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The Half-Yearly Nordstrom Sale begins today, and there are some great finds for classic, conservative wear. I’m drooling over this chic, machine washable blouse from Hugo Boss — I love the pleats, the black contrast detail, and the sale — 40% off. It was $265, but is now $159 (limited sizes, alas). BOSS ‘Rodera’ Colorblock Pleat Front Shirt
Stay tuned over at Corporette for a more thorough roundup of the sale later this morning — in the meantime note that there are big sales on maternity clothes, denim, kids’ clothes, and kids’ shoes.
(L-all)
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
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- 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
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
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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?
CHJ says
Any ideas for a 2 year old birthday party? DS is turning 2 this summer, and I’m at a loss for what to do. He has his daycare buddies and his weekend buddies (our friends’ kids), but I also don’t want to overwhelm him (or us!) with a big to-do. We have a big yard, and we’re in a city with lots of museums and park options too. Any insight on what to do, and how to balance his daycare friends versus our close friends and their kids?
Philanthropy Girl says
I always find party planning easiest when I have a theme. Pick a favorite book/toy/TV show, and use it to build your party around. Two year olds aren’t much for playing organized games, but outdoor activities like a water table or sandbox would give some fun things to do.
Check with your daycare on their policies, I know that some places have started insisting that all the children in a class must be invited to avoid hurt feelings. If that is the case, I would limit to your weekend buddies and family. Does he do playdates with any of his daycare friends? That might be another way to keep your guest list limited – just his playdate buddies.
Have fun!
NewMomAnon says
My kiddo is only 16 months, but I hope her daycare classmates don’t start inviting her to birthday parties….at 2 years old, unless the kiddo is asking for daycare friends to be invited, I would invite just family and your close friends with their kids. More like the 1-year birthday party, but with some child-centric activities (bubbles, squirt guns, sidewalk chalk, etc).
In House Lobbyist says
Outside play is great for 2 year olds. Bubbles, balls, sand/water table is good. We didn’t do preschool friend invites until this year (turning 5 in a few weeks) because I didn’t want the hassle and he’s not in school during his birthday anyway. And he finally asked for his school friends this year. We did family and our friends kids. And make it more of a cookout with a theme (pirates for 2 year old with foam swords for the kids) and cupcakes. The kids run wild and we loosely watch them. I got a gazillion bubble machine off Amazon for $12 that awesome and is perfect for parties.
Maddie Ross says
My idea for my 2 yo’s birthday – dinner on the porch with the grandparents and a cake. Seriously. Why would you do that to yourself for a year they won’t remember?
Carrie M says
I was just reading the recent Cup of Jo blog post re her son’s birthday parties, which they’ve always had at a park and keep low key – bring a few toys / games, food, and let the kids run wild. It looked really cute and easy.
We see this all the time at the park near us – our county lets residents reserve picnic tables online, which takes some stress out of wondering if there will be space. We’ve gone to a 1-year old and a 3-year old birthday at nearby spraygrounds and I love that it’s easy on everyone – hosts and guests. Have fun!
Anonymous says
Congratulation on the upcoming milestone! A two year old does not need a party. If you want to celebrate the occasion, invite the friends you want to hang out with and enjoy being together. The kids will enjoy a playground, bubbles, some ride on toys. We did not start inviting day-care friends to birthday parties until my son turned 5. Until the kids can be dropped off (which they cannot be at age 2) you can really just invite family friends.
MomAnon4This says
We did a cake in my son’s favorite character at the time, and he loved it!
We had 5 kids over (family friends) and their parents for a brunch/early lunch that wore the kids out before naptime. It was not the big shin-dig of the 1st year, or the first memorable birthday party of 3 years, but something nice for us and for our friends and of course, the cake!
Kids at this age do love rituals, so be sure to sing happy birthday! Beyond that, everything is for you.
Newly pregnant says
I’m 40 weeks today. This baby can get out anytime she feels like it. Preferably now.
KJ says
Good luck!
EB0220 says
Haha, I like the contrast between your screen name and your statement! Good luck!!
Newly pregnant says
Haha, I know. I started commenting on the Moms site when I really was newly pregnant and just never changed it. I probably should at some point…
HSAL says
Has anyone worn Jockey Skimmies far into their pregnancy? Mine are pretty stretchy in the belly area but I’m wondering if I should size up if I purchase more. I’m not much of a dresses person in the summer due to chafing, but they just seem so much easier right now than dealing with pants. I’m happy with the Skimmies but would take any other recommendations.
Newly pregnant says
I have a pair of half-leg Spanx maternity tights. It covers my stomach and thighs. I got them at Destination Maternity.
sfg says
I loved maternity Spanx in my third trimester.
Pigpen's Mama says
I kept a tube of anti-chafing cream with me at all times. Because being pregnant in the mid-Atlantic during the summer is FUN.
PregLawyer says
Wearing them today at 34 weeks. I haven’t had to size up. They do roll down in the waist, though, which is kind of annoying.
KJ says
Ok, I clicked over to the Nordstrom sale to look at the shoes and saw these: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/michael-michael-kors-kay-dale-wedge-sandal-little-kid-big-kid/3853588?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Cognac&resultback=2200
Is anyone as shocked and outraged as I am that heels like that are being marketed to little girls? Can someone with older kids reassure me that kids to don’t actually wear shoes like that, it’s just a silly thing for sale at Nordstrom, so I don’t pack up my daughter and move to a hippie commune where everyone wears unisex jumpsuits and bare feet?
Noelle says
I am horrified. FWIW, I’ve never seen little kids in heels (or at least not heels like this — maybe the occasional six year old in a low heeled dress-up shoe). If these kind of shoes are ever de riguer, please save some space in the commune for me!
(former) preg 3L says
Wait. This says they are sized 1, 2, and 3? I clicked on the size chart – is that really 1, 2, and 3 months? This is horrifying.
KJ says
Thank you, I’m glad I’m not alone here! I just looked again and saw that there is a review:
“These shoes are cute and classy. They do run pretty true to size with plenty of room. They are high and take a bit of getting use to, but my granddaughter adapted quickly and loved walking in these pretty wedges. They can be dressed up or worn with casual clothes.”
So I guess at least one little girl is wearing them. Ugh.
Anonymous says
The M is for medium (as in medium width). For context, my daughter is 7 and wears a 13, which is the last size before they start over at 1, 2, 3, etc. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 9 or 10 year old wearing shoes like these. Not all do, but I could picture one of the third graders wearing this to a dressy event.
Anon says
I just bought shoes like this from Target for my 9 year old’s spring concert. I can’t imagine children younger than 6 wearing these shoes. I feel like 6-7 is the age I start to see girls wear little heels/wedges for dressier occasions.
Nonny says
What, seriously? Girls aged 6-7 actually wear these? When I clicked the link I was sure it was a joke. I didn’t start wearing heels like that until I was in my early 20s.
What happened to protecting childrens’ feet so they develop properly? This is the same reason ballet teachers don’t allow girls to wear pointe shoes until they are 12 or 13.
Obviously I need to take my daughter and live in that commune too.
Anon says
I see them at church and events where they are dressed up. I don’t see them going to school or wearing shoes like this every day.
waiting says
Okay, morning sickness has hit. I’ve read a bunch of tips on what to try eating/drinking, but I’m at a loss when it comes to getting through my work day. I spend an average of 4 hours a day in meetings and at least a couple hours are consecutive. Three days into all-day morning sickness and so far what is working for me is eating something cracker/pretzel-like every hour with some oj. Do I excuse myself for a moment, run to my desk and have a one minute snack? Do I hold off on food if it feels awkward to leave and bring a juice with me (which seems less weird and loud than crunchy carbs)?
My boss is awesome and understanding and I plan to tell her by the end of the first trimester, but that feels so far away right now. Any other work related morning sickness advice?
CHJ says
One thing that worked for me during long meetings was to suck on cinnamon Altoids constantly. It seemed less noticeable than eating crackers, but still kept the morning sickness at bay. I would also drink juice or lemonade (or Earl Gray tea – my life raft!) during meetings, and take advantage of any meeting breaks to eat something. I hope you feel better soon!
pockets says
I would bring juice to try to space out the breaks you need for food, and then excuse yourself and have a snack. It might seem super-obvious to you but it’s unlikely anyone else will even notice. If someone does say it’s for a medical reason and leave it at that.
FWIW says
Okay, so I’m a month into dealing with this and here’s what I’ve found. Some foods are more obvious than others- saltines=questions, plain cheerios=no weird looks.
Bring the juice, bring the crackers/pretzels, I hide mine in a fancy leather folder with a zippered section and have only had to pull them out once, but it was a two hour meeting around lunch so others didn’t really notice. I also bring strong mints (Altoids) to meetings because I find that those can help me and aren’t weird of obvious.
Other things that have helped me: ice water, eating every 3 hours or so, eating more protein (weird, but helpful), cold foods (watermelon, cold romaine lettuce, etc.).
My sickness is worst at night which is good and bad. It’s good because I can be at home in my own bed. It’s terrible because I often only sleep in 1 hour increments.
KJ says
I say do what you need to do. If you want some inconspicuous snacks for during the meeting, try hard candies or maybe even some oyster crackers. I guzzled sparkling water constantly in the first tri to keep the nausea (somewhat) at bay.
Maddie Ross says
My go-t0 cure was frozen lemonades – for some reason the really cold citrus worked wonders for me. At my desk, I sucked on lemon jolly ranchers like they were being discontinued. It was the right amount of sweet and tart, and each one lasted for awhile.
anne-on says
Lemonade and salty carbs were the only things that helped even a bit. Wheat thins were more appealing to me than many other alternatives, but I also had cereal, almonds, and pretzels in a steady rotation. Ice cold lemonade was also a lifesaver, for me personally citrus and sour things helped soothe my stomach when I was pukey. Now that its warm, maybe stock up on some lemonade freeze pops or lemon sorbet for lunch?
ANP says
Mayday, mamas! My son (who’s 2 years 4 months old) has devolved into MAJOR tantrum behavior lately and it’s just about killing me. He has an older sister (5 years 5 months) and I’m 34 weeks pregnant with kid #3. Lately, he has been UNBEARABLE — mostly crying/screaming over and over “I want Daddy” when Daddy is, in fact, just as available as he’s always been (perhaps even moreso, since my husband is doing a lot more of the literal and figurative heavy lifting and I go into the final stretch of this pregnancy). My husband can be in the next room — going to the bathroom, taking a shower, watching TV, whatever — and our son can and will just randomly freak out. Basically I expect temper tantrums at all times, which is throwing both me and my husband for a loop since our daughter had what I’d consider a “normal” number of these (i.e. NOT multiple times each day). I’m also typically responsible for dropping DS off at daycare, which has become a major ordeal as of late.
I’ve noticed that DS is better on the weekends when we’re able to spend more time as a family and he’s not at daycare all day — and FWIW, daycare says they’ve seen ZERO tantrums from him in the past few weeks, which is so weird to me (but I trust and totally believe them). At home, in addition to “I want Daddy,” he’ll scream and cry for things like gatorade/a juice box, his favorite movie, etc. I’m rapidly starting to not like my child (which of course makes me feel guilty). We’ve tried time-outs, time in his crib, ignoring it, etc. Help!
meme says
Hmmm. This sounds difficult but not uncommon, and you might just have to wait it out. (Sorry.) My first son went through a hitting stage at 18 months that we could not seem to cure no matter what we tried, then one day he gave it up, and after that timeouts generally worked for him. My SIL had an extra difficult toddler, and she found help through parenting books focused on toddler behavior issues. I recall at one time she was reading The Strong Willed Child, but I do not remember whether she said she liked it.
OCAssociate says
I’ve often read/heard that the “terrible” portions of each year kick in at about the half-way mark. At almost 2.5, my son also turned into a terrible two year old. It may also be tied to the new baby coming (it was in our case).
I don’t have a ton of great suggestions. I tried the Happiest Toddler on the Block method, which sometimes worked, and sometimes didn’t.
What got us through was waiting it out, unfortunately. After about 5 months, he adjusted to the new baby and stopped the crazy tantrums. My mantra: every phase, whether good or bad, will end.
Meg Murry says
Is he screaming and crying for things that aren’t allowed (my 3 year old LOOOOOOVES juice boxes and has heard 1000 times that they are for lunchboxes only but will still try to tantrum if he thinks we will give in) or has he switched to “scream/cry/tantrum immediately for everything I want”?
If he’s tantruming for something you are willing to give him, have you tried saying “ask me politely” (or “in a nice voice” or “in an indoor voice” or similar)? Or can you teach your 5 year old to model this, and then say “thank you for asking so nicely big sister, of course I’ll get you some [water, juice, movie]”
Any chance there is a kid at daycare who throws tantrums regularly and your kid has been shutdown there but is still trying at home? Is he napping at home, and how does he nap at daycare?
This stage sucks, and ignoring is often all you can do. Be firm though, and be on the same page as your husband – if he gets his way ONCE by tantruming on something that you normally wouldn’t allow, it will set you back weeks on the “if I scream loud enough and long enough I’ll eventually get my way” cycle.
Preg in VA says
I am at 16 weeks and would like to start looking for baby things soon while I have energy and it’s not crazy hot out. I’m thinking of the bigger items: stroller, crib and car seat. Does it make sense to do a lot of researching about these items before shopping or is it helpful to just walk around a big store and get a feel for what is out there first? I wouldn’t go in to buy without research, to clarify, but just to get a sense of what’s out there.
Newly pregnant says
My husband and I are the type to be easily overwhelmed by going into a store cold. Before going into a store I started out with the Baby Bargains book for all major purchases. It quickly helped me narrow down which brands might work best for me and my husband based on their evaluations of products. Once I had a smaller list, we spent a lot of time in stores looking at the items.
For my registry, I went to the store with my best friend who walked me around every section of the store and pointed out what I needed, what was helpful, and what was not necessary. I found this really helpful for all of the smaller items that were unlikely to be covered by Baby Bargains.
R says
Another (free) option is Lucie’s List. If you sign up for her email list, you get a registry guide that I thought was amazing – it broke down the “best” options for each budget range.
PinkKeyboard says
Still pregnant but I did some research to narrow down things I thought I would be interested in (in our budget, functional, good reviews, not hideous) then went to the store to play with them before deciding. So far the cats find our car seats delightful so that seems to be a win?
Preg in VA says
Thanks to you both and to anne-on below. We will do some research before we go. I hadn’t heard of Baby bargains and bought that to peruse.
Lorelai Gilmore says
I would start by figuring out what you really need. How big of a crib do you want/need? With respect to a stroller, do you want one that collapses easily for the car, or one that’s built like a tank? (I used to live in NYC and in my head, strollers are divided between brownstone strollers (no elevators, have to haul them up the stairs) and elevator building strollers. If you’re suburban, you might divide them between car strollers and leave-in-the-garage-and-take-out-for-long-walks strollers.) With respect to car seats, what will fit in the back seat of your car? Figure out your parameters first (mostly having to do with size and function), then set your budget, then start shopping.
The one variation is for gliders or a rocking chair or an arm chair – here, I think you just go into the store, sit in a million chairs, and buy the one that is absolutely the most comfortable for long nursing sessions and (if you’re anything like us) falling asleep with the baby on your chest.
anne-on says
Honestly, decide your budget first, and then go from there. Those items are like cars in that there are very good options in what I’d consider the budget, midrange, and luxury price points.
Personally, I love the Uppababy brand for strollers. They didn’t have the car seat when I bought mine, but graco and chicco both seem like perennial favorites and have reasonably priced extra bases. I liked my Pali crib/furniture set, but the big box stores sell nice ones as do Land of Nod/Pottery Barn – it all depends on what you want to spend.
PregLawyer says
Yay working moms!!! Did anyone else read about the new study from Harvard Business School re positive effects of a working mom on children? Short version: daughters of working moms are more likely to perform better in the workplace, earn more and attain higher career levels. Sons of working moms are more likely to participate around the house when they are adults.
It was a happy read for me.
MomAnon4This says
Agreed.
Also saw a recent study that said American parents as a whole (working & SAH) spend more time with kids than parents in other developing countries. That helped me, too.
Nonny says
OK, on to a topic that is completely foreign to me….cars.
We need to replace my SO’s 14-year-old Nissan Xterra, which has served him well and which he has maintained admirably, but is now more trouble than it’s worth. At the same time I am selling my beloved Mini Cooper. Minis are the only cars I’ve ever owned and are perfect for me, but having a Mini just isn’t practical right now and honestly, we don’t need two cars.
I asked my SO to do some research about what car he thinks we should get, since cars really aren’t my thing. He has come up with the Mazda CX-5. I have no experience with Mazdas and none of my friends own one so am wondering whether any of you fine ladies have – do you like them? Have you found them dependable and safe, and practical with a toddler? The Mazda CX-5 seems to have good reviews but I am looking for actual personal experiences.
Thank you!
Lorelai Gilmore says
We don’t have a Mazda, but looked at it when we were in the market for a family car. We tried out the Mazda, a Subaru Forester and Outback, the Toyota Prius V and Rav-4, the Ford Escape, and the Honda CR-V. (And possibly some others.) We ended up buying a Honda CR-V and have been very happy with it. I highly recommend just going to dealerships and trying out the cars to make sure the space is configured comfortably for you.
Nonny says
Forgive me for prying, but may I ask what was the tipping point that convinced you to buy the Honda? Was it size, or the configuration for your needs, or – ?
Lorelai Gilmore says
I was convinced I wanted a Subaru. But I sat in it and immediately didn’t like it – it just wasn’t comfortable for me.
The CRV had the widest interior space in the back seat. We wanted to be able to squeeze in three people in the back seat (we have two kids and thought it would be helpful to have a third seat for playdates or other needs). It also had more headroom (important since DH and I are both tall). And there’s ample cargo space in the back. We easily fit kid bikes, strollers, packnplays, etc. in there, along with regular luggage.
We also had been really happy with Honda over the years – we had an old Civic for many years that literally never had a problem ever. Finally, the driving and handling on the CRV felt very safe to me – the car felt responsive and steady (as opposed to the Rav-4, which felt lurchy, and the Prius V, which felt sluggish). I assume everyone’s different on that, though.
meme says
We had a Mazda 5 for 3 years and loved it. We bought it new and never had any mechanical problems with it. We ended up selling it and buying a minivan when we had a third kid. The one downside to all of the Mazdas (we looked at the small SUVs too) was the cargo space in the back. Barely big enough for a short grocery trip and no way a stroller is fitting back there unless you have one of the rear seats folded down. Definitely scope out the stroller situation before you purchase. We ended up with a Toyota Sienna (I know, glamorous) and I am completely in love with the convenience and large cargo space.
hoola hoopa says
We also have a Mazda5 (fantastic/ideal for 2 kids; cramped for 3). It’s fun to drive with the powerful engine and tight turn radius, and so far has needed only routine maintenance (it’s 5 years old, 60k miles). A friend adores their Mazda3 (similar age). I don’t have experience with a CX-5, but I’d rate Mazda’s really well. For reference, I’ve always owned Hondas or Toyotas.
pockets says
I have a 2012 Mazda 3, it works fine. We’ve had it for 2.5 years but we’re city dwellers so it probably has fewer than 15,000 miles on it. We’ve had no problems. It’s very fuel efficient. The GPS stinks so if there’s an upgrade option to get it, don’t (we just use our phones).
SSJD says
We bought a used Mazda 5 in August last year. We have 4 children and were looking at cars that could hold everyone. We have been very happy with it. I will point out that this is our second car, so it’s used for drives to school and weekend outings, but never road trips. When we need to transport luggage or get groceries, we use our Odyssey (minivan). That said, even with all 6 seats in use it does have a small amount of space–enough to hold several bags of stuff or 2 folding chairs to watch a soccer game, etc. (My husband did actually use it to get groceries last weekend because I had the van.) It has been dependable and safe. My biggest disappointment is with the Bluetooth system which is not very good (does not link to my phone automatically if my husband’s phone was the last one used in the car–our Odyssey does this beautifully).
Anon S says
Hello ladies – question for nursing mamas. I went about 7 hours last night without pumping or nursing (my husband usually takes one night shift with a bottle) and when I woke up around 4am, my right boob was SO sore and hard in one spot. It’s happened before, but it always goes away after I nurse. However, it didn’t go away after I nursed her this time, so then I pumped after and it was still the same. After another nursing session and a hot shower, there’s no change. The question is whether I should (1) continue our normal routine tonight with my husband taking a bottle session and me going one long stretch without nursing or (2) either nurse or pump when I would normally skip a feed. The only reason I’m considering #1 is because I wonder if it would ultimately make things worse by not allowing my body to get used to one long night stretch. Thoughts?
RDC says
Sounds like you have a clogged duct. Check KellyMom for advice, but I’d keep (not skip) the nursing session. Start on the side with the clog (since baby nurses more vigorously) and massage like crazy while she’s eating. Good luck!
Katarina says
It sounds like you might have a clogged duct. If you do, you should try to nurse as much as possible, especially starting on that side, until it is cleared. Massaging it or applying heat might also help. I would do (2) until it is cleared, and then go back to (1). If it is just a bruise and not a clog, I would do (1).
Anon for this says
I’m a semi-regular poster, going anon for this.
I am hoping someone out there can relate to this and offer me some comfort. I am just over 20 weeks pregnant, and had my anatomy scan a few days ago. My OB reviewed the scan, and pronounced it normal despite a single finding of a spot on the heart. She explained that a single marker was not abnormal and did not elevate my risk of any chromosomal abnormalities. But she asked if I’d like a referral to genetics to discuss it, and I accepted the referral.
Fast forward to yesterday, I get a call from genetics saying they reviewed the scan and also found short femur bones, which is another “marker” that, taken together with the heart spot, elevates my risk by ten-fold — so what was a risk of 1/800 after my screening bloodwork is now much much higher. She recommended that I take the NIPT cell-free DNA test, which I took this morning. We won’t have results until late next week.
I am here feeling paralyzed by fear and anger. Fear, of course, that something is wrong with my precious baby, who I can already feel moving around inside me. Angry because I pushed my OB to do the cell-free testing months ago, which she refused to allow because I am “only” 34 and my bloodwork-NT screening came back normal. Now I’m right where I feared I might be — obviously showing, feeling the baby, and terrified that he might have something terribly wrong with him.
Has anyone been in a situation like this before? I’d love to hear stories from either perspective. I am so scared, confused, and fearful for this very-much-wanted pregnancy.
Lorelai Gilmore says
Oh honey, I am so sorry. This is such a stressful time and having to wait just makes it worse. I don’t have any advice. I am thinking of you, and sending you courage and strength through the internet.
Newly pregnant says
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I don’t have advice, but I can sympathize. My husband and I were referred to a genetics counselor because of some inconclusive blood work related to Tay Sachs. We were a bit blindsided because we aren’t from the primary ethnic backgrounds where Tay Sachs is a real risk. Fortunately subsequent blood work cleared everything up but we had a few weeks where we had to discuss termination for medical reasons (and contemplate the risks of future pregnancies), and it was really hard.
I’m thinking of you, and hope you get some answers soon.
mascot says
Does the genetics office also offer meetings with a genetics counselor? Understanding your options and the implications of certain diagnoses (to the extent they can predict prior to labs coming back) is really important. The harsh truth is that in many states, if you need to terminate for medical reasons you are up against a very tight timeline. Someone very close to me had to go through this and it was incredibly hard. I am sorry you are in this limbo and hope you get good results.
Anon for this says
Thanks, and I agree this is an important concern. Yes, I’ve talked to a counselor, and so I do have some idea what the possibilities are. We would almost certainly terminate, and we have until 23 weeks 1 day to do so in our city, and 23 weeks 6 days in our state. So it’s tight but possible. Still horrible to contemplate though.
Meg Murry says
Oh, I am so sorry – I was so afraid with every test that we were going to get bad news, and I hope in your case that all the news going forward is good.
I guess the good news is that if there is a condition found and you decide to go forward with the pregnancy at least you have time to do research and find support, as opposed to before these tests existed when you wouldn’t find out until delivery or until baby started having health problems. I know that’s not really good news, but it’s the best I’ve got right now.
If you have to make a hard decision, I’ve heard good things about the s!te aheartbreakingchoice.com for a virtual support group – but you may not want to visit until after you have results, as it may just work you up more than help at this point.
Virtual hugs to you.
meme says
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I was once in a similar situation (baby had a cyst on his brain at anatomy scan that indicated increased risk of genetic abnormalities). The thing that helped me most was a speech at the time of the scan by the perinatologist performing the scan about the fact that although the known risk was higher now than we had known it to be before, the odds were still vastly in our favor and that “markers” are common but they rarely amount to anything. He told me to stay away from Google for my own peace of mind. Of course I couldn’t, but still his reassurances helped.
Everything turned out to be fine with my baby, the cyst resolved on its own over the next month, and he’s now a precocious kindergartener. It sounds like from what you said the known odds are still something like 80/1 in your favor, so try to take some comfort in that if you can. My SIL had a false positive on her first tri blood tests. An amino proved everything was fine. It’s really hard but fairly common for something to trigger increased scrutiny and then for the follow up tests to prove all is well. Best wishes for a happy outcome.
Manhattanite says
Have you discussed an amnio? The cell free results are not definitive and many people advise against relying on those results to make a decision on termination. Plus it takes a week to get the results. I too had abnormal results in my 20 week ultrasound despite good cell free DNA results at 10 wks. I did an amnio as soon as possible after the ultrasound and had them do microarray analysis as well as karyotyping. I had no side effects from the amnio and the pregnancy still looks healthy at 30 weeks although I’m still higher risk.
I understand what you’re going through and it’s the worst. You want this pregnancy and you’ve already invested a lot in it. I too would have chosen termination although it would have broken my heart for the healthy child I couldn’t have. I wish you the best in getting through your current situation.
MomAnon4This says
It sucks. A college friend recently shared her similar story with me, and they’d chosen to terminate due to health concerns. You are not alone.
meme says
It may be too late to be asking on this thread, but here goes: Where did you find good maternity workout wear? I run and take body pump type classes. I’m growing out of my shorts and leggings and tops too (but I can probably make those work for awhile). I’d love to find some place with a decent selection in maternity sizes, but I’m not seeing a whole lot available. I picked up a pair of maternity yoga pants from Motherhood, but they’re okay at best and they had very limited options. Maybe I just need to size up a few sizes?
Newly pregnant says
I just sized up my normal workout pants, assuming that I’d need them postpartum as well. Near the end they started to not work as well (i.e., rolling down a bit), but I didn’t want to buy workout pants that covered my stomach. That sounded like a recipe for overheating! I also found that wearing a longer pre-preg shirt worked for covering my stomach, like, something that came in a tall size.
Maddie Ross says
I sized up for pants/capris and sports bras. I generally just wore the pants under my bump after awhile. I also ended up just stealing my husband’s t-shirts towards the end.
layered bob says
I like Old Navy for maternity workout clothes – they don’t seem like they will last forever but they don’t need to. And Target sometimes has some good options in their BeMaternity by Ingrid & Isabel line.
meme says
Thank you! I clicked over to Old Navy and they seem to have a bunch of choices. I’ll try some of those.
Spirograph says
I have a gap workout maternity shirt that I loooove and am still wearing 5 months pp, even though my normal workout clothes fit just fine.