Postpartum Tuesday: Rock ‘n Play Sleeper with SmartConnect
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We loved the Rock ‘n Play when the kids were little — it was great for both boys, although they used them during very different age ranges. For J, I think it was 4–8 months, whereas H was pretty much done with it at 3 months. Ladies, if you don’t know this, the newer ones are controllable from a smart device, and you can save the settings your baby likes the most. I was just at a baby shower for a neighbor, and the moms were noting that the features like SmartConnect and the app really are essential for babies these days — who knew? The Rock ‘n Play is $78 at Amazon but is also available at a lot of other places. Fisher-Price Deluxe Auto Rock ‘n Play Sleeper with SmartConnect
Psst: Looking for more info about nursing clothes for working moms, or tips for pumping at the office? We’ve got them both…
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Sales of note for 1/16:
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- AllSaints – now up to 60% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Sale now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off — reader favorites include their scoop tee, Dream Pant, ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and oversized blazers! New markdowns just added
- Hannah Andersson – Up to 30% off all pajamas;
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything
- L.K. Bennett – Archive sale, almost everything 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Tag sale for a limited time — jardigans and dresses $200, pants $150, tops $95, T-shirts $50
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 50% off + extra 20% off, sale on sale, plus free shipping on $150+
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?
Paging the mama yesterday with the 3-week-old who was asking about ways to interact with her new baby. Let your baby lay on your chest as much as she wants as her tummy time. The time FLIES by, and before you know it, she will no longer fall asleep on your chest. As to what you can do during this time, memorize every single moment of every single day with her. The quiet moments you have with her during your maternity leave will likely be your favorite when you look back on your maternity leave a year later.
Signed,
A new mama who struggled to bond with her baby during those first couple of months, but who is now very much in love with her one year old and would love nothing more than to go back in time and just look at my newborn more.
Just wanted to share this with people who may appreciate it: the woman I supervise has given me a list of things she wants in order to stay with our nonprofit org long-term. She’s in a mid-level position and has worked here for 2 years, and there’s no real advancement potential unless I leave due to our size. She doesn’t seem to get that she has very little leverage to negotiate. In addition to asking for a 30% raise (ha), she also gave me a list of “maternity care” wishes she wants the org to agree to, even though she is not pregnant. She’s 30 and getting married in a few months. I know having a baby is something she wants and she’s just trying to plan ahead, but it’s a bit much. More to the point, her plan is hilariously unrealistic, IMO – she plans to take a month off (we offer a month paid leave), and then in the second month, she will be working from home 3 days/week with no childcare. With a 5 week old baby. In fairness, this is the kind of thing I thought was feasible before I had a child too, but it was hard to keep a straight face when she presented this to me.
Question about nursing bras/tanks sizing. My chest hasn’t grown that much throughout my pregnancy, though my belly is huge (twins), so I haven’t had to purchase new bras yet (3rd trimester starts next week), though i’ve also just been trying to spend as little $ as possible on maternity clothes, and maybe could use 1 or 2.
For nursing bras, do you buy them in your pregnancy bra size your pre-pregnancy bra size? Similarly for nursing tanks – I am guessing it will take some time for my stomach to go down, do nursing tanks have space built into them for a bit of a belly (i will definitely NOT be one of those people whose stomach is flat again after two weeks), do I buy the size I would need if i wanted to wear them during my 3rd trimester, or more of a 2nd trimester size or pre-pregnancy size? If it helps, I’ve been wearing Medium sized tanks/tees for the most part throughout my pregnancy and can still fit into some non-maternity flowy blouses, but am starting to get quite big and will probably have to switch to a size Large in a few weeks.
Any opinions on the Rock n Play vs. Graco DuetSoothe Swing and Rocker?
What’s a good cheap option for a second crib? When my 3rd is born my 2nd will be 23.5 months (not that I’m counting down til 2…). My oldest was out of a crib at 18 months but the second lives her crib and I’m not booting her any time soon!
Newborn will be in the bassinet for a couple weeks, longest we’ve ever kept a baby in a non-crib was 6 weeks. Do we buy a second crib now (baby is due late May)? Wait until baby is here to see if toddler wants to sleep in the Big Bed? Plan on baby camping in the pack and play/bassinet for >6 weeks?
If the answer is but another crib, any good recs? This is our last kid and the new one would go to baby since toddler loves her crib and mattress. No need to swap that.
FWIW I think toddler loves the firmness of a crib mattress, so could do a toddler bed….but that’s just a short term fix. My older one couldn’t wait to start sleeping in a big soft bed.
Can we compile a list of what in life can be automated/outsourced in order for a mom with a very heavy workload to spend more time with her kids? For context, I’m a biglaw mom of three: a preschooler, a young elementary schooler, and a baby. I’m going back to work from maternity leave soon. My husband works full time but in a less demanding job. I’m at a stage of my life and making a level of income where it makes sense to throw money at things (within reason), although I do have a concern about my kids seeing us paying everyone to do things for us. Baby and preschooler will be in full day daycare, and elementary schooler will probably be with his grandmother in the afternoons after school.
My current thoughts are that we should get a meal delivery service (Galley, perhaps? We live in the DC area), a grocery delivery service, and perhaps that I should hire a housekeeper/assistant to come by for an hour or so each day to do random chores or run errands.
What else can I do to cut out the admin/chores side of life to focus on spending time with my kids?
We’re playing with the idea of hiring a part-time nanny or au pair, but would rather find ways to outsource the non-childcare parts of life first, if that makes sense.
I know this has been discussed before, so if anyone can point me to where I can find other posts, I’d appreciate that too!
Does anyone have a SNOO? We’re considering getting one but are wondering if it’s worth the price tag..
I feel like I’ve exhausted my research, so now I’m asking for help. I am looking for a second convertible car seat four our 1 y/o. It will go in an old vehicle with no LATCH connectors. The seat belts also do not lock off well, so I’d like something with a built in lock off. I am also looking for something with side impact cushions, since this vehicle doesn’t have side airbags. Nice to haves include: cup holder, washable cover, and sliding 5 point harness, so I don’t have to move the harness into new slots as he grows. Not too concerned about price, but I’d like to take advantage of Babies R Us’ coupon offering this week. TIA! PS I realize the real answer is to buy a new vehicle, but you’ll have to talk to DH about that.
My daughter is nearly 9 months old, and I am over pumping. I only pump once a day at work for roughly 45 minutes, but I am so tired of sitting topless in a cold room twiddling my thumbs while a machine goes to work on me like I’m a dairy cow. I am trying to give myself permission to stop pumping and to switch to formula for daycare (but BF am/pm/weekends), but I feel so guilty. I know it is silly – fed is best, formula is fine, etc., but I can’t help but feel selfish for wanting my time back.
The fridge in my office pumping room does not get used for the reasons you mentioned. Similarly, I wouldn’t store my pump in there if there was any chance I’d need it elsewhere. This was easy enough to work around for me.
We have a pumping room (newish) that was set up for one person. Over the coming year, many people may be needing to use it daily.
Am I thinking that this is not likely to work well with >3 people needing to use it multiple times per day (and it has a refrigerator in it, which means that your supply / pump / parts may be tied up in a locked room when you need to leave for the day)? And all your stuff (if you don’t have an office pump and a home pump)? [There is no sink and no plumbing easily added to the space.]
And that scheduling may get a bit dicey as people get stuck on calls, have late starts, deal with forgetting something, etc.?
Also almost all users will be first time moms, so they don’t really even know what they don’t know yet.
I always used my locking office and ice packs back in the day for me.
I know some variation of this pops up every few months, but here goes. My 14 month old (previously great sleeper) has started to wake up every night wanting a bottle. It’s pretty clear she’s hungry and not waking up for other reasons. I think I’ve seen others suggest peanut butter or honey on here but I’m not sure that would work for us. DD has oral motor issues so eating is a challenge as is and I don’t think she could handle the texture. Tips to keep her sleeping longer or more full?
Second snow day in less than a week (both 12+ inch blizzards). I can’t even keep track of when the last day of school is anymore. I’ve locked myself in our bedroom to work and turned on a movie downstairs for the kids. Anyone else in the same spot?
First time mom question of the day…
Talk to me about what to pack for the hospital for specifically the labor part of my stay. I went to a childbirth class this weekend and they made me think about this. I have slippers, but what about bringing something to wear other than the hospital issued johnnies? Bringing my own johnnie via Amazon purchase that will fit me better than the hospital issue ones that I know were falling off my sister at her recent birth, for example? Bra or no bra? So many questions and I know it’s all personal preference. I’m shooting the dark. TIA.
How do you night wean? My 7 month old wakes up between 2-5 times a night and I usually nurse him back down. I am quick to pick him up rather than let him cry because I am worried that he will wake up kid #1 and our cranky neighbors. We tried to have DH take over one night and the baby extra freaked out. I haven’t slept longer than 3 hours at a time in 7 months and can’t think clearly. Help!