacon says
For nanny’s bday, I give her the day off paid.
Anonymous says
Sorry for the TMI…has anyone had kids with food allergies that only had GI symptoms and not hives or rashes or other more classic allergenic symptoms? My 6 month old woke up vomiting on Friday night and puked her guts out, about 8 times in an hour (all over me, my husband and the family dog…it was quite an iniation into the grossest parts of parenting!). Then she went back to sleep and seemed fine in the morning. She never had any issues with the other end. I called the doctor this morning and they said she probably had a stomach bug, but she doesn’t go to daycare and none of her caregivers or immediate family members have been sick. I’m wondering if it could be some sort of food allergy. She had dinner maybe 3 hours before she got sick, but it was avocado, which she’s had several times before (and I had some of it too so I don’t think it was rotten). She had a new food – mango – much earlier in the day.
Anonymous says
When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.
Edna Mazur says
+1- my never been to daycare kids have definitely gotten up the stomach bug, and then proceeded to give it to caregivers and family. Could have picked it up anywhere.
OP says
I get that – it just didn’t seem like a stomach bug. I had those as a kid a few time and was usually sick for at least 12-24 hours with diarrhea too. Is it different in babies? Also she vomited all over us and it’s been 3 days and none of us have gotten sick. I know stomach flu is super contagious so I’m just surprised we didn’t get it.
Edna Mazur says
Every person/bug is different. We have had situations where only one or two kids get it and no one else, and all different durations. The last bug that went through, Middle Kid was sick for about a day, Baby about four hours, me about three days and Eldest Kid and Husband didn’t get it at all. Not everyone had diarrhea.
It won’t hurt to see keep an eye on reactions after eating Mango and Avocado again. But it sounds like it is probably the stomach bug.
Anonymous says
If she hasn’t been sick since, I would call it “just one of those things”. Our kiddo has had stomach bugs that lasted for a day and some that lasted for 2 hours. She also would randomly vomit once or twice when she first woke up between 12-24 months. But she grew out of it. I think their little tummies are just working on maturing and there can be some hiccups along the way.
Anonymous says
Every kid is different. One of mine has problems with ‘the other end’ like I do. I haven’t vomitted in 20 years except during labor but I’ve had lots of stomach flus. One of my other kids projectile vomits at the slightest stomach flu and feels fine afterwards – he’s been checked out and it’s just how his system processes illness. He rarely has problems with ‘the other end’.
Betty says
We have had many many GI bugs where the only symptom was kid vomiting and DH nor I became sick, despite being in the direct path. Also, we had several before our kids were in a public care setting — they can pick those up anywhere and it may not effect you/your immune system can fight it.
Anonymous says
Just go easy on the new foods. If anything it might be that her stomach wasn’t ready for a new foodhad trouble digesting vs an allergy. Or just a stomach ache from eating too much/too fast.
FWIW my 3rd kid is 5 months and by now I’ve learned that there is no “normal” for bugs. We’ve had a 5 day puking extravaganza that the baby and I avoided even though I was cleaning puke hourly. We had strep that hit veeveryone but dH. We’ve had colds that manifest totally differently in each person. We’ve had one- time like bugs that are gone as soon as they arrive.
Anonymous says
No, it’s probably not food allergies. I love the quote about zebras.
I have 2 kids with food allergies and your description does not mesh with any of my direct or indirect (friends/social networks with food allergies). The main reason I’m saying this is because of the delay in response. Usually you see SOMETHING fairly quickly after consumption of the item – rash or vomiting or behavior or whatever symptom you’re going to get, it happens within a few minutes of consumption. Never had a kid wake up for vomit due to allergy. PLUS baby had already consumed the foods before.
That said, my non-allergic child has been way more prone to stomach upsets than his big siblings with food allergies. We’ve had quite a few wake ups to vomit with this one. Honestly before this kid I didn’t understand what the big deal was about washing crib sheets as we managed to have 2 kids who could go for weeks and weeks with no changing of the sheets.
All of this to say that your baby just had a bug and yes it’s possible for baby to have one but not anyone else in the house.
Pogo says
When in doubt, call the ped! The nurses have heard everything and if it sounds remotely like something that needs to get checked out, they’ll have you come in.
But anecdata from friends w/ allergic kiddos, that’s not typically how it presents and it is probably just a weird one-time thing.
AIMS says
My baby threw up like this when we were introducing solids. I’m still not sure if it was just he ate too much or it was too many new things at once for him. Funny enough avocado was also involved. But we’ve since given it to him in small quantities and he had no issues. He also sometimes threw up from too much milk when he was a newborn. Sounds like your situation exactly – lots and lots of vomit over the course of a few hours but kid is totally fine otherwise. Just go slow and you should be okay.
Anon says
Funny that you posted this today – we ended up taking my 9-month old to the ER last night for severe vomiting that lasted for about 3 hours. They gave her some Zofran, which calmed her stomach enough that she was able to nurse and keep food down, and she’s fortunately fine today. She’s never had any gastro issues or symptoms (she’s like the only baby alive who never spits up). The only thing that was a little different was that she had scrambled eggs for the first time yesterday (though she’s had eggs 2-3 times before). The ER staff seemed to think it could be a reaction to the eggs or a stomach bug, so we’re going to talk to her ped about allergy testing, just in case.
Rookie Chef says
Does anyone have a recommendation for a recipe book that would be easy/fun to use to make dinners with a 5 year old?
Now that my kiddo is in Kindergarten, our schedule is such that he and I have about 45 minutes before my husband and younger daughter get home and I’m hoping to use this time to cook more and at the same time do something fun with him after school/work, at least a couple of nights per week.
I’m not a very experienced cook so would love to find a book of recipes that are quick and easy to make on weeknights that would be fun for both of us.
Any recommendations?
Anonymous says
No books but my 5 y/o is great at anything requiring assembly: salads, lasagna, tacos, pizza, etc. she can also crack eggs, spread things with a knife, Chop lettuce, etc. I actually would be comfortable letting her use the stove w/supervision but my other 2 are younger and I don’t want them thinking they can go anywhere near it so we are holding back on that.
EB0220 says
Not a cookbook but here’s our favorite kid-assisted recipe:
Start rice in instant pot or on the stove (kid can help measure/dump rice and water). Preheat oven to ~425. Place 1 lb salmon on baking sheet covered with foil. Drizzle olive oil on top of fish and let kid “paint” it on with one of those basting brushes. Let kid help you season the fish with salt and pepper. Put fish in oven for 20 min. Chop 1 bunch of parsley. Let kid measure cups and dump parsley into blender. Have them count the # of cups. Add the following to the blender per cup of parsley: 1/4 C olive oil, 2T lemon juice, season to taste (salt, pepper, optional garlic). Blend. Drizzle “green goop” on rice and salmon when it’s done cooking. My kids’ favorite meal, fast and they love helping.
PS. I am NOT a good cook and I have never messed this one up.
Hi there says
We really enjoyed making little dishes from “Salad People” and “Pretend Soup” by Mollie Katzen when the big guy was that age.
Hi there says
One more thing, there are adorable kids’ cooking tools out there! I still get a kick out of using this one:
https://smile.amazon.com/Boston-Warehouse-39393-Monkey-Peeler/dp/B000IZAYR6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537207509&sr=8-3&keywords=monkey+peeler
Anonanonanon says
My son was a fan of helping “make” pizza at that age on Fridays for a treat.
We got trader joe’s frozen organic crusts (pre made! yay!), used their sauce from the refrigerated section, and he could dump cheese on his.
For my husband and I, I would make a more “adult” pizza, such as bbq sauce (jarred), chicken (pre-cooked strips from trader joes), sliced red onion, shredded smoked gouda, and mozzarella.
Weelicious may have some ideas that would work for you.
SC says
Pretend Soup!!! It’s great! Each recipe has an intro that describes what kids of different ages can help with, and then the actual recipe with measurements and steps. Then there’s an illustrated step-by-step for making the recipe with kids.
The recipes are really easy–nothing you really need a cookbook for. But I love having a group of recipes that kids can help with all in one place, and I love the illustrated format.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Speaking of pumps and apologies if these are dumb questions but can I reuse my pump from baby #1 with baby #2? I got a Medela PIS from my insurance and also bought another Medela one for home/work use with #1. Can I reuse these or is it not recommended? Additionally, is insurance required to provide me with another pump for #2? I’m thinking of trying out the Spectra if so, but also would want a back-up, so I’m not sure whether to reuse my current ones. Thanks all!
AK says
It’s your own pump; you can definitely re-use it. It could have lost some suction over time, but there’s no harm in re-using.
Your insurance company may vary, but most (many?) are one pump per term-pregnancy. I would call them to verify.
I used the Medela PIS for baby #1, and now have a Spectra S1 (the one w/ batteries) for my second. As I still had my old pump parts and bottles, the things that were most useful was purchasing: 1) Spectra to Medela adapters (“Maymom Flange Adapter” on amazon) and 2) wide mouth to skinny flange adapters (“Maymom Baby Bottle Thread Changer or Bottle Converter” on amazon). This allowed me to use my old pump parts and bottles with the new S1 pump. I LOVE that I can use it on the go w/o worrying about plugs in random places. I actually like the suction better than the PIS as well. Highly recommended to get the S1!
AK says
Edit to add from Medela’s website: “A high quality electric double pump might last through the breastfeeding of your second child, or even several children. However, like computers or other electronic products, an electric breast pump has a limited lifetime. Medela guarantees its pump motors with a one year warranty. If you use an electronic pump that has been used for more than one year, there is no guarantee that it will generate as much speed and vacuum as it did earlier in it’s life.”
Spirograph says
Anecdote: Mine lasted through 3 kids, and I pumped for 8-10 months with each of them. It may have lost a bit of suction, but not to the point that I noticed or felt like it wasn’t doing its job.
Delta Dawn says
I reused my first pump when my second was born. I also got a second pump from my insurance. So my new pump stays at work and the old pump from baby #1 is at home for nighttime pumps or travel. My insurance is required to provide a second pump if I request it a year after the first pump. I don’t know if that’s just my policy or if that is ACA required.
Spirograph says
I bought a second pump (pump only, no bag) after my 2nd or 3rd kid. I did opposite — original pump (in the tote) stayed at work and the new one stayed home for nighttime pumps or travel. The convenience of not needing to carry it back and forth was worth the $100 or whatever I paid on A*zon.
If I’m remembering correctly, my insurance would not pay for a second pump within 3 years, so I think you just have a good policy!
Pogo says
I believe ACA requires insurance to cover 1 pump per year that a mother is b-feeding, probably due to the pump itself having a one-year warranty.
AIMS says
Yes you can resuse and yes insurance will give you another. I am on kid 2 now and kept my madela at home and have a spectra for work. It’s great not having to bring it back and forth ever! If you buy anything, you can get new parts (or at least the white flap thingies) for the PIS.
Losing Job AND Maternity Leave says
I have been with my government employer for nearly a decade and will likely be departing soon due to the outcome of the upcoming election. I’m currently pregnant, and will be out on maternity leave when I am officially let go. (I’m entitled to 12 weeks paid.) Despite past precedent for giving departing employees a “soft landing,” I found out recently that my employer is not planning to pay out the remainder of my leave, post-election. After consulting counsel, I understand that I have no legal rights in this situation, but I wanted to pulse this trusted group of women to find out how hard you would push back on this. Thanks.
Anonymous says
I do t have any advice but that sucks and I’m so sorry.
Nope says
Push back hard and burn it down. What do you have to lose? They’re firing you anyway.
Specifically, how much leave do you expect them to deprive you of? Will you be out for four weeks, get fired, and they cut you off for the remaining 8? If it’s just two weeks I actually might not worry with it, but if it’s a lot of money I’d raise hell.
Also you need to consult your employer’s maternity leave policy and basically memorize it so you know the nuance and can think about any workarounds. What does the policy say that entitles you to 12 weeks? Just that you have to work there for a year and then you’re entitled to it? If it doesn’t address what happens if fired, you can argue that you’ve earned the leave and are entitled to it regardless of termination. I know you say you’ve consulted counsel, and no one has any legal rights to maternity leave because the US (assuming you are US) is a nightmare for mothers, but the policy might be your friend if you know it inside and out.
What is the past precedent for soft landing? Is it written in a formal policy somewhere? I doubt they’re giving “soft landing” out of kindness but probably out of requirement. Find the requirement. Demand they follow it.
Anonymous says
I would be losing about 8 weeks pay and benefits. The policy is written in our employee manual. People have typically been able to stick around for months until they find new jobs, and the budget allows it before new staff has been hired to fill their roles. Also this has traditionally been a bipartisan, collegial place. I was told that the decision was for “political reasons,” that the new leadership (Democrats!) would not authorize payment to a staffer of the opposite party.
Anon says
Has the new leadership actually said this? Or is this coming from your boss of the opposite party (perhaps without actually exploring the issue with the new leadership)? What’s the procedure like—does your boss have to go to bat with the new incoming team? Or is it just the new team gets there and decides?
I would confirm what the new leadership actually intends. If it’s not paying you for your leave, can you meet with them while looking very pregnant to push back?
Anonymous says
They haven’t even been elected yet sounds like!
Anonymous says
I’ve had a couple friends who worked for elected officials, and they did lose their job basically as soon as the new people came in. However they had enough time to find something else between the election and when their boss’ term was over, working somewhere else in government. I assume this is the ‘soft landing’ you’re talking about?
Is it possible to engage and figure out a way to stay employed over the course of your leave so the benefits wouldn’t be interrupted?
Anonymous says
I am a government employee and used to work for government officials. I went through a big party shift a few years ago. 3 things to keep in mind.
1) Where I worked, the high up purely political staff were told they were being let go as soon as possible after it became apparent they majority would shift. They translated this into everyone down the line was out. It wasn’t true and it created a lot of unnecessary drama. Find out where this info is coming from and who it is aimed at.
2) When do the terms of the new officials start? Here the terms don’t actually start until the January following the election. The newly elected officials can’t actually fire you until their term starts unless the prior administration lets them.
3) After our party shift, the incoming administration quickly realized that things needed to get done while they ramped up and hired their own staff. Even though they eventually get rid of the political staff, they did keep the non political staff. In my world there was a clearer dividing line between who was political and who was not. Not sure that will apply to you.
I would gather more information before assuming the worst. You may not be able to challenge your dismissal, but even in an at will state they can’t deny you benefits you have actually accrued. Unless you have another job, don’t sign anything and don’t resign. Make them force you out if they really are going to do this. I would also consider talking to another lawyer. Was the counsel you spoke to an employment lawyer or someone at your government job?
Calling all DC Moms says
Has anyone here delivered at GW? The GW MFA OB practice is by far the most convenient OB practice for me, so I have been going there since I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been happy with the care I’ve received, and I’m now 30 weeks. I’m starting to get worried that I didn’t do enough research on a GW hospital delivery, though. I recently started looking into it more beyond the actual birth stats, NICU, and trauma center ratings, which are all good and what I looked at initially. I’ve come across some pretty horrible reviews of the postpartum care on DCUrbanMom, and I’m now wondering whether I should try to switch hospitals (and therefore OB practices) this late in the game. I am concerned about postpartum care because I am high risk for a blood clot due to a genetic condition, and do not want my care to be subpar after the baby is delivered. Anyway– can anyone tell me if the folks at DCUM are overly negative or if you would switch if you were in my shoes?
Anonymous says
DCUM is a horrible negative place in general.
I delivered at GW twice (with the midwives, but the L&D and postpartum rooms are shared). I had no complaints, but had (relatively) simple births and no postpartum issues. The postpartum rooms were small, and there is no nursery. Neither of those things bothered me.
Anon says
No thoughts on hospital, but make sure your hematologist has privileges at the hospital you will deliver at, or figure out who will be covering. For me, it was just a matter of continuing (or rather re-starting, since we stopped a few days before my scheduled C) my lovanox shots, making sure my compression booties were on and working, and theoretically walking, but until my pain meds got sorted out post-c, there was no walking other than to the bathroom and I have never felt pain like that in my entire life (see also, 4 other surgeries, none came even close). No blood clots for me, despite a PE scare at 36 weeks. –Signed Factor V Leiden delivery at Fair Oaks.
octagon says
GW has always had a factory feel to me. The good news is they have very good emergency care, so if you needed surgery or something you would be in a good place. Can you ask your OB about the plan for postpartum monitoring to give you some comfort? (Definitely do not rely on DCUM, that place is a snake pit.)
I was very happy across the river at VHC.
AIMS says
I’m not in DC but I think there is an art to reading reviews. Is this the type of thing where people are including positive reviews of anything? Is this just a forum to unload traumatic birth experiences? To my mind, having a doctor you trust and a hospital with a good NICU and good surgeons is much more important. A friend of mine had a baby in a smaller hospital and when her newborn had complications they had to transfer him to a different place and she was recovering from a C-section and could not go with; it was so hard. I would just be vocal about getting good care and stay where you are. Good luck with whatever you choose!
Penelope says
DC Urban Moms is a website to block when you are 30 weeks pregnant. I delivered at a different hospital so can’t speak to GW personally but everyone I know that delivered there has been generally positive.Would you consider hiring a doula? She could be your advocate and make sure you are getting all the post partum care+ keep on top of the blood clotting condition. It can be really hard to bond with your baby when you are concerned about other medical issues. It is definitely an expense but if it gives you peace of mind, it might be worth it.
Anon says
This is excellent advice. I thought doulas were all a little woo woo for me, and never considered getting one. Then I had an OK, but far from great, birth at VHC and wish that I had had a doula there to act as a patient advocate.
Anonymous says
Thanks for this perspective. I have considered a doula and this may tip the scales.
Anonymous says
First responder above here– GW is super doula-friendly, too. The midwives insist/strongly urge that first-time moms get one, so there are several in the area that deliver most of their cases at GW and know the doctors, nurses, room set up, resources, etc., all very well.
Anonymous says
I am very pro-doula, but if you are concerned about postpartum care you will need to make sure the doula will be there after the birth. Ours only stayed for about an hour after the birth to take photos and facilitate the initial attempt at nursing. She did visit the next day, but only briefly.
M in DC says
I delivered twice at GW and had a very good experience both times. I went to the GW OB practice but the second time around delivered with a midwife because I was basically in transition when I walked in and she was there and available! I had zero issues with the care postpartum, although I also had uncomplicated deliveries. (I was happy to know that they have a NICU just in case.) Personally, I would not switch hospitals/practices at this stage!
Seconded says
I also delivered twice at GW – once with a midwife and once with an OB + midwife – and had a terrific experience both times. Great nurses, room was fine. I will say that the lactation consultant I saw was not the greatest, but that was my only complaint.
Anon says
Not in your area, but in mine, the best hospital gets some poor reviews not for the medical care (which is excellent), but because it panders less to rich moms.
So, for example, an acquaintance of mine will complain that it’s poorly run because her elective induction was put off by a few days because the hospital was full of women in active labor, some of whom were on Medicaid.
Obviously, most people don’t want to say this and will obfuscate their complaints. No idea of if that’s what’s happening with GW, but it might give some reassurance?
AnotherAnon says
My 18 month old moved to a new day care two weeks ago and now he refuses to nap, at day care AND at home. We spent from noon to 3PM trying to get him to nap yesterday (noon-1 is his normal naptime). He finally fell asleep at 4:30 when we got in the car to go to dinner. Any advice?
Spirograph says
What does he do instead of sleeping at nap time? If he’s just sitting in his crib and talking to himself or playing with blanket or stuffed animal, I’d leave him alone and figure downtime without sleep is better than no downtime at all. Also, if you protect that time as quiet time alone in bed, he has the opportunity to start napping again when he decides in favor of sleep. If he’s screaming, honestly, I’d take a drive earlier on weekends and let him sleep in the car. Blanket, pacifier if he uses one, quiet music, and the open road! It’s not a good long-term solution, but I’m on team do-whatever-I-can-for-peace-and-quiet.
How is he sleeping at night? 18 months is pretty young to drop all naps, the transition has probably just thrown him for a loop. Once the new daycare is routine, he may go back to napping. Fingers crossed for you that’s the case!
AnotherAnon says
Thanks! At day care he sits/lies quietly. At home he chats to himself and plays with his stuffed animals. I’ll just keep enforcing “quiet” time. He’s sleeping well at night, occasionally talks to himself, which is new, but other than that seems to sleep fine.
Anonymous says
FWIW my husband dropped naps completely at that age and our 16 mo seems to be going the same direction. It’s unusual but not unheard of!
June says
Vomiting can be a sign of a good allergy, but I think it happens pretty soon after the allergen is ingested. My baby had some risk factors for food allergies and the pediatrician advised vomiting was a sign of a food allergy. He broke out in hives when he had eggs, we tried peanut butter twice and both times he vomited within 20 minutes. He tested allergic to eggs and peanuts.