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This is a really fun lawn/beach game for older kids and adults. My husband is always trying to recruit people to play with him, and this past summer I successfully avoided getting my butt out of my beach chair to play. (It’s a fun game, but I am more of a book-reading beachgoer.) I would describe this game as a combination of volleyball and foursquare, and maybe a little bit of tennis. It’s played by teams of two, and you have three touches to spike the ball into the net to change possession, whereupon the next team needs to do the same. Each time the ball is spiked into the net, the other team has to recover the ball while keeping it in the air. When it’s your turn and you miss, the other team gets a point. It’s fast-moving, you’ll work up a sweat, and it’s a fun competition. Spikeball is $59.99 at Amazon and is eligible for Prime. Spikeball 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!
Anonymous says
Just started my child’s laundry…you know, so that she can refuse to wear clean clothes instead of dirty ones. The fantastic irony is that this weekend, we’re going pants-less for potty training. Pray for me.
Registry woes says
Did anyone ask for services on a baby registry instead of items? We tend to buy second hand, use swaps, and neighborhood groups to make purchases. Most of this is an effort to help reduce the amount of environmental impact we are making – yay reducing waste! I also love the rush of finding a good deal. We are minimalist and I hate clutter. We are going to be using services such as a postpartum doula and cleaning services after the baby is born. However, we can 100% afford these items, way more than most of our friends and family can. We also live in a different community than most of our families and they might read postpartum doula and have to hold back an eye roll or wonder why the heck we can’t scrub our own toilet (they might forget that they had their mom come over to help clean when they had a little one, and we don’t have that luxury).
People are asking what they can get us. So we need to make a decision. Should we 1) suck it up and ask for baby registry items even though we don’t really need them/want them 2) ask people to put money towards services such as a cleaner 3) Ask them to donate to a child’s college fund 4) Ask them to send a kid’s book and sign it 5) say nothing is perfect thanks.
Anonymous says
We were in a similar situation several months ago. I asked for books and diapers to keep it simple. No one gave us diapers knowing we would just get them at Costco. My six month old now has an excellent library, and people who really wanted to give a specific thing did. This worked out great for us!
Now if I can just find the holy grail biweekly housekeeper….
OP says
Thanks! I am glad to hear the books worked. We are doing cloth diapers through a diaper service so we don’t even have that option really to ask for unless people wanted to gift us weeks of that.
Coach Laura says
People did give me weeks of diaper service – so I’d say that along with books and your “We live in a one-bedroom/we’re minimalists” spiel would be plenty.
Anonymous says
IME (3 kids here!), most people want to give you stuff you can unwrap, and they want to give things to the *baby.* So, while I, as a seasoned mom, would 100% send you food and a house cleaner, most people want to send teeny tiny booties and toys.
I’d recommend getting the word out that you’re all set on the basics, so well I ruined people don’t send you things (oh surely they’ll need a high chair!). For people like siblings and parents, float the college fund + book idea. Perhaps if you’re having a shower the host can work a theme around that.
You might also pull a friend into organizing a meal train (or buy-a-day-of-cleaning) sort of thing. Registering for it seems off.
How about some way of creating a “help ya decorate the nursery” registry and register for things like paint and curtains and rugs/Carpent install? Could be hokey but maybe you could pull it off.
There probably are some basics/consumables you could put on a registry: thermometer, n*pple cream, nursing pads, humidifier, shampoo, bottles (?), infant Tylenol, etc.
Anonymous says
Holy typos. I’m sorry!!
OP says
Thanks for these ideas! Baby is not getting a nursery (we live in a one bedroom) haha but the other ideas would work.
Anonymous says
I think this is great! “No registry- we have a 1 bedroom! Here are some minimal-space ways you could help.” Or have them sign up for a time to come over and snuggle baby or wash a load of laundry.
Anon says
Just register at target and then return most of the stuff. That’s what we did. Then you end up with a nice big credit
OP says
I considered that… but I haven’t bought something at target in over 5 years. I guess I could start?
anon says
I hadn’t either until I had a baby…I order diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, etc. from there. Or some other store that you prefer to frequent. To me the challenge with the book route is you end up with lots and lots of duplicates
Anonymous says
I think #4 or #5. I’m young, but still find asking for money point blank to be tacky, and you don’t want to register for stuff you don’t need or want. Most people will be happy to give books, and if you tell people “we don’t need anything, thanks” they’ll send you books or clothes, which you can never really have enough of.
I’d also add that you probably shouldn’t buy a crib or car seat secondhand if you can afford it, which it sounds like you can. These items have expiration dates and safety standards change all the time. I’m a huge baby gear minimalist and we bought very little, but I’m glad we bought these items new.
OP says
Sounds like we will be going the book route!
Our kid won’t be getting a crib I think until month 6 because we are living in too small of a place for one and then are spending a few months traveling and so they will get it at the new place. Another reason I don’t want to register – because things like highchairs we aren’t even thinking about until months later.
And no car – so no need for a car seat! Borrowing a friend’s (who just had a baby this year) to get it home in the taxi.
Anon4this says
Please get a car seat. It doesn’t need to be a fancy one (or even a new one if you have an offer of used from someone you trust) but if you need to make an emergency trip to the pediatrician or ER what is your plan?
Anonymous says
It’s dangerous not to own a car seat. What if you suddenly need to go to the doctor? There are lots of “We need to go to urgent care now” situations that don’t necessitate calling an ambulance. It also seems super impractical – will you never need to travel? What about taking a cab to dinner or the airport? UberFamily car seats are forward facing, ie not appropriate for infants.
AwayEmily says
I bet you can find enough small and relatively inexpensive things that you actually do need to buy new to make up a registry. That’s what we did — a couple of pacifiers, diapers, wipes, baby shampoo, thermometer, nail clippers, diaper changing pad covers, etc. Other things that are sometimes tough to get used: socks, especially in non-newborn sizes, bottles, breastfeeding-related things (lanolin, etc), kids lunchboxes (these get worn to the ground). And maybe a few high-quality items of clothing in larger sizes, since they only wear the baby stuff for three months at at time but if you get something in 2T you can often get a full year’s use out of it. Overall I think it’s awesome you are thinking about keeping things minimal but I do think it’s worth having some “stuff” on the registry, though, rather than just asking for money, because friends and family really do take a lot of joy in gifting. It’ll just take a bit of time up-front to think of all the things that would be hard to find used or hand-me-down.
OP says
This list is really useful! Thank you! You are right, in addition to books I can probably get a decent list together of things you can’t find used.
J says
I agree. There are some things you just don’t want used or are consumables…pacis, bottles, baby washcloths, baby towels, blankets, sheets for whatever sleeping device you choose, car seat(s), diaper cream, A&D, baby wash/shampoo, hair brush, thermometer, plastic bowls/plates/spoons/sippy cups, and lotion. I’d be a little less concerned about not registering for things that will come later. I realize your space is limited, but it will sneak up on you. Are your parents or a sibling in a bigger home? Maybe you can have some things for later delivered to them and they’ll store it for you for a while. If you’re going to breastfeed, pump, spare pump parts, nipple cream, nipple pads (I needed them for about a year, others barely need them). I’d consider a gift card to buy nursing bras, too. By the end mine were disgusting for two reasons – the leaked milk and the sides come up way higher so they’re right in your armpit.
People will give you so many clothes and blankets that you didn’t ask for. Honestly, I’d just lean into it and do your part to re-use/donate/swap them in a way that agrees with your values.
Books are great, but I’m way more likely to want my child playing with used books than being around used fabrics for sleeping (hello smokers) and used items for feeding. So, that’s where I would concentrate: new fabrics for sleeping (sheets, sleepsacks, maybe even PJs), and feeding. Maybe even some teething toys, too. Also pump stuff for sterility reasons. Any kitchen equipment you’ll need to make baby food (if that’s your thing). Given your environmental values, maybe some nice small glass containers for baby food or other BPA free containers. Some reusable pouches to fill on your own and other accessories to accomplish that?
Anon says
There are a lot of things you can still register for that will allow people to celebrate the baby with gifts while avoiding “all of the stuff”:
Things you probably won’t want to buy/won’t be able to find used: outlet covers, thermometer, teethers, soft tipped baby spoons, toothbrushes, first aid kit, nail trimmers, baby hair brush, pacifiers, a travel changing pad, pump parts (if you plan on nursing), n*pples for bottles. . .maybe even a nice towel, washcloths and burp rags, as used ones can be a little scratchy.
Consumables: lotions, diaper rash cream, baby wash, vitamin drops (if you plan on nursing), baby tylenol, laundry detergent
Bigger ticket items: car seat, extra car seat base, crib, baby gate
People can fill in the gaps with onesies, blankets, books, and all of those things you always get a million of, which you can either keep, return or donate. I consider myself to be a minimalist and clutter/stuff drives me crazy, but I’ve had to relax a little once my son was born because no matter now much you try to avoid it, babies come with a lot of stuff.
Anonymous says
If you don’t need or want stuff, say just your best wishes or a book and then accept whatever adorbs baby stuff people give you anyway graciously. It’s rude to ask for money!!!!!
OP says
I wasn’t going to ask just ask for money, I was going to ask for gift cards to go towards services we would use (diaper service, babysitter, house cleaner etc) I hate watching people wasting their money to buy things that we just end up donating but I get that not everyone sees it that way.
Anonymous says
That is just asking for money. It’s rude.
GCA says
Not in every culture :) my Chinese relatives all, unprompted, gave us small amounts of cash for both kids, which we have stashed in kids’ 529s.
OP – we are also in a tiny apartment, and I feel you on the minimalism, but agree that some people’s love language is gifts and this is really as much about making them feel like a valued part of your lives as it is about what you actually need (eg. we now have crocheted baby blankets and hats up the wazoo). Consumables like wipes, baby shampoo, diaper cream, disposable cloth-diaper liners etc are always a good bet. I also never turn down a book! However, I think you can be more honest with very close family and friends – the grandparents know our financial situation and so contribute to college funds instead of giving Stuff, and we’ve received some gift cards from local friends who also live in small apartments. And my default new-baby gift to friends is a Target gift card.
Anonymous says
Ok. But that’s obviously not her culture or she wouldn’t be asking the question.
Anonymous says
There’s a big difference between accepting money and asking for money. Several of my relatives contributed to my daughters’ 529 too and of course I didn’t say “no, I don’t want this, take it back” But you can’t TELL people you want contributions to your 529. Do you see the difference?
GCA says
Yeah, as I posted that it occurred to me that the question was specifically about a registry. Sleep deprivation ftw.
Anonymous says
I think rude is too strong, but asking for gift cards does read as tacky to me.
I agree that you can come up with enough small items to make a registry: diaper caddy, diaper wallet, changing pad, pacifiers, nail clippers, a couple of small toys or teethers. Don’t cloth diapers also need some kind of cover over them? you could register for those, too, which would double as informing people you’re cloth diapering.
Otherwise, put out the word that space is limited and there is no dedicated nursery, but books are welcome.
Anon says
Gift cards are money. And it’s especially tacky when your friends and family aren’t as financially comfortable as you, which you mentioned in your OP. A new children’s book costs $5. Nobody feels comfortable giving a $5 gift card (they may not even be able to get a gift card in this amount) so they often feel pressured to give $25-50, which sounds like it might be a financial stretch for them. Accept what they can afford, which is a $5 book or toy, graciously.
Anonymous says
You can also put the word out that you welcome used things. That will continue to pay off for years.
I would urge you to consider getting a used car seat unless you will be walking or taking bus/subway to all dr.’s appointments and other outings. You will be going to the ped. almost weekly for the first couple months, and used infant car seats are easy to come by since they have a short lifespan.
AnoninBigLaw says
You already got a lot of great ideas for consumables to register for, but I want to echo the books idea. My work shower was a “build a library” shower and everyone LOVED it. It kept the gift prices low for everyone, and we encouraged people to bring a copy of their favorite childhood book or a favorite book they read to their own children. My assistant also had a list of books that she found with strong female protagonists, and so if someone wanted to buy a book but had no idea what to buy, they picked something off that list. She printed little sticker bookplates for the books and each person wrote a note of encouragement / advice to the baby.
TheElms says
I second the books and things you don’t want to buy used suggestion. All the baby first aid/consumable bath items/lotions are helpful. You don’t want a used thermometer! I’ve been to showers that have done this and it has worked well. Of course you’ll still get some traditional gifts of clothes/toys but the amount will be significantly reduced.
anon. says
We had a book-only registry on Amazon for pretty much the same reason. Highly recommend.
JTX says
+1 to an Amazon book registry. That way you can tell people you want books, but for those who specifically ask about a registry, you can point them to it. Also may reduce the number of duplicate books you receive. Plus, you could add a few non-book items that you wouldn’t be comfortable buying used (suggestions: thermometer, piyo piyo baby nail scissors, bottles, pacifiers, disposable or reusable nursing pads, disposable or reusable changing pad, baby shampoo and lotion, diaper cream, baby wearing wrap or device, baby food maker if you’re interested).
Anonymous says
I need some structure around family meals. Right now we’re in chaos and just eat too much ready made/take out/pasta + canned sauce. I have time for meal prep (to a degree), I just need to focus on this. I need crowd-pleasers because I have a strict “you get what you get” policy on meals esp with my boundary pushing toddler.
-DH is eating low-carb, hates tomatoes. I don’t cook around this, but I do try and at least make something he can work with (eg. Not a dinner of pizza or chicken nuggets). He will often just eat double meat/double veggies and skip the carb.
-5 y/o isn’t big on super spicy. She’s good with mild salsa and lightly seasoned ground beef for tacos, but no more than that. Sausage, for example, is usually too spicy. She’s otherwise a good eater but hates tomatoes (unless in sauce!
– 2 y/o tolerates spice fine, but is your typical 2 year old who is hot and cold on everything. The only veggie she will reliably eat is broccoli, and black beans if those count :-). She often likes raw cucumbers esp if presented with a dip.
– I’m nursing a baby
– my children apparently missed the memo and do not like mashed potatoes, French fries, or most potato-derived side. Rice is hit or miss with the little one.
That’s it! No allergies or anything.
Need some non casserole inspiration.
Tfor22 says
I hear you! There are so many constraints and pressures on family dinner that sometimes I get myself into a tizzy. It is totally fine to have set days (breakfast for dinner Monday, taco Tuesday, or at my house, pizza Friday) and to serve the same thing every week. My advice is to decide what you like to cook and eat and then figure out how it might fit everybody else’s constraints. The more each person can assemble their own plate/combo the better.
You could have a big salad (I like this one, without the bacon for me and using fresh citrus in the winter: https://ourbestbites.com/spinach-mandarin-poppy-seed-salad/) or have some kind of meat (roast chicken or burgers) with several assorted veggies on the side. We go heavy on raw veggies at my house. The easiest dinner I make is fish tacos with Trader Joe’s fish nuggets, warm corn tortillas and a spicy cabbage slaw. The kid doesn’t eat the slaw (and often not the tortillas) so sometimes I put romaine lettuce or baby spinach on the table too. When I am out of ideas I just throw some baby carrots on the table.
When I was in a cooking rut I found reading Smitten Kitchen and other food blogs really inspiring. You all may enjoy the tasty broccoli fritters: https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/06/broccoli-parmesan-fritters/
Hope this helps!
Salads says
Tell me more about your salads. My 5 y/o loves salad. I need to eat better to drop more of my baby weight. DH can pick what he wants. We can spin it as “dip” for my 2 y/o and add some cheese. What ingredients do I go for? Are there enough carbs / how do I add carbs for the 2 and 5 y/o who eat a TON relative to their body size because they are super active. What are good base greeens? My 5 y/o is good on spinach but toddler doesn’t like “to eat leaves” ;)
avocado says
My kid doesn’t like “leaves” either, but she will eat romaine lettuce because it’s nice and crunchy. Romaine hearts cut into thin ribbons are especially appealing. Broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage will mix in nicely with the romaine (although my kid will detect and pick out the broccoli slaw). Chicken, canned beans (if your kids will eat them–mine won’t), quinoa, and even cold cooked tortellini will up the calorie and protein content.
Tfor22 says
Like avocado above, my kid likes the crunch of romaine. Would your 2-year old like to crunch on some cucumber instead? You don’t necessarily have to have a pile of greens for it to be a salad, you could have a nice combine your own chopped salad with colored peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes (for those that like them), maybe some carrot. I’d probably offer cooked beets also but they would just be for me. Or a fruit salad–or even mixed, I saw a recipe for a nice watermelon-cucumber salad somewhere.
As far as carbs go for the little ones they’d get some in any fruit you added to the salads, and if you were worried you could have bread on the side. Or croutons (the Dinner a Love Story blog has a cool idea about foccacia croutons). Breakfast and lunch tended to be carb-heavy so I did not worry about it very much.
Anonymous says
We rely heavily on sheet pan dinners. Chicken or salmon on a baking sheet, scatter with veggies, add olive oil and spices of choice, or a sauce. I like to have one carb-y veggie (sweet potatoes, broccoli) or bread/rice to go with, but it’s not necessary.
There are dozens of varieties of this if you search– they’re very popular on pinterest.
Some of our favorites:
Chicken with broccoli and sweet potato (EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic powder)
Salmon with brussels sprouts, apple, pear (maple-soy glaze, we like half baked harvest’s recipe for this meal)
Shrimp with tomatoes (EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon), I really like bread with this one.
Spirograph says
What is this witchcraft and why have I missed this idea until now? Thanks to you and octagon for the tip!
avocado says
Crock-pot chicken recipes, made less spicy, might work for your family. You and the kids can have them with buns or rice, and your husband can just eat the meat. I am gone too long to leave the crock-pot going during the workday, so I cook these recipes over the weekend and heat them up during the week or freeze for later use.
Pulled chicken: Rub 2 – 3 lbs chicken thighs with your favorite BBQ spice rub, cover with BBQ sauce, cook 6 hours on low. Chicken should be falling apart when done. Break up with a spoon.
Rick Bayless’s chicken or pork tinga: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/smoky-pork-tinga-tacos-slow-cooker-426356 (note: sauce contains tomatoes, but is complex enough that tomato-haters may still like it)
Kiwi and Bean’s butter chicken: http://kiwiandbean.com/slow-cooker-butter-chicken-sliders/
There are tons of similar recipes out there. You can put chicken thighs in pretty much any sauce, cook 6 hours on low, and end up with yummy seasoned shredded chicken to serve over rice, serve in sliders, fill tacos or tortas, top pizza, etc.
octagon says
You might look at sheet pan dinners as a template: one meat plus 1-2 vegetables, seasoned however you want. Staples at our house are boneless pork chops + broccoli + mushrooms + ranch dressing mix sprinkled over them, or chicken breasts + green beans + red potatoes with a maple-mustard sauce.
Or maybe you just want to make meatballs in advance to cook day-of, without red sauce for your husband but with for the kids?
Spirograph says
Tex-mex is in heavy rotation in our house. If I’m pressed for time, we do only black or refried beans + cheese and some kind of tortilla to convey them to our mouths (burrito, taco, quesadilla). With more time or more planning, I make shredded chicken or pork in the crock pot, cook up some seasoned hamburger meat, and/or saute peppers and onions to make fajitas. My kids love raw peppers and rarely eat them cooked, so I usually have some pre-sliced. Store-bought salsa, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and sour cream on the table for those that want it.
DLC says
Yes to sheet pan dinners! I cut and prep the veggies in advance. When I get home, first thing I do is preheat the oven to 425, then putter/ put things away while the oven preheats, then dump everything onto the pan and stick it in the oven. Sometimes I will make some butter egg noodles while the sheet pan is cooking.
The NYTimes has a recipe for roasted broccoli and shrimp that is super fast and easy.
Also- sheet pan fajitas are a staple at our house.
Other staples: Stir fry, soup, sandwiches, breakfast for dinner.
Anon says
Frozen steam in a bag vegetables, rolls/tortillas, and pulled meat from the crock-pot. We do pulled pork (either turn it into carnitas tacos or do BBQ, with or without sandwiches), pulled pot roast for sandwiches, and I occasionally put in some chicken breast for DH and LO (I don’t eat chicken). Freezes really well unsauced, so put your meat in with water, salt, pepper, simple spices (in our house garlic and onion powder go on everything), and optional bottle of beer or cider, cook on low for 8 hours, drain and shred. Freeze half and serve half. I like a lot of the food on How Sweet Eats – a lot of her tex mex can be simplified and works for our palate and schedules.
BabyBoom says
I love to cook and I used to be a big meal planner. But now I have two toddlers and I have abandoned the thought that every night needs an elaborate meal. Really simple meals of protein and veg is my level right now, and I am a-ok with that! I prep 3 proteins for the week on Sunday and then use that for dinners for the week by adding vegetables (and sometimes starches). Sunday morning I make one protein the crock pot and one protein in the instant pot. For Sunday night dinner I almost always make a roast chicken, or roast chicken pieces, or buy a rotisserie chicken so that I have chicken for the week. I also prep some vegetables and make a simple pasta meal for the kids.
For example, last week I made BBQ pork in the CP, barbacoa beef in the IP, then roasted chicken thighs for Sunday night dinner. Sunday was chicken thighs and veggies, Monday was bbq pork and veggies, Tuesday was barbacoa tacos and salad, Wednesday was bbq chicken pizza for me and kids bbq chicken salad for wife. Lunches for both moms is generally some salad made with one of the proteins, or sometimes a grain bowl (last week I had a lot of pork and sweet potatoes for lunch, other mom had tacoish salad with the beef). Every Thursday is now leftover night so we can finish up what wasn’t eaten through out the week. This weekend I plan to cook pork carnitas in crock pot, black beans in IP, and oven roasted chicken shawarma for dinner (NYT recipe). We will likely end up having tacos twice this week and everyone will be happy with that!
It sounds like a lot, but it usually takes me less than 2 hours on Sunday to make the components of dinner for the week. Weeknights I can’t seem to do much more than reheat. Once I put two toddlers to bed I am just done.
HSAL says
I want to find a couple casual nursing tops (or nursing-friendly) that AREN’T the dreaded maternity/nursing combo because I hate those. I don’t like the looks of what’s available at Old Navy. Anyone familiar with Latched Mama? I never really nursed on the go with my first, but I anticipate an increased frequency of whipping them out this winter with nursing two. I’d rather not put a nursing tank underneath a regular shirt, but I want to be able to nurse and maintain stomach coverage.
Anonymous says
This isn’t exactly what you asked, but I love the Blanqi leggings for stomach coverage. They go super high and make the pull-up method with a regular shirt doable without exposing your whole stomach. Super comfortable too. They are pricey though.
Anonymous says
I went to TJ Maxx and bought a bunch of crossover/wrap style tops. Kohl’s has them too. They’re more on the biz casual side of things vs t shirts but they work.
Also, the gap v neck ts work for me. They come in tons of sizes and are thick. Your boob will be way out, but IDFAF and your belly will stay covered.
AwayEmily says
I have a Latched Mama hoodie. The hoodies are great but I think their tops are a bit, I dunno, matronly? They also look like there is a lot of fabric to deal with/hold out of the way of a wiggly baby. I’ve had really good luck with pregnancy #2 with a nursing bra and then Old Navy’s lux scoop-neck t-shirts. They’re stretchy enough to just pull down (and I think someone on here recommended them!). Then I wear flannel button-downs or hoodies over those. Winter nursing sucks, though. it’s so much easier in the summer. Good luck!
Anonymous says
I have several tops from Bun Maternity (purchased at Nordstrom) that fit the bill. They’re labeled as maternity, but I lost pregnancy weight very quickly and don’t think they look maternity-y at all (no side ruching, which is always a giveaway for me). I like the swing top and the “nursing tank”. Both allow access without pulling your shirt up, and still keep the top of your chest covered. Haven’t tried their long sleeved stuff, but it looks nice too.
GCA says
Ooh, that’s a tough one. H&M has some cute nursing dresses and tops if you’re not terribly picky about the quality. Or what about repurposing belly bands for the stomach coverage?
DLC says
This requires layering, but it’s worked really well for me, so I thought I’d share. I have a bunch of Gap Fit tie back tops. They are basically yoga/ work out tops that are open in back (you can tie them for a more fitted look). I layer them with a nursing tank. The nice thing is that because they are open in the back, they also work really well as a nursing cover. It’s a pretty casual look, but it’s what I wear 90% of the time. They come in all sorts of colours and in tank top of long sleeve versions.
https://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=184085032&rrec=true&mlink=5050,12413545,PDP_gapproduct1_rr_2&clink=12413545
Anonymous says
This is genius.
Anon says
Kohl’s has some nice nursing tops that are just nursing, not maternity. It is in their maternity line though (a glow or something like that).
lsw says
Their styles are limited but I love love love Leche Libre’s nursing sweatshirt. It’s awesome and I still wear it even though I’m not nursing!
I also really liked the Jojo Maman Bebe options because STRIPES. I had two tie front tops that I easily could wear to work also. I also wore the heck out of some of their long-sleeved Bretons and, frankly, wished they made them in non-nursing styles since they are such nice quality.
Delta Dawn says
I know you mentioned not liking what you see at Old Navy right now. I wanted to point out one top from there (link in separate post). I have this top in black, but it looks like right now they only have grey, and it also is being marketed as pajamas (why!?), but it’s just a normal shirt. I wear this shirt when I may have to nurse in a public place (airplane, etc) because it has the most coverage of any of my nursing tops. It’s called “maternity luxe cross front nursing top.” At the link, the third picture shows how it sort of separates to expose only as much as you need– no bare shoulder or stomach. It works great under an open cardigan. Link to follow….
Delta Dawn says
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=370283002
A says
Any suggestions for newborn gassiness? Our three month old was sleeping great up until this week, but now he is waking up three or more times per night with stomach troubles. Nothing has really changed. He’s been combo fed from the beginning, we are using the same formula, and I’m pumping some now that I’m back at work. Otherwise, we have tried giving him probiotics and simethicone drops, but nothing is really making a difference. He’s our second, so I know this will naturally improve within a few months. But I feel bad for him, and I miss sleep (this has conveniently aligned precisely with my return to work…). Please give me your tips!
Anonymous says
I think it’s worth a doctor’s visit. A friends daughter had milk soy protein intolerance and the only symptom was horrible gas. It took a couple months to develop, it’s not always evident from the beginning.
Anon says
As the mom to a former colicky baby, let me tell you all the gas things. Caveat that none of them really worked for my kiddo until she outgrew her colic at 5 months (at least then the screaming ended) and to some degree didn’t vastly improve until she was a year old and her digestive system just matured. Things that sort of worked for us: feeding while almost sitting upright (nursing or bottles) – you want the butt lower than the head, mylicon drops on occasion, frequent burping (while nursing and bottles – think every 2-3 minutes), dr. brown’s bottles, lots of tummy time, bicycle kicks, the colic hold (facedown across the forearm while doing the mama side to side rock), eliminating yeast (of all the things) and green vegetables (broccoli, lettuce of all kinds, cabbage) from my diet while nursing and, in the 8-10 month range, avoiding food or milk at least 2 hours before bed. Things that did not work for us: probiotics, dairy elimination (of all the things, this one infuriated me the most that people kept saying it must be dairy-related and for us it was most definitely not), gripe water, formula, giving cereal before bed once she was older, feeding less, feeding more, letting her cry, not letting her cry. It’s so hard. I also on occasion gave tylenol for the gas pains when she was inconsolable and it helped from time to time. Also note that when they’re teething they can swallow more air and get gassy.
Leatty says
Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water worked for us!
Trying Times says
Does anyone else read the parenting advice column on Slate? It really irked me that the advice was not to say anything about a 5 year old boy’s bad behavior because he’s only 5. Sure, it’s a sensitive subject and you don’t want to accuse your friend’s son of causing problems in the future, but I think this is exactly the age where this discipline needs to happen.
DS is almost 4 and we are starting the conversations about consent. “When mommy says she doesn’t want to be tickled, you need to stop. When your friend at school doesn’t want to be touched, you need to stop. Conversely, if you don’t want to be touched, say no. If the person doesn’t stop, walk away.” Also, modeling behavior. If your son sees daddy talking down to mommy and disrespecting her, he’ll think it’s ok.
Anonymous says
Yes and I thought it was spot on. Telling your friends you’re concerned their 5 year old will grow up to be a rapist because he’s unruly now is psychotic and unacceptable
Trying Times says
Ok, fair enough, you wouldn’t want to say it that way, and I’m not really sure how you would bring it up, but I still think the education starts when the boys are really young.
Anonymous says
Agreed. But that’s not at all what the question was about. It wasn’t “should I start teaching my five year old about consent” it was “I think my friends are raising a rapist because they don’t discipline their five year old enough.”
Anonymous says
You don’t say anything. You don’t bring it up.
anon says
I wish people would stop assuming that because something worked on your kid, that all other kids are the same.
My kids both walked before 9 months. They could ride a 2 wheeled bike a 4. They excel at all things physical. There is nothing I did to make them that way.
My older daughter is 5 and she has no idea when to quit. She will go on and on, be it making annoying noises, tickling, hitting, yelling, throwing, whatever. There are always consequences, but she still hasn’t yet figured out to stop when someone says “no.” Is it because I’m not teaching her about consent? Nope. Just like your kid doesn’t magically learn to walk at 9 months because you want them to, my 5 yo hasn’t learned to stop at “no” because I want her to. I’m trying my best. She’s trying her best. It will eventually click, but don’t assume that I’m doing something wrong. Development is uneven. Until she learns, I will admit that she’s a frustrating and often annoying kid. I’m sure some people complain about her. I’m doing everything I can to help her learn. Keep your judgment to yourself.
Anon says
Those of you whose partners travel for work…Before kids it never occurred to me to be worried about what happens if I slip and fall in my apartment and can’t reach my cell phone, or what if there is an emergency in the middle of the night and I call a friend’s cell and they don’t answer (mine is on vibrate so I wouldn’t hear my own phone and none of my friends have landlines and we don’t have family nearby), etc. Now we have twins and I find myself worried about these things. I know that some of this is my PPA talking (I’m getting help), but some of these things could actually happen. Do people have plans in place for these or similar scenarios?
Anonymous says
If you slip and fall and can’t reach your cell phone you won’t be able to reach a landline either. If you have an emergency in the middle of the night you don’t phone a friend you call 911. You can’t have plans in place for every possible freak accident!
Anonymous says
If you slip and fall at your age you will most likely be able to figure out a way to crawl or otherwise inch your way to a phone. I encourage elderly people to have something they can wear to call the emergency number, though, because they often have muuuuch lower mobility. This is coming from a very clumsy person with many falls, broken bones, bad cuts, etc. The adrenaline will kick in and you will be able to get to a phone if you are not elderly and do not usually have a mobility issue.
I’m not really understanding the other fear– not being able to reach a friend in the night in case there’s an emergency? If there’s an emergency you call 911. To calm your fears a bit more, I, along with most of the people I know, use Do Not Disturb at night, so the call will still come through if someone calls me more than once. If there’s someone (like your partner or parents or BFF) who you REALLY want to be able to reach in the middle of the night, ask them to add them to the list of people who can get through Do Not Disturb on the first call.
Anonymous says
+1. My 80 year old mother in law fell at home alone, breaking her hip (2x). Each time she managed to get to a phone and call for help. Each time emergency services managed to get into her house.
Our phones sleep in our rooms and our DND is set so that calls from family come through any time.
And good for you for getting help for PPA. It’s no joke and can make even the most illogical circumstances seem like certain peril. I was certain that my child would leap out of my arms and plunge to his death if we were ay any height over ground level (parking garages, decks, balconies, etc)
anon says
I had fears like this also. Mine was who would I call if I got into a car accident while husb was traveling. We do not have any family nearby. Of course, we have friends that feel like family that would help in an emergency, but…that’s different. Honestly, for us, the solution was for husband to change jobs. Travel was not the only reason, biglaw life was unsustainable for many reasons.
Anonymous says
Yes. At age 3 I taught my oldest how to work my home office phone, which is a land line. I have the speed dial buttons set to 911, my phone, husband’s phone, my mom, my dad, etc and I put a photo next to each button. She practiced calling. I do a refresher every once in a while (she’s 5 now). At 4ish, I talked to her about what to do if something happened to me if the phone didn’t work (go out the back door, to neighbor X and say mom needs help. If they aren’t home walk *very carefully and only on the grass* (our neighborhood doesn’t have sidewalks and homes are fairly far apart on 1 acre lots) down the street to your friend Y’s house and her mom will help you. My middle kid isn’t old enough for this yet, but I’ll start her as well.
Anonymous says
Oh, and we have Amazon dots. I programmed them so my kids could say “Alexa call mom” or “Alexa call 911”. I haven’t taught them that yet because it seems easy to abuse and my kid gets the speed dial stuff that’s in case *i* fall.
Anonymous says
This is basically my plan. We have a land line (actually VOIP, but regular phone handset) in the kitchen, and my two older kids know how to use it, and that you dial 911 in an emergency if mom and dad get very hurt or sick. Our daycare taught kids how to call 911 in the 2-3 class, so we’ve been working on it since then. If the phone isn’t working, they know to go the neighbor’s house to get help. The houses in our neighborhood are very close, and my kids are very friendly with the neighbors in the next 3 houses on our side of the street, all of which they can run to in <30 seconds.
I quiz my kids on their address pretty regularly, too, and remind them of the fire plan, which is different from all other emergencies because they need to get out of the house as fast as they can, call 911 from [friend's] house and wait there.
FVNC says
I’m sorry for your PPA and am so glad you’re getting help. I do not have PPA and still think about what would happen if I died or became incapacitated overnight while my husband is traveling and the kids are with me. My imperfect solution is for him to check in with me first thing every morning when practicable. The idea being, if he hasn’t heard from me by 6:30 or 7, he should call the neighbors to check in with me. Now that my oldest is five, I’m less worried because she knows (in theory) what to do in case of emergency. Maybe doing a daily “I’m alive and well” checkin with your husband/parent/friend could alleviate some of the anxiety while husband is traveling?
KateMiddletown says
This morning I thought I was in labor. Persistent, dull cramping, nothing countable. An hour with the heating pad and a hot shower, and here I am at work at 38w+4, trying only slightly to disguise my misery. (Surely this means actual labor can’t be far, though, right?)
Anonymous says
You’re body is practicing for the real deal :) Hang in there!
Anonymous says
Hopefully! Good vibes!
Hashimoto's says
Can anyone share how they felt AFTER Hashimoto’s was treated? I’m trying to set reasonable expectations of how I might feel once my thyroid levels are normal, and how long it will take to get there.
Also, do you have any resources where either the research or community of persons are valuable?
Tfor22 says
I hope I am not too late here, but I am wondering if you ll have any recommendations on laptop sleeves. I just got a Dell laptop (14 inch I think) for work and am trying to figure out how best to transport it. My tote bag has a padded area so I probably just need a sleeve.
AnotherAnon says
I am not sure you really need a sleeve? I just dump my laptop into my tote with everything else: my purse, work phone, laptop cord, extra mouse, travel coffee mug, etc.
Anonymous says
+1, never had an issue
IHeartBacon says
I second the opinion that you don’t need a sleeve. I just shove all my laptops into my regular purse/work bag. When the laptop is shut, the screen and keys are safe. I only have a sleeve for my iPad because otherwise the screen is unprotected.
Anon says
I have a sleeve because I value the extra cushioning as I am not the most delicate with my bag (caveat that I use a boat and tote, so nothing padded). If my bag had a padded area, I would just put in there, no sleeve needed. I like the built sleeves. 14 inch are hard, as most sleeves seem to be for 13 or 15 inches these days. I recommend really measuring the diagonal on your laptop and seeing if it fits in a 13 inch sleeve (my 14″ lenovo thinkpad yoga fits in some 13 inch sleeves; I find the 15 are usually too big and get this weird floppiness).