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In my current role, I meet a lot of attorneys and clients every day. Unlike Patrick Bateman, for me, business cards aren’t too precious, but handed out on a daily basis. I currently keep them in the little pocket meant for a cell phone inside my bag, but I’d like to upgrade to a business card holder. I really like this one from Royce. I like how it’s basic black but with the pop of red on the inside. Of all the offerings I’ve seen, this one is real leather and reasonably priced. It is available at Bloomingdale’s for $50. Pebbled Leather Card Case Update: Unfortunately, this case has sold out, but Bloomingdale’s has a couple of other options from the brand. 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?
Anonymous says
My baby will be six months old soon. Does this mean I can start using sunscreen on him? Especially relevant as it’s getting warmer and more sunny where I am. What is the best brand? Thanks!
HSAL says
Our pediatrician recommended Blue Lizard last month, but we haven’t tried it yet. With my first we just used Aveeno Baby and Babyganics.
Anon in NYC says
Yes. We use ThinkBaby for our daughter, which I think is well rated by EWG and not too greasy. We use Blue Lizard when we’re spending a lot of time in the sun (like at the beach) and it’s great coverage (especially for my husband who otherwise burns when he looks outside) but IMO it’s too greasy for every day coverage. Also well rated by EWG.
I’m going to try supergoop’s everyday sunscreen this year. My hope is that it’s not too greasy so I can use it for body coverage on a daily basis. If it works for me, I may switch my daughter to it as well, just so I’m not buying multiple different brands of sunscreen.
Anon says
Why is Think Baby not good at the beach? We’ve used that in tropical climates with no issues. It’s SPF 50, although I think regular reapplication matters more than SPF.
Anon in NYC says
ThinkBaby is totally fine at the beach. We (me and DH) use Blue Lizard. I wasn’t clear in my original post.
Anonymous says
Agree with this. We first tried Blue Lizard, and it’s pretty awful to handle. We use ThinkBaby for kiddo and cheap stuff for DH and me (basically the story of our lives).
Anon says
My Ped is very chill, and he said we could use sunscreen even earlier than 6 months. The only thing he hasn’t been chill about was brand of sunscreen (for EVERYTHING else – formula to diaper cream he has said just buy the store brand). He’s team Neutrogena Sensitive Skin. I think we bought SPF 60. It was fine last summer.
Anon says
Water Babies has a new formulation out that’s supposedly more “natural” (mineral-based) and scent-free. I like it. (I haven’t strictly verified the ingredients, but the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually use.) We tried ThinkBaby at first and it smelled delicious, but felt really chalky on my fingers and did not rub in easily at all. I’d probably still start with something on the EWG list for teeny babies, but if you want something cheaper/easier to apply, Water Babies is pretty good now.
anon says
Our daycare uses Water Babies, so that’s what we’ve started stocking at home, too. Agree with anon at 9:33 that the new mineral formulation is good and easier to apply than others I’ve tried.
Anon says
I like (for my super ghostly pale self and baby) the Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby. I can’t use chemical sunscreens or my psoriasis flares like crazy, so we both use baby sunscreen, and that’s my favorite. For her and my faces, I use the Cerave mineral sunscreen stick (which I can’t find in stock anywhere right now, so hopefully that’s just temporary) or, typically for her, the Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Stick – which is still fairly white and chalky so I don’t love to wear it, but it’s better than getting roasted. Stick formulation is so much easier to apply on their little faces.
Anon says
Retrying since I got stuck. I like (for my super ghostly pale self and baby) the Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby. I can’t use chemical sunscreens or my psoriasis flares like crazy, so we both use baby sunscreen, and that’s my favorite. For her and my faces, I use the Cerave mineral sunscreen stick (which I can’t find in stock anywhere right now, so hopefully that’s just temporary) or, typically for her, the Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Stick, which is still fairly white and chalky so I don’t love to wear it, but it’s better than getting roasted. Stick formulation is so much easier to apply on their little faces.
Anon says
Maybe third time is the charm, no idea what keeps getting stuck. Neutrogena baby for me and kiddo, with either the cerave mineral stick or neutrogena baby stick for faces.
Anonymous says
Not what you asked but after 3 kids the very very best plan of attack is long sleeve rash guard and hat, with sunscreen on face/neck hands and legs. All under an umbrella.
And make sunscreen fun- otherwise you’ll spend the next 3 years physically asssaulting them to get sunscreen on.
rosie says
Our peds was ok w/it before 6 months, but wanted a mineral/physical sunscreen, not a chemical one. (I think that’s generally the recommendation, though — my derm suggested the same for me.)
Emily S. says
We use both Neutrogena Sensitive and Blue Lizard and both work well and don’t seem to bother our kids’ sensitive skin.
Anonymous says
We started with ThinkBaby but our daughter reacted to it, so switched to Kiss My Face Baby’s First Kiss on our ped’s recommendation.
anon says
Is it just me, or does it seem like kids need more clothes during the spring/summer? I feel like the clothing changes are never-ending, and kiddo comes home from daycare absolutely filthy most days. (Which is good! I love that she’s getting lots of outdoor playtime!) I’m trying to figure out how much everyday clothing is enough for a preschooler. I have fallen into the trap of overbuying occasionally, but I also don’t want to be doing laundry constantly. It doesn’t help that we’re literally having 35- to 40-degree temperature swings this time of year. There is lots of layering happening, which means more laundry.
If you’re a newer mom — I would vote for quantity over quality for summer clothes, for the simple reason that they can get pretty trashed from sunscreen, popsicle stains, dirt, etc.
java says
I was thinking the same thing this morning as I lamented the higher temp and scrambled to find something for DD. No idea what’s a reasonable amount – I tend to overbuy for winter and always feel like I’ve underbought for spring and summer.
anon says
My kids come home filthy from preschool, too (they are literally learning to garden, yay!), and I’ve just decided to let it go. I spray their pants with Shout that evening, toss them in the hamper, and do laundry as usual. Most of the dirt comes out, but not all of it. They still wear the (clean but stained) pants.
GCA says
Agree. Late spring through early fall is peak grime and mud season, we just roll with it and have lots of play clothes. One fresh outfit every weekday plus two spare in daycare cubby. Which reminds me I’ve got to inventory my kids’ dresser because son has grown another eleventy hundred inches or something and daughter is rapidly outgrowing 9mo clothes.
blueridge29 says
I like shopping at consignment shops for kiddo summer clothes. That way you won’t feel bad if a shirt gets ruined that only cost a couple bucks.
Anonymous says
I bought kiddo a bunch of transitional spring clothes (think long sleeved dresses) that I’m pretty sure she’ll have a total of like 3 weeks of appropriate weather to wear. What was I thinking?! I sized up, though, so maybe she can wear them for the same three weeks next year. At least it was all Old Navy at 40-50% off…
AwayEmily says
we do lots of long sleeved dresses with leggings in the winter!
Redux says
Pro-tip: I cut the sleeves off of my kid’s long sleeved pajamas to take her from winter to summer. I plan to do the same with a number of her long-sleeved tees that I know won’t fit her by fall.
anon says
You can wear them again in the fall! Dresses + leggings are my daughter’s preferred look these days.
11:59 Anon says
Totally agree. They’re just definitely of a springier color scheme and patterns. But I might just have to get over it!!
Anonymous says
We usually have 7-10 tops and bottoms, aiming to do laundry once a week. That has worked well so far through age 4.
phone addict says
I think I’m addicted to my cell phone and I would like to use it less. I always like having it around to snap pictures of DD, but I’m constantly on it – checking work email, social media, looking at nothing for no reason at all. My DH is even worse and I complain to him about it but he laughs it off because I’m always on my phone too. I have an apple watch so it’s not like I even need it in front of my face in order to avoid missing something. It feels so silly, but please share your tips and tricks.
Anon says
When I get home from work, I put it on the charger in our bedroom and I don’t use it again until I get in bed. I don’t have to monitor email outside of normal business hours, and this wouldn’t work for someone who does.
Lana Del Raygun says
Mr Lana and I do this with a cupboard in the living room. It’s called the “phone zone,” and the rule is that you have to zone your phone by dinner time. I came up with the idea but we instituted it together, and either of us gets to hold the other accountable. It helps a lot.
Pogo says
I like this!
Lana Del Raygun says
Delete your distracting apps!
Em says
+1 I only deleted FB and found that it drastically cut down on how much time I spent on my phone. If I want to check it or post a photo to FB from my phone I log in through the browser, which is a PITA so I don’t do it often. I also frequently intentionally leave my phone in another room or on another floor when I am with my son so I don’t even reach for it.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
+1 – Deleted FB a year ago, and IG last Fall. I still pull up IG as a site, but agree it’s a PITA/not as much functionality so quick to get off.
I also charge both the work cell and personal cell outside of the bedroom! Took this recco from Forever35, but man it has made a difference for me not having a phone alarm clock!
anon. says
Same. I’ve started just putting it on the counter out of reach for an hour or so in the evening after dinner while we’re playing, reading books, etc. One small gesture but it’s something.
Anonymous says
We have a basket on top of our fridge and put our phones there when we come home. We make a real effort to keep phones out of our hands from 5:45pm (first person gets home) to 8:15pm – last kid goes to bed. It’s like 2.5. hours without our phones but it makes a huge difference in the quality of our evenings with the kids. We leave the ringers on so if it’s something crucial, people can still reach us. DH and I usually take a half hour to sit in silence on our phones as soon as the kids are in bed.
AnotherAnon says
The struggle is real. DH and I are constantly complaining that the other spends too much time on his/her phone. What has helped me somewhat is: 1) removing social media apps from my phone. Sometimes on Friday I’ll put insta on my phone and then remove it on Monday. I just do too much mindless scrolling at work during the week and after I put the kid to bed. 2) I read some clickbaity article about how your kids are more affected by how much time YOU spend behind a screen than they do. I don’t know if that’s true but it was a bit of wake up call for me. I try to put my phone away when I get home from work. I don’t know if this is an option for you but my work and personal phone are separate so I’m not tempted to check work email after I snap a photo of DS.
Anonymous says
I use a camera for quick pics! I realized that I basically had a phone in my kids face constantly and that didn’t feel great and every time I used my phone as a camera I also checked other things. I get less cute photos using a camera but feel better about my parebtibg
Boston Legal Eagle says
iPhone let’s you block certain (or all) apps during designated times so I set mine to prevent me from going pretty much everywhere except photos from 6-8pm. Of course you can override it, but it’s a good reminder.
addicted OP says
I went ahead and did this. Thanks for the suggestion – I knew you could limit screen time but didn’t realize you could block certain apps during a certain time.
anon says
The only way I’ve reigned it in is by not having my phone with me at all times. We have a phone holder in the kitchen that I try to keep my device in when I’m doing anything with the kids during the evening. The ringer stays on. If they’re being cute, I’ll go and grab it for a photo op — though truth be told, I’m taking fewer kid photos these days. I try not to text people until the kids are in bed.
anon says
I put my phone away during key periods when my kids need my full attention and then try not to beat myself up for looking at it during other times. For us, that’s 1) 20 min after we walk in the door and before dinner prep when they like me to sit down and play with them, and 2) 45 min before bed including bath, jammies, and stories. Bonus: once you start putting it down some times, you’ll find that you don’t really miss it, and it becomes easier to put it down at other times.
Also, I don’t check my work email between pickup and bedtime, as that’s the thing that’s most likely to distract me for the rest of the evening thinking about what I need to do and who I need to respond to after I put them down. My colleagues know I will respond as needed later in the evening.
FVNC says
I need to get better at this, too. One of the comments on the main s i te a week or so ago when the poster asked for tips on not using her phone in the car resonated with me — something like, acknowledge that you’ll feel anxious without your phone near you, and that you need to get over that anxiety. This rang really true to me.
Also, re: work emails — I realized that it did me no good to see them come in, if I can’t respond to them (and I generally don’t respond between 6ish-8ish, during dinner/bedtime). Since I am not going to respond, I don’t need to see them immediately. That has also helped with the “anxiety” caused by not having my phone on hand.
DLC says
I struggle with this too! Agree with all the suggestions about making the phone inaccessible.
Funny story- I rented a coat from Rent the Runway that has no pocket- also, I wear a lot of leggings- so the only way to carry my phone these days is in my purse and I find that I’ve been checking my phone a whole lot less since my phone has not been as convenient on my persons.
I also agree with deleting and re-organizing apps. On my home screen is email, maps, text messaging, weather, period tracker, music, and Libby (to encourage me to read books rather than surf). On my second screen is various calculators and work apps. I find it helps remind me that my phone is functional, not entertainment.
I’m also intrigued by the idea of switching your phone to greyscale – I read that it makes it less appealing when it is not so colourful. I haven’t done that yet, but I’d like to try that.
Redux says
My husband does the grayscale trick and it has dramatically reduced his mindless scrolling!
CCLA says
To hold ourselves more accountable, we told our 2.5 yr old that there are no phones at the table. She happily reminds us if we bust them out, which is surprisingly effective. Nothing like the admonishing voice of your toddler reminding you “no phones at the table” (and also “smaller bites, mommy,” lol). I also turn off push notifications sometimes when I’m having trouble unplugging. I do need to check my email after hours, but unless I’m in a closing for a deal or similar crunch time, I can take a few hours without being responsive, and it’s helpful to not have it pinging me that there are new messages. Like some other posters, we don’t nix them entirely, but do take periods like bedtime and dinner time and some focused play time to put them away purposefully.
Falstaff says
I feel like an evangelist for this book (I just mentioned it over on the main page), but How to Break Up with Your Phone is SO GOOD. It has a 30 day plan for reducing your phone usage, and it also explains how these apps are specifically designed to capture your attention and change your brain function in the process.
TheElms says
So what do you do if you have one of those jobs where you are, in fact, expected to be on call essentially 24/7 (i.e. BigLaw)? I put my phone away while I cook, eat, clean up from dinner so (7:30-9ish) on weeknights but that’s about as long as I can be away from it realistically in the evening without potentially missing something important. I silence all notifications between 11:30pm and 7am to encourage sleeping.
On weekends I try to check it only on the following schedule 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, 11pm, unless I am working. And on Sundays I don’t check between 9:30am and 1pm typically unless I know I am expecting something.
Any other tips or suggestions?
Anon says
My apple watch is tied to my work phone. I find it helps me put my phone away for longer periods because I can quickly glance at the work email that comes through without having to pull out my phone to check it, and most of it doesn’t require an immediate response so I can just wait. Like you, I usually don’t check my work phone while I’m cooking, eating and cleaning up dinner (8-9ish) or while I’m doing bath and bedtime routine (10-11ish). My phone is on vibrate at night, but the overnight emails don’t wake me up and I certainly don’t wake up to check them. During post-dinner playtime I check it a couple of times, but mostly the response is I’ll get to this after bedtime if a response is needed. On weekends I check every couple of hours (when I wake up, lunch time, mid-afternoon, dinner time, bedtime) unless I’m expecting something, and try to put it down in between. Mornings it’s the first thing I check to see if there are any fires, and then I check it again before I leave the house to drive in.
anon says
When you hire a sitter to literally sit in your hotel room once kids are asleep, how much do you pay? would you offer to pay for an uber to/from hotel? For some context, we are hopefully hiring a college student to sit in our hotel room and watch our kids sleep while attending dinners at BIL’s college graduation.
Anonymous says
The same amount I pay a sitter at home, plus a premium because I don’t know this person. Prob $20 an hour. Yes, I’d pay for transport.
Anon says
Same amount I pay a sitter at home (12-15 an hour for one kid), but I wouldn’t pay for transport unless you’re in some really random location.
HSAL says
I’d pay standard for the city I was in, even if that’s not what I’d pay at home. I agree with 10:14 Anon that I wouldn’t pay for transportation unless it’s difficult/inconvenient to get to.
Anon says
I’m the 10:14 Anon and agree with this. I think of the DC market on the higher end and we’re usually traveling to LOCL places, so I’m usually paying slightly above market when we travel, but if I was below, I would definitely gross up.
anon says
Slightly above market for the city you’re traveling to (if you can figure that out), plus parking or transport, whichever makes more sense. You’re paying her for her time, not for the physical labor so it doesn’t really matte that your kids are asleep.
Redux says
+1 on the point that you are paying her for her time
KW says
We did this a couple months ago. She drove to the hotel, so we paid for her to park in the hotel lot and then paid her what amounted to about $15 per hour.
dc anon says
Do you have any experience with the Expeditionary Learning model? Good, bad or otherwise?
My understanding is that it is somewhat similar to Montessori. It involves looking at an issue from many different perspectives including the history, science, and impact on people. Is there a type of personality that does better in this type of learning environment? Have transitions to traditional learning environments been difficult? We are trying to decide between a charter with Expeditionary Learning and our traditional neighborhood school for kindergarten.
octagon says
I have family members who did an expeditionary learning school (RMSEL) and it was spectacular for them. If there was something comparable in my city I would absolutely consider it.
aelle says
If you go that route, please tell us more! It sounds very interesting
Anonymous says
I have a $150 gift card to the Honest Company. My guy is almost six months (I am also the sunscreen poster above haha). I have enough hand me down clothes, I like pampers for diapers, got gifted enough baby toiletries seemingly to last two years. I know I can keep it until I need it but is there any product you love from Honest that I should keep in mind? Thanks again :)
Anonymous says
We use Honest for diapers, wipes, shampoo/conditioner, and hair detangler. I like the travel packs of wipes (which are like $4), because they’re easy to carry and stuff into travel bags.
farrleybear says
I really liked the overnight diapers from Honest–hardly ever leaked. And such cute sheep on them:)
Anon says
I like their antibacterial hand sanitizer spray. I keep one in every purse/diaper bag. My LO doesn’t fight me on using it as much (I think she likes the novelty of a spray) as she does traditional hand sanitizer.
Anonymous says
My 25 month old is very large–98% percentile in both height and weight. He’s been in size 7 Pampers Cruisers for a few months now but even those are getting too small. These are the largest diapers I can find. We have experimented with Pull-Ups as an option but they just don’t fulfill all the needs of a diaper. In addition, we really need a night diaper but those seem to stop at Size 6. We are having a ton of leaks at night.
Any brilliant solutions I haven’t thought of?
Anonymous says
Sposie booster pads?
Pogo says
+1, though I’m finding for these to work well you need to size up the diaper. Which if the size 7’s are smallish already, adding the sposie pad might not help so much…
anon says
Sposie plus the largest diaper you can find.
lsw says
I have this problem (posting the next day since I wasn’t online yesterday, but hoping you might see this!) and tried Sposies and my son had HORRIBLE diaper rash. As in we took him to the pediatrician. Weeping, bleeding, sores, it was awful. No idea why this happened.
We are in desperate need of a size 7 nighttime diaper as well!
Anonymous says
I don’t have the answer- I think in your shoes i’d try potty training and see how it goes. But I trained my kids early. I am just thinking it might be easier in the long run than the stress of finding special diapers. YMMv though.
Anon says
This is my fear – similar proportions and we’ve been in size 6 for quite a few months at now 20 months and expect we’ll need to move to 7 soon. Here’s hoping we can potty train before she outgrows them.
Anon says
I’m worried about this too – DD is only 14 months and already in Pampers size 6. She’s well under the weight limit, but she’s tall and seems to have a really big bottom (takes after her mom, lol) and nights have always been a challenge because she sleeps 12-13 hours straight. So I fear we’re going to be in your shoes soon. I can’t imagine potty-training her much before age 2, apparently it was quite an ordeal to potty-train me and I was closer to 3 at the time.
Anonymous says
FWIW, I was extremely stubborn and didn’t potty train until almost 4, but I’ve been 2 for 2 on getting my kids to potty train shortly after 2, so the genetic tendencies might not be as strong as you think!
buffybot says
For the night time diaper point, we switched to using the brand called GoodNites that seems to go up to much larger sizes than diapers. Honestly, I feel like you could probably use them for daytime too?
They are not at all cute, but seem pretty effective (although my child is not typically a night pooper at the moment).
Anonymous says
Thanks for this comment. Not the OP, but kiddo is in size 6 diapers. Day potty trained, but not night trained and a deep sleeper with a full diaper + Sposie in the morning. I’ve been a little anxious about the future. I will remember this!
farrleybear says
We use these for my son at night—he’s close but not totally there on nighttime control. They work great!
anon says
For overnights, you could try Underjams, or other big kid overnight diapers. DS was in overnights until he was 6.
Diapers says
Bonus on the big kid night time pants vs diapers is that they are eligible for FSA dollars. I just realized this and am frustrated for not having moved over from pullups earlier
ElisaR says
whoah. thank you for that tidbit.
CC says
My kid was way above the 99th percentile and still is. We used Seventh Generation pull-ups (size 6) and potty trained when she was 2 1/4 (highly recommend the board book Potty by Linda Pettricelli). I’m sure this isn’t appealing but in case you get desperate, we used cloth diapers during the day and they come in enormous sizes. I bought ours at Green Mountain Diapers.
CPA Lady says
Tax season is over!!!!! It was a sh*t show this year, but it’s over. Thank god. I’ve been missing y’all, and I’m glad to be back.
KW says
Yay! Congrats on making it through! My sister is also a CPA, so I’ve heard from her how awful this year, especially, was. Hope you’re celebrating!
GCA says
Hooray and congratulations! Have a coffee, and a nap, and a drink!
Boston Legal Eagle says
I’ve been wondering where you’ve been lately (hope that’s not creepy). Tax season, makes sense. Glad you survived and welcome back!
So Anon says
Congrats!!
Anonymous says
Honest and Co diapers: I understand they aren’t the best, but they are adorable. I’d love to use them for a diaper cake- if they were free would you be open to using them?
Anonymous says
I’m not a fan of diaper cakes, and if it were my shower I would much rather you spent money on either ugly but effective diapers or some pretty flowers.
Anon says
+1
Redux says
I think the diaper cake is totally a regional thing. I had never even heard of them.
HSAL says
Yeah, I had a diaper cake with Luvs, which are decent diapers with adequate patterns. I hated Honest Company.
CCLA says
Same. Diaper cakes might look cute, but will be useless if the kiddo doesn’t fit that brand well, or if kiddo grows out of that size before they can be exchanged (like an unopened box could).
Anonymous says
Obviously I used any free diapers I received at my shower. I actually liked getting a few different brands to try. I also didn’t like the Honest ones, but I would have probably bought some on my own to try them because they’re so cute, so in a diaper cake would have been great.
Anonymous says
I’ll pretty much use any free diapers. But I’d rather have a box of pampers and actual flowers
Anonymous says
I get it, but that’s not an option! A diaper cake is happening, just trying to figure out how to make it a successful one!
NYCer says
If I were you, I would use Pampers for the diaper cake even though Honest Co are cuter.
anon says
+1 Maybe a variety of sizes. A few N, plenty of 1s and 2s.
Anon says
Another vote for Pampers for the diaper cake. I don’t think diaper cakes are cute no matter what, and Pampers are way more functional as diapers.
Anon says
+1 to the different sizes. I was expecting a big baby and so only had the N diapers we brought home from the hospital, and while she was on the larger side (8 lb 6 oz), we still needed a few extra days’ worth of N diapers which I fished out of my diaper cake to use. In order to make mine cuter, my friend wrapped each layer with flannel receiving blankets. I got pampers, luvs and huggies at my showers and used them all and then eventually settled on pampers as what fit kiddo the best. Favorite feature on the pampers and huggies is the wetness line indicator, helpful when they’re little and sleeping and you don’t want to poke and prod to see if the diaper is full yet.
IHeartBacon says
Never used Honest diapers and wasn’t aware that folks didn’t like them. I used up all the free diapers I got at my baby shower. It was a great way to test them all out to find out what I preferred. I ended up preferring Huggies over Pampers, even though Pampers was the more popular brand in my area and I got a ton of Pampers. I used up all the Pampers and then bought Huggies once all the freebies ran out. A diaper cake made out of Honest diapers is a great way to allow the mom-to-be to try out a different brand. It’s very possible that the brand ends up working best for the mom-to-be and her baby.
Anon says
Except I think it’s pretty universal that Honest Co diapers are terrible quality. Huggies vs Pampers vs Luvs etc is more about fit for your specific baby and preference and I agree that it makes sense to try multiple brands. But Honest is just a crappy product, as evidenced by the many people saying don’t do Honest.
Anonymous says
I was (am) team Pampers. Look at the new Pampers Pure, which are a cuter, more simple pattern than regular Pampers. They seem to work the same from what I can tell though.
Anonymous says
Thanks this looks perfect!
Not my usual username says
At the risk of outing myself (so I didn’t use my usual username), my husband and I are both emergency managers, and we immediately stuck the diaper cake (which was not our preferred diaper brand but had a variety of sizes) with our emergency supplies, and felt a bit better knowing we had a backup stash if something were to happen!
Agree with people who recommended pampers pure- loved the brand and the patterns are lighter colors and cute.
Quail says
Counterpoint – Honest diapers worked great for my kiddo, 4 or so years ago. Granted, we cloth diapered at home and so only used them for travel and daycare (which kiddo started at 6 months old), but they were the best fit and didn’t cause rashes like the other brands we tried. The overnights were especially awesome once kiddo out-peed cloth diapers at night. Kind of sad to hear people don’t think they are good quality as I was planning to use again for my second.
Bean74 says
Honest have worked the best for my two-year-old. We’ve done other brands while traveling and he’s ended up with a rash every time we tried something different. They seem to run small but have otherwise been great for us. I think, as with most things, it all depends on the baby.
KW says
Are there any nursing-friendly wedding guest outfits? Baby is coming along to the wedding. I could just feed pumped milk from a bottle, but between the wedding and the reception, I’m not sure I can go that long without feeding/pumping.
Anon says
How formal is the wedding? If not super formal, I’d go with a wrap or surplice style dress, either knee length or maxi. If you think that’s too casual, then I would either go for a dress I could easily unzip myself or one that is easy to pull down to nurse or pump (thinking stretchy neckline). But in my experience most wedding reception venues have a room tucked away where you could disappear to undress however much you need to if you call and ask and confirm and then you can wear whatever makes you feel fabulous!
AwayEmily says
the other benefit of something that you just take off completely is that it’s less likely to get milk or other random baby leakage on it.
KW says
The invitation doesn’t specify a dress code, but it’s a mid-afternoon ceremony and 5:30 reception in the Midwest so not particularly fancy. Something like a wrap dress would be just fine, I’m sure. I don’t know why I didn’t think of just unzipping a dress and pulling it down! Duh.
AK says
First, anyone with a newborn gets an automatic pass at weddings, so don’t sweat the outfit too much. Have you looked at Seraphine dresses? Link to follow. You could also do a nursing-friendly top (that you already own) + skirt. Scarves can be used as a cover-up if you’re unsure if there will be a private area available to nurse.
AK says
https://www.seraphine.com/en-us/nursing-clothes/nursing-dresses.html All dresses
Loving this silk-skirt wrap: https://www.seraphine.com/en-us/black-floral-silk-wrap-maternity-dress.html
Likewise in lavender: https://www.seraphine.com/en-us/floral-ivory-silk-maternity-dress.html
Anonymous says
+1 on the pass. I was just so thrilled that my friends with babies came!
Anonymous says
Random nursing comment since we’re on the topic. I just bought a modal wrap top from Banana that they have in a couple sleeve lengths and multiple colors. It is a wrap with a button, and my first thought was that it would have been great when I was nursing!!!
Link: https://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=1&pid=430406042&searchText=sandwash+modal+wrap-front+top&autosuggest=true
LadyNFS says
Thanks for sharing – always on the lookout for “non-nursing” clothes that can be nursing friendly!
12:04 Anon says
Great! Just realized I linked to the petite. They have regular, too.
DLC says
ASOS also has a nice selection of nursing dresses, and they aren’t terribly expensive. And many of them are nice because they look like regular dresses, not left over maternity dresses with nursing access as an after thought.
Anonymous says
Navy or black wrap dress that’s work appropriate. Dress it up for the wedding with sparkly shoes/jewelry and can reuse for the office afterwards.
Or go more the summer fun dress route – https://www.jcrew.com/ca/p/L6049?intcmp=wdresses_obj2
Pogo says
I had several weddings in my first year PP. I did a combo of what is suggested above (surplice, ASOS nursing dress) but also – I ended up for a couple events just wearing a regular dress that I liked and unzipping to nurse, because I was already in a private location for nursing. I used a muslin swaddle wrapped around my dress either way to contain any spills, spit up, etc. I’ve had good luck contacting the venue ahead of time to ask about a private room for either pumping or nursing.
Anonymous says
How did you handle setting up daycare wait lists/tours/logistics while in Biglaw and wanting to preserve leave time? Every daycare seems to want us to do a tour to get on their wait lists, and of course their tours are only at 11 am or 3 pm on weekdays, and it’s getting to be a lot.
Anon says
How many waitlists do you need to be on? I think 3-5 places is probably plenty. Also, ymmv, but in Big Law when I had mid-day appointments, I never used formal leave. One of the few benefits of working in a billable hour profession is that your employer is sort of always keeping track of you through your billing, so it mitigates having to ask permission to step away for an hour or two. If you really can’t get away, no reason your partner can’t tour without you.
Anon says
That’s life partner, not law firm partner obviously ;)
Quail says
This is what I did recently – worked remotely, took half an hour for the tour, back to billing. My spouse (gov’t attorney) has to take PTO for stuff like this, so that’s why I went alone. Some centers also said they’d be able to do a weekend tour if spouse couldn’t get time off during the week – maybe that’s an option to ask about.
NYCer says
I never use PTO / vacation days / sick days for mid day appointments (also in big law). I just step out for an hour or two and no one ever complains. Obviously if you have a deadline or a meeting or a super busy period that might not work, but otherwise, just go to the tour and then go back to the office.
IHeartBacon says
100000% on not using up your leave/PTO/sick time to attend these tours since you’re in a billable hour profession. I also wouldn’t use up the time to attend doctor’s appts either. Just take care of your business and make up the hours.
Anonanonanon says
I was in a situation where I had to preserve PTO, and it wasn’t an “it’s ok to step out for a few hours” situation, and I think the maddest I ever got while pregnant was when a sitter made us come in for a visit and THEN told us they didn’t have any spots.
To answer your question, I got permission to work remotely that day, which allowed for less PTO since I didn’t have to factor in travel time, but that wasn’t a situation I could do too often.
FWIW in a situation where PTO is valuable, we ended up going with a state-licensed in-home daycare. They were all much more flexible about allowing me to come in the evening to tour, would take time to answer my questions ahead of a tour (I knew that if they closed every time the schools did for snow that there was no point in visiting, for example) and our child is sent home sick A LOT less frequently than our friends who use centers. There are also no weather closures (which was important for our jobs) because it’s in her house, so obviously she can always make it!
TK says
I outsourced it to my mom who was looking for tangible ways to help, and I gave her a detailed checklist and questions to ask.
anon says
first shoes for your baby – for when they aren’t quite walking, but standing/getting close. are they supposed to be soft soled? do you put socks with the shoes? are there brands that don’t require socks? we live in a warm climate and have twins and the thought of having to put shoes and socks on both of them every time i want to leave the house sounds daunting when it already takes us forever to make it out (yes, i realize eventually they will need to wear shoes and socks)
rosie says
We didn’t start with shoes until my LO was consistently interested in & able to stand & walk while out & about (so no shoes in the house, socks only if cold). We used the leather-soled robeez for a while & then her next pair were stride rite for target sneakers.
Anonymous says
Go to a kids shoe store if you can. But See Kai Run has a line of early walkers that we started with when DD was clearly just a few weeks away from walking. We still buy this brand but have switched to the heartier toddler soles shoes (still very flexible). You could do a sport sandal instead of a sneaker. DD lived in their Sandals all last summer and I didn’t buy sneakers again until she needed a size up and it was fall.
Emily S. says
Our daycare required them in the toddler room (even if they weren’t walking). We used See Kai Run crib shoes with socks and Jack and Lilly mocs; with or without socks. They seemed to do the trick (which was convince daycare they were properly shod.)
Pogo says
Robeez makes cute little “sandals” that don’t need socks, which would be good for this time of year.
Mine was at that stage in the winter and we used zutano booties.
Don’t worry, maybe your kids will be like mine and be obsessed with putting on shoes to go outside. It is the one thing in our day we don’t have a battle about!
Leatty says
We did freshly picked moccasins at that age. They were really easy to put on, comfortable for my daughter, and were spacious enough that we didn’t have to buy a new pair every month.
Pogo says
Since someone asked a few days ago about my family’s potential international relocation, it is tentatively a go! Husband needs to read all the fine print from his company and officially accept, get a start date, and iron out all the other logistics, but it’s all moving in a positive direction. Thanks to a suggestion on here to look at ex-pat groups – the ex-pat community looks really helpful. My biggest concern was my boss agreeing to the remote work, and he was fine with it since it’s a short-term assignment, and I have business in Europe I can work on while I’m there.
I definitely don’t see this type of thing getting any easier with older kids or multiple kids, so I’m glad the opportunity came up when it did.
Anon says
Yay! Glad it worked out and that you’re going for it!
So Anon says
That’s so exciting!!!
Cb says
That’s wonderful!!
Anon says
I’m so happy for you and hope you’ll share your experiences abroad! My husband is a professor and has a lot of collaborators in Europe, so we could potentially spend a semester there in a year or two. I’ll be following your story with interest.
So Anon says
Thanks for the advice yesterday on my traveling and wardrobe logistics.
I’m having a day/week – maybe year: I quickly had to put wardrobe planning aside yesterday when my 8 year old came home from Farm Camp (its April break) soaking wet with a 101 degree fever. He later told me that a goat had rammed him into the goat’s water dish, and he was too embarrassed to ask to change his clothes. My daughter (5) hung out with me yesterday while I worked from home. She spent way too much time watching those surprise egg videos on youtube so that I could get work done. After bath, the 8 year old puked while the 5 year old ran around without clothes and my mom’s dog (hyper boxer) ran around after the 5 year old. To top it all off: STBX (soon-to-be-ex) was fired/non-renewed from his job last week, so he wanted to spend time looking for his job application materials that are apparently still in the house. I’m having to see him twice per day as he take the kids to and from camp this week, and I am loathing having that much interaction. Is this week over yet???
anon says
so many hugs for you. i had this kind of week last week and while it goes by very very slowly in the moment, i promise it will end! if you had your mom’s dog, does that mean that your mom lives nearby? can she come by to help you at all? what kind of job application materials don’t live on a computer? is there a way for STBX to come by to look for that stuff while you are not there or do you not want him in the house without you present?
So Anon says
Thanks! She does live close but has been out of town for two weeks. I can’t wait until she is back for so many reasons. I made the same comment re: job materials, but he said he couldn’t find them on his computer (I call BS). I put an alarm system on the house the day he moved out, so I don’t want him in or near the house without me watching. He can be incredibly impulsive and unpredictable and has made some very poor choices lately. Did I mention that he friended the other woman on FB when he hasn’t been active on social media in years? Ugh. And yes, I rapidly unfriended him.
Anon says
The “other woman”? On top of everything else, he was cheating on you!?
So Anon says
Yup. With a 22 year old.
Anon says
oh man, what a jerk! You’re so much better off without him.
Anonymous says
I think I’ve said this before, but it’s a time in your life for radical simplification. No to taking care of your moms dog. I don’t care why, you can’t. You will get through this but you have to prioritize. You can’t keep going the same you were.
Anon says
+1. I’m sure your mom will understand.
Anon says
I’m hosting a family member soon who is…a lot. I care about her and know she’s very lonely, which is why I’ve agreed to host her, but my last visit with her was very unpleasant and I’m dreading this one. Our whole family is nerdy and somewhat socially awkward, but she’s more to the extreme end of this than most of us and doesn’t pick up on normal social cues or conventions. She’s an extreme extrovert and expects to be entertained 24/7. She’s also not good at self-care, and the combination can mean she’s a difficult guest who needs constant attention and doesn’t clean up after herself at all. Basically, she’s a lot like a toddler – lovable but a LOT of work. I’m keeping the visit short (3 days) but beyond that, does anyone have any advice on how to make this go smoothly? Speaking of toddlers, I have two and I would love to have her watch them (with me in the house) – it would serve the dual purposes of keeping her entertained and giving me a bit of a breather. Normally, I’d never ask a house guest to babysit, but she is family and I’m not sure normal social norms apply, given her inability to follow them. Thoughts on this?
Anonymous says
She doesn’t sound like someone I’d trust my kids with! You dont need her to pick up on clues. You need to say “I am busy now doing this, I will see you at the time, here is the remote, bye.”
giraffe says
Do we have the same sister? I’d be fine asking her to babysit for a few hours, especially if the kids are old enough to speak. It will give you a break and allow your kids to start to form a relationship with this family member. No advice on this visit, but see how it goes and then think about how you want to do them in the future. I’ve had to set definite boundaries with my beloved, but awkward, sister. My goal is to sustain and nourish the relationship and I can’t do it if I dread her visits. Although she’s my sister, I won’t host her or stay with her; it’s just too exhausting. The last time I stayed at her place (pre-husband/ kids) I pretended to go to bed at 8pm just to get a break. Now I stay elsewhere, and set clear guidelines far in advance, like “after lunch on Saturday we will say goodbye to you and continue on to museum x as a family”. It helps that she lives near a major city, where there are a lot of tourist attractions and we know a few other people. Good luck!