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When I was pregnant with both my kids, my style didn’t suddenly change with my growing bump — I still wanted to wear my go-to styles, but tailored for my basketball-shaped middle. A stretchy pencil skirt was always a wardrobe workhorse for me before, during, and after pregnancy, and this version from Seraphine is perfect for the during.
This over-the-knee pencil skirt fits over your bump and is made from a soft, stretch ponte fabric. It’s perfect for those heading back into the office — just add a black blazer for an instant suit. For a more casual setting, I’d add a boxy, elevated tee and white sneakers.
While black is a staple in nearly everyone’s closet, I hope Seraphine will add more colors soon.
This skirt is $55 and available in sizes U.S. 2 to U.S. 14. For a bargain option in stretch jersey, consider this skirt from ASOS, on sale for $11.50 (!).
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?
Leatty says
I’m so over pumping! My little one is 9 months, and I’m ready to go Office Space on my pump. I’m trying to make it two more weeks, because we will be flying to see family then, and kiddo is obviously too young for a mask. Anyone want to help me bribe myself to make it just 2 more weeks? Maybe a massage?
Momofthree says
I just stopped pumping at 10.5 months so I hear you.
1) not sure what your pumping schedule is, but it’d probably take two weeks to wean off the pump anyways.
2) maybe consider dropping a pump to make it easier for yourself or space out the pumps a bit.
3) I’m always a firm advocate for massages as a reward. Also, maybe new bras if that’s appealing to you?
Leatty says
I’m already down to one pump a day, but I suppose I could make that session shorter. Bras are a good idea – I’m very much looking forward to being able to wear normal bras in a smaller cup size (when you are nearly halfway through the alphabet, cute supportive bras are next to impossible to find).
anon says
Oh boy, I remember this feeling of being SO OVER PUMPING. Two more weeks is short in the grand scheme of things, even though it feels like forever in the moment. I’d give yourself a nice bribe for getting through this next couple of weeks.
Anonymous says
I’m horrible about food rewards/bribes. So I’d probably eat chocolate while I pump. And pick up a coffee, too.
Leatty says
Already doing this :)
anonymommy says
Two more weeks is DEFINITELY worth it for flying! I extended pumping with my first LO, just for a flight. Seriously worth it. Normally I’d say just stop pumping, pumping is miserable and 9mo is long enough. But for just 2 more weeks you may have much much better flights – worth it. As for a bribe, splurging on a new, not-for-nursing/pumping bra! Good luck!
Anon says
I like to put the kids in daycare and take a vacation day to have the whole day to myself. Get a massage, pedicure, go read in a coffee shop, wander around Target solo, just stay home and watch Netflix…whatever floats your boat.
Anon says
I am in exact same boat. Baby is 9.5 months. We just got back from a trip and now I’m in the process of weaning him during the day (switching to formula) so I can stop pumping. You got this!
I’m so excited to wear real bras again… also maybe get my period back (can’t believe I’m wishing for that…)
Boston Legal Eagle says
I have this skirt from Seraphine (or one like it – it looks like a normal black pencil skirt) and it’s great! I wore it during pregnancy and postpartum, and can still wear it now without worrying about having to zip anything up over the postpartum belly. I think it can work for both more formal offices and casual ones like mine for the summer when I don’t want to wear jeans to the office.
GCA says
+1 I wore something like this that I could’ve sworn was from Hatch – I returned it to the friend from whom I borrowed it, but it would probably have fit in the postpartum year as well.
Anon says
My husband and I sometimes get in heated arguments, and there are times when I yell at him (I make an active effort to avoid doing this in front of the kids though). I realize yelling is destructive and have tried hard to change. It is so hard to avoid yelling because I often feel that when I share something really important, nothing registers with him and he doesn’t listen, which is hurtful and frustrating. I also have two littles who are often very demanding (tantrums, whining, ugh). I’m not getting much sleep and we’ve had a lot of other sources of stress in our lives too, which doesn’t help me feel like an oasis of calm and patience.
But even when I do make an effort not to raise my voice, my husband still says I yell. I feel like I’m not allowed to speak with any emotion. If I feel passionately about something, that’s yelling in his eyes. I know I need to build back trust to be viewed in a new light, but what can I do differently in the moment? Should I wait hours to talk about something that bothers me so I can be completely calm and plan exactly what to say? I’m tired of being seen as the monster, of always having to apologize even though I never feel understood or heard.
anon says
This sounds like a situation for couples therapy to figure out how to fight better. Because yeah, the yelling isn’t good, but neither is feeling unheard and unrecognized. Believe me, I recognize this pattern, and I’m more like you in this situation.
I do think, in a calm moment, you could talk to him about what it takes for you to feel heard. Is it a certain type of engagement on his part? A specific action? I’ve also had some success in the moment of saying things like, “I’m sharing this because it’s really important to me.” Or, “This isn’t easy for me to say, but I feel like it’s fairer for you to understand how Issue A is affecting me, and our marriage.”
Anon says
Thank you — that specific wording is helpful to hear.
anon says
+1. I yell sometimes. This morning, I asked my husband if he had calendared/written down HIS to-do items for today, and he told me, “I’m not your secretary.” I can assure you that I felt passionately in my response to that, but in my opinion, I did not raise my voice. But then the conversation derailed into whether I yelled.
CPA Lady says
A few thoughts – and I am saying all of this with the assumption that your husband is a generally decent human being. If he’s not, disregard. And I definitely second the recommendation for counseling if you can’t get this worked out on your own…
– Be proactive: Ask for what you need earlier so you don’t get to a point where you “have” to blow up. Like the very first moment you start registering frustration, instead of seething or adding it to your mental score card, ask yourself “what do I need to feel better in this moment?” and ask him for it right away when you can still do so fairly good naturedly. Or better yet, plan proactively if you know something is probably going to become an issue– e.g. a big change in work schedule, childcare, etc.
– I do find that waiting until I am calm helps us have more productive, solutions-focused conversations. We also never have important conversations late at night when everyone is too tired to be their best self. I think about what I want and come to the conversation with a proposed solution, not just a problem. This has always gotten the situation resolved way faster, more smoothly, and with far fewer hurt feelings than having a blow up argument where I vent my frustration and make a bunch of angry accusations.
– Reading “The Relationship Cure” and the “7 Principles” books by John Gottman really REALLY helped my husband and I get on the same page and have a common language and understanding of healthy conflict in a healthy relationship. There is a section in the 7 principles book about how many men freeze and shut down in the face of conflict that you might find helpful.
AnotherAnon says
I highly recommend couples therapy. I’m your husband; I grew up in a house where our parents never had so much as a heated discussion in front of us. That is really not helpful for teaching how to fight, much less fight fair. What helped me was my husband pointing out that expressing his opinion, no matter how strongly is not the same as raising his voice. And couples therapy fibally helped me communicate so I feel heard. My husband is a lawyer, so I felt like he won all our arguments. He also stonewalls a bit, so I had to figure out (with help) how to say “you’re not hearing me” and then get my point across. I think Gottman is good, but Terry Real is the one that really helped me. He has therapists around the country who practice his style. But style really doesn’t matter as long as you both get along with the therapist. We did exclusively zoom sessions, so don’t let the pandemic delay you. Good luck. It’s so so frustrating to fight and feel like nothing is resolved.
anon says
It’s so hard. We all lose our cool sometimes. I don’t think you need to wait hours and speak with no emotion, but maybe just keep it short in the moment (“Hun, I’m really upset about xyz. Can we talk later? I’m too frustrated right now but I do want to discuss it.”) so you can register your frustration with him, but then to be productive you wait until the kids go to bed to calmly discuss. Honestly, though, it’s so much easier said than done! I also think you want to explain what you just said here — you’re trying to improve on yelling, but you also want to feel heard. I’ll also add that I’m usually the one accusing my husband of yelling when he’s just criticizing in a normal voice. My parents somehow never yelled, so any loud voice feels like yelling to me. And I’ve had to work out some of my own issues with being conflict adverse — conflict is not one-size-fits-all; some (respectful) conflict is productive and allows you to improve things. Maybe that’s something to consider – his level of tolerance for conflict may be very different. Focus on fighting fairly, because some hurtful things or making someone feel horribly just cannot be taken back.
Anonymous says
I think you should step way back here. I think you sound overwhelmed by life. I think marriage therapy would be a really smart idea because you’re having a major communication issue. I think individual therapy for you might also be good. I don’t think you should waste time trying to calibrate the exact decibel volume of yelling. That is just a symptom.
Anon says
I am overwhelmed. You are right. I barely have time to get groceries every week and shower when I need to. I know everyone always recommends therapy as the best option, and that’s probably for a good reason, but I honestly don’t want to do that. We went to couples therapy in the past and I opened up my heart and felt the pain of arguing in front of a stranger (I felt very vulnerable and judged) and I felt like we learned nothing, just paid a lot of money to go through a painful experience together. I’m sure there are better therapists out there and it could be helpful, but I just have no desire to try that again if I could find another way. I know people on this board are very pro therapy, and I’m not saying that’s wrong, but I’m going to be honest that I have no desire to do that.
Anonymous says
You might consider working through the Gottman Institute materials together then? Start doing grocery delivery as a routine for sure. See what in your life you can simplify, streamline, or outsource. If you’re having recurring fights see if you can make changes to your life to eliminate those points of frustration.
Anonymous says
Re: “Should I wait hours to talk about something that bothers me so I can be completely calm and plan exactly what to say?”
You don’t need to wait for hours, but it might be worth trying to wait at least 20-30 minutes. It certainly isn’t going to hurt. Look into the Gottman concept of flooding. Basically, when anyone is really overwhelmed with emotion, they can’t listen or speak effectively, and trying to resolve conflicts in that state is counter-productive. I have noticed that if I can manage to give myself a cooling off period when I get flooded with rage (so often! I blame perimenopause), in about 30 minutes my perceptions of reality are often significantly different and I can have a rational discussion with my partner.
https://www.gottman.com/blog/does-flooding-play-a-role-in-your-perpetual-conflict/
Io says
I’m going to agree with everyone else on therapy etc., but also share that emailing my husband when I’m very overwhelmed has helped me. I get to think about what I want to say, organize my argument and sometimes writing it all out helps me figure out the solution. I’ll type a whole screaming mess up and realize I just wanted to vent. At the end I often feel better and understand what the real problem is or what the best solution might be. So then I’ll erase the rant and send a shorter problem/proposed solution/objection?/implementation plan email instead.
Anonymous says
I used to hear my downstairs neighbor yelling at her kids and think, I’m never going to be a mom who yells. Well, here we are, and I find myself doing it way more than I would like. I yell at my toddler when he’s in physical danger or about to permanently destroy something; I’m constantly amazed at how frequently those things happen. And I yell at my husband for what sounds like reasons similar to yours–generally when he seems checked out and I’m at the end of my rope. Like you, I try to avoid it, beat myself up about it, etc. It’s getting better, but I’m crazy sleep deprived and my patience is in low reserve these days.
Personally, I don’t think couples therapy is the answer. The answer is to change the trigger factors, which may take time, and to get to a place with your husband where you can both recognize that your fights/ yelling episodes reflect your life circumstances more than they reflect your marriage. After a bad day we apologize to one another and try to problem solve together the issue that created the yelling situation. Maybe we need to child-proof something, maybe we need to try something new to get the baby sleeping longer. It’s not perfect and I am still working on my own handling of things, because it remains true that I don’t want to be a yeller and it’s also true that my husband and I often feel hurt on an emotional level after a fight even if we can understand intellectually that we’re just dead tired. But if you keep talking and want to make it better, it will get better.
Anon says
Thank you for this. I agree that life circumstances play a big role, and it’s not always fair to jump to the conclusion that your marriage is the root problem.
EDAnon says
I have an amazing husband who loves me and who I love so much. We are amazing partners and we still yell sometimes (more often me than him). When our second was littler and I got no sleep, I yelled way too much. For me, sleep makes a huge difference. I recommend trying to get as much sleep as possible because it keeps your emotions more in check and your expectations more reasonable. If you can, I would let some stuff go until you’re less tired (if you think this will resolve – I knew that in a few months/a year, my sleep would improve and I was able to just let stuff go knowing I could address it if it still bugged me later).
momofthree says
Is it normal for your kids to get blisters when they first start summer/water shoes?
My kids have started wearing their summer water shoes (natives and keens) and my FIL noticed that they had blisters on their feet after playing in the water. DH says that means the shoes don’t fit and that we need new ones. I’m of the opinion that new shoes + no socks/ bare feet + water = some blisters until they’re broken in.
Boston Legal Eagle says
My kid just got a blister on his foot from his Crocs after wearing them all weekend and playing in the water, so I think it’s common, but they do hurt so we’re trying to switch those out and wear sneakers during the week at school.
anon says
I think you’re both right? In ordinary circumstances, I would agree with your DH that they don’t fit. But new shoes + water can be a bad combination for blisters, so I’d chalk it up to that for now. If you can, have your kids wear their water shoes with socks (like to the playground, not in the water) until they’re a bit more broken in.
Anon says
This is why we don’t really do water shoes. She wears sneakers at school and usually goes barefoot at the pool/beach (we bring crocs with us but they don’t normally stay on very long).
Anonymous says
I have zero tolerance for blisters, which is why we don’t do rubber shoes like Crocs and Natives. If the Keens are causing blisters, I’d try a different sandal brand or aqua socks. Target usually sells cheap ones by Speedo.
Anonymous says
Yeah I don’t think rubber shoes will “break in” the way leather or even canvas ones will.
anonymommy says
Sounds like it is the natives. I’ve never had this issue with keen sandals (and kids and adults alike have a pair in our family, and we all wear them alot). We’re big fans so I don’t want to see keens taking the fall for water shoes hahah.
Anonymous says
Natives gave my daughter terrible blisters. We’ve never had any problems with Crocs, although she only wears them for water and sand play, not for a school or running around a playground. It’s a shame because Natives are really cute but I think that style lends itself to blistering.
anon says
We don’t wear natives for this reason, but my kids did get small blisters on their ankle bones from their keens when they first wore them this summer. We did a week of wearing them with socks while their blister heeled and then they’ve been totally fine ever since.
Anonymous says
When did your toddler’s feet grow? Is there any pattern or way to predict? My 2 year old’s feet have been size 6 for almost a year now, and I keep buying size 7 shoes thinking he’ll grow soon but they’re still too big.
Anonymous says
I’m typically surprised at how long shoes fit my kiddo (who is 5.5 now). One time her feet grew a size in about a month. But beyond that it has been slow and steady. Not like height where she commonly gains an inch almost overnight.
TheElms says
My just turned 2 year old has fast growing feet. Generally we need a new size every 3 months. I think this is really kid dependent. When kiddo started walking at 10 months she wore a size 4, she now wears a size 9.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Yes, kid dependent. My 5 year old wears 9s and my 2.5 year old wears 7s and can still fit into 6s too.
Anonymous says
Ditto. DD is 4 and gets shoes every 6 months or so. She’s a size 11. DS is 22 months with huge feet (size 8) and needs new shoes every 3 months.
anon says
My almost 8 yo wears size 11.
Anon says
My 3.5YO wore 10’s for most of the pandemic year and we just recently switched her to 11.5’s because they were getting snug. Prior to that, she was in a new size every 4-6 months or so, so I am wondering (hoping) if her foot growth has finally slowed down.
Anonymous says
If you have pre-bought shoes in a bigger size, your child’s feet will not grow until those shoes are no longer seasonally appropriate. Then they’ll grow two sizes so you can’t use the shoes the next year either.
The way to encourage your child’s feet to grow is not to buy shoes ahead of time. If they are about to grow into the next size shoe and sizes are selling out so you grab the next size up, their feet will suddenly stop growing. If it’s the end of the season and you don’t have the next size up stashed away and everything is sold out in the stores, they’ll grow a size or two.
Anonymous says
LOL thank you. I suspected this was the answer!
AwayEmily says
this is amazing. going to print it out and refer to it the next time I’m tempted to buy shoes in the next size up “just in case.”
Anonymous says
This has certainly been my experience.
Anon says
My 3 year old’s feet were growing fast until she was maybe 2.5 or so but seemed to have slowed down recently. She’s worn Adidas size 10 sneakers to school every day since October and they seem to still have plenty of room.
AwayEmily says
Does anyone here have experience with Type 1 diabetes? My husband was just diagnosed last week after a short hospital stay and I have no idea where to go on the internet for helpful, friendly advice. I guess I’m asking — where is the corporettemoms.com for T1D? And any personal experience/advice would be great as well. It’s all super new and a little scary but we really like his care team so far and are feeling optimistic.
Anon. says
I work in the diabetes space, and the DiaTribe website would be a good start.
Also, http://www.diabetes.org (from the American Diabetes Association, ADA) is another good one.
Depending on your health insurance, some plans have special resources and programs for diabetics, covering nutritionists/dieticians, diabetes educators, etc. It may be worth inquiring about that.
He will probably have a steep learning curve with using devices: blood glucose meter, either fingerpricking and sticks, or continuous glucose monitoring with a sensor worn on the body, insulin injections either per syringe, or with a pump).
Also, the Kelly Close newsletter is very scientific and advanced, so probably overwhelming for a newly diagnosed person.
Anon says
I can only hope ADA is a better source for Type 1 than for Type 2.
Anon says
How scary! No advice, but thinking of your family.
EDAnon says
No resources but a friend of mine was diagnosed in her 30s. She manages it really well. It was a tough transition at first but it’s gotten way better. So know that it will be work but he will likely be in a good place before too long!
Anonymous says
There’s a podcast about a woman who was diagnosed at 60 called Thicker Than Water. It’s produced by a friend of mine, who also has T1D and does a lot of media about it. Check out betacellpodcast.com for several different T1D podcasts.
So Anon says
Can we share cute kid stories/things they say today? I need some levity. (My son, daughter and I are covered in brown tail moth rash, and everyone in my house is itchy and cranky on top of being very hot.)
I’ll start: My son takes words very literally. We are going on vacation in two weeks when school is out. They were talking about summer plans in school, and my son said, “my family is going to a better place soon.” And that his babysitter “just went to a better place.” We are all going to Bar Harbor, which is a vacation and he views as a “better place.” I received a very kind email from his teacher wanting to know if everything is ok, and that maybe I should explain that terminology.
Anonymous says
Oh no! What is brown tail moth rash?? And very cute and funny about your kid. Must have been a bit concerning to the teacher.
So Anon says
Luckily, this is a northern New England and Cape Cod thing. When Brown Tail Moths are caterpillars, their hairs have toxins. They shed their hair on surfaces as they crawl and the hairs also go airborne. It causes a rash similar to poison ivy. I’ve never had an issue where I was this weekend, and I’ve been going my whole life. I just have it where my skin came into contact with a chair that I sat on, so on my back, backs of legs, etc. My kids are covered, including feet and hands. I stopped at CVS yesterday and picked up anything that said “anti-itch.”
Anonymous says
Oh, yikes. I have never heard of brown tail moth rash before, but the very words make my skin crawl. Wishing you buckets of calamine lotion and air conditioning.
Cb says
Haha, a better place! We went to a birthday party this weekend (weirdly he’s nearly 4 and it’s his first one – pandemic I guess?) and he was unimpressed by the bouncy castle and the boisterous kids so found a quiet spot in the garden, a toy guitar, and just “played music”. He told me this am “I love you too too much mummy!”
Anon says
Aw, so sweet! My 3.5 year old has never been to a birthday party either. No one in our daycare does class parties before 3, and then pandemic.
Anon says
Ahh as someone who goes to Bar Harbor every summer I love this. It IS a better place!!! I was so sad when Maine changed their state motto from “the way life should be” because it was so true (minus the ticks and other bugs :))
anonymommy says
The “better place” comment is so funny!
My son has been referring to us by different animals. First we were the “piggy family” and I was “piggy mommy.” No we are the birdie family. He sleeps in his “nest,” he’s the “big birdie,” his sister is “baby birdie,” and we’re the “adult birdies.” It’s hilarious and I just love it. Can we please cuddle in our “birdie nest” reading books forever?!
Anonymous says
We watched the Apollo 11 documentary with our 7 year old twin boys
Kid 1: sees shot of nasa control room ‘where are all the girl scientists?’
Kid 2: ‘maybe they are on the space ship?’
Me: nope – people back then didn’t think girls would be good scientists just because they were girls
Kid 1: well that’s pretty dumb
Older sister comes back from sleepover next morning and twin 1 announces: ‘hey did you know that in olden times they were dumb and didn’t girls could be scientists? Also, no cell phones.’
Anonymous says
I love how perceptive little kids are! They might enjoy Hidden Figures.
Anonymous says
That’s so funny. I grew up during the early space shuttle era and was a huge Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo fan. I never really noticed that all the astronauts and flight controllers were men and just assumed that I could grow up to be an astronaut too. It wasn’t until I learned about Valentina Tereshkova and Sally Ride that the absence of women really registered.
Patty Mayonnaise says
Love this!
Anonymous says
Ha ha ha. My son just turned two last week and, he gets super excited to “cheers” with his milk/water
cups. He was especially happy last weekend at his birthday dinner (ie, cookout at our house with his four fully vaxxed and local grandparents) that we all “cheers-d” before dinner/while we are all sitting around the table. We said all said “cheers” and “happy birthday” as a group . So this morning at breakfast he wanted to cheers his milk cup with my husband’s glass of orange juice. When they did this my son said “happy cheers juice day, Dada!”
anonymommy says
I can’t. This is so cute. Happy juice day!
GCA says
I had a very involved discussion with my almost-3yo about why ‘Ms Frizzle’, ‘Frizzie’ and ‘The Friz’ in the Magic School Bus books in fact refer to the same person. (She was not convinced.)
fallen says
Our dentist recommended that our daughter sees an orthodontist. She is 8. Do you think that’s too young for braces? I ask because I got braces at around that age and it resulted in me needing braces twice(!!) since our orthodontist had said at the time I got them too early and I would like to avoid that for her because I found braces so horrible as a kid and also to not waste $$. Thoughts?
Anonymous says
Does she have issues chewing or swallowing? Does she still have baby teeth?
My kid is 8 and will quite obviously need braces but is still losing baby teeth. She does have orthodontia in right now but it’s because she had a molar extracted and she needed a spacer u til the adult one comes in.
Our dentist said 11 at the absolute earliest for braces and even then only if the adult teeth are in.
Anonymous says
The trend now is to have a palate expander at a very young age, then two rounds of braces. The first round of braces is usually just for temporary cosmetic improvement and to line the orthodontist’s pockets. The second round is for real.
Anon says
+1. It’s definitely a different treatment plan now. Several of my daughter’s third grade classmates got some form of braces this year or were scheduled to get them this summer. Her dentist says she’ll likely need them next fall but is waiting for more baby teeth to fall out. I think they get a first set around third grade and then get another set in early high school.
Anonymous says
Around that age (or maybe earlier in the case of my sister) we had retainer and spacer respectively to deal with crowding issues. for me this also includes getting some baby teeth pulled early.
We then both had braces say age 12 or 13 to 17 ish??
My adult dentist keeps recommending braces for cosmetic reasons…. i’m like dude – hard pass – already spent the better part of a decade on that for actual bite reasons.
EP-er says
They definitely start earlier than they used to, but it is totally different treatment plans than what I got. (6 years of braces & surgery. I am not interested in putting my kids through that!) We started with a consultation and then monitoring every 6 months when my daughter was 7. She’s 9.5 and finally scheduled for an expander. My son started treatments later (because I had no idea how early they start + pandemic.) Many orthodontists seem to be doing two shorter stints of braces (possibly with a palate expander) rather than the longer stints from before. Most consultations are free — ask around parents with older kids and see who is recommended in your area.
Anonymous says
At this age an initial consultation may be all that’s needed. If and when treatment is recommended, definitely get a second opinion and maybe even a third. The initial consultation with each orthodontist should be free.
Anonymous says
It’s not full on braces then. It can be expanders or whatever. I started seeing the orthodontist at 8 didn’t get braces until 11. Had them until 14 (yikes!). My DD has a crossbite and the dentist said she’ll need to see the ortho at 6-8 years old
octagon says
Depends on what the issue is. Our kiddo has a very small mouth relative to the teeth that are growing under the gums, and the dentist said that after he loses a couple more baby teeth we should go to the orthodontist for a consult. (He will probably be 6.5-7 at that time.) The dentist suggested that if we did a palate expander early, perhaps the teeth would have enough room to come in aided by a retainer and then wouldn’t have to do two rounds of braces. Time will tell, but as someone who endured 6 years of orthodontics only to see my teeth get crooked again as an adult, I’m hoping that the technology and protocols have improved in the last 20 years.
Anonymous says
I’m 44 and had my first retainer in Kindergarten, 2nd in 2nd grade, and braces in 3rd. I got my teeth relatively early and had a number of issues. The retainers were to correct different problems (cross bite, tongue thrust) and they absolutely worked and possibly prevented further issues, so I would at least do a consultation or 2 – get a couple of opinions if you are unsure.
Jeffiner says
My daughter was only 4 when she started losing her baby teeth. The dentist said she was only the second 4 year old he’d ever seen with molars. Dentist said she’s likely to have all her adult teeth very early, but he won’t do braces until she’s older, as she won’t be responsible enough to take care of them.
Sun protection says
I know that this has been discussed – but favourite sunscreen for kids? It hasn’t been an issue in the past – but my kiddo seems to have so many rashes this year (face and arms where sunscreen is most recently applied).
My go tos – Baby Aveeno (mineral) and Netrogena sensitive are obviously no longer working.
He is at all day preschool and they seem to have decent compliance wearing hats and teachers help reapply sunscreen, but i am not going to get compliance with wearing long-sleeves. It gets hot in the classroom during the day, so kiddo will only wear a t-shirt
Anonymous says
We really like Thinkbaby, or the adult version Thinksport (which I’ve heard is very close in formula to Thinkbaby, but I’ve never truly researched).
Anon says
We’ve used ThinkBaby and then ThinkSport for both me and kiddo for years and I think it’s very good for sensitive skin. I will say I’m starting to wonder how effective it is. I don’t visibly burn as long as I apply it everywhere, but I get kind of a hot, tight feeling on my face when I spend time outside and I notice more freckles. I use a large amount of sunscreen and reapply diligently, so this isn’t user error. And coincidentally I just read a Consumer Report about how natural sunscreen isn’t actually as effective as chemical sunscreen, and many sunscreens actually have way less SPF than the bottle says. CR determined that Think Sport has an SPF of less than 10, despite the bottle saying 50+! We’re going to Hawaii next week and I bought a chemical sunscreen that was highly rated by CR (Coppertone Ultraguard) because I don’t want to take a chance with the mega-intense sun there. If I feel like it works better, we’ll probably switch to chemical permanently, at least for the summer months when the sun is most intense. I’m more scared of the sun than oxybenzone, but kiddo and I are extremely fair and I have a ton of sun damage already visible on my skin.
Anon says
I’m pro Thinkbaby or Thinksport, but I also get a big Supergoop Play bottle with pump and put that on them every morning – maybe not as good in terms of chemicals but I love the big pump bottle!
CCLA says
We use Elta MD for everyone in the family. The clear one made for the face or the sport one, depending on if water play is expected that day. Kids have worn it daily for 2+ years.
Patty Mayonnaise says
Anyone have experience with white coat hypertension in pregnancy? This is #3 for me and it’s never been a problem in the past. (I suspect the pandemic and a new provider have something to do with it…) But my bp was slightly high at 12 weeks in the office so I’ve been monitoring at home and after getting over some anxiety with using my cuff, my readings have been really good at home in the morning and evening when I’m taking them. But at my 16w & 20w appts, it was high again. At the last one it was really high, but came down after a few tries and changing position to sitting in a chair (rather than unsupported on the exam table with my feet dangling). Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and/or advice. Obviously stressing about it doesn’t help the issue!!
anon says
They started taking my BP at the end of the appointment, instead of the beginning.
I did end up being induced for high BP, but after my due date.
AnonATL says
Same. They always took mine at the end especially if it was a big appointment like the anatomy scan or that time my son’s heart started skipping beats on the Doppler..
Anon says
I haven’t had this issue in pregnancy, but I have had this issue. Make sure they’re taking the blood pressure 100% correctly. You need to have been sitting for a while; you can’t just sit down and get a good reading after three minutes. Your arm needs to be elevated at a certain elevation and has to be supported. You shouldn’t talk or listen to someone else talking while they take the reading. Etc.
Anon Lawyer says
I would buy an at-home blood pressure cuff so you can get some readings in a less-pressured environment. For me, that made me more relaxed about the whole thing.
In the office, the things that helped were not crossing your legs, putting your feet on the floor, and not talking while the reading is taking (one of the medical assistants at my OB gave me that tip and it helped – before that, I would always be trying to make small talk.)
OP says
Yes the at home readings are really good! But I’m told that white coat hypertension could still be a problem for the baby…
Anonymous says
That seems nuts. Why? And what on earth do they propose to do about it other than to let you take your BP at home and quit doing it at the doctor’s office?
OP says
I think the point is that if my bp can go up with stress, it’s prob also elevated at other times (when I have to slam on the brakes in the car, when my kids are fighting, etc.), which makes sense to me.
[email protected] says
I think the issue is that if my bp goes up with stress, it’s prob elevated at other times too (slamming on the brakes, kids fighting, etc.), which makes sense to me. It’s just a surprise for me to have this issue with #3 bc I’m a fairly anxious person and never had a bp issue with my first 2.
Anon says
I don’t really want to freak you out, but I thought I had white coat hypertension and that my doctor was over-reacting to my BP. I turned out to actually have a hypertensive issue, even though my BP wasn’t that elevated. What they look for is that your BP is steadily increasing throughout pregnancy– so even if you have white coat hypertension, if the number is still steadily increasing, that’s not great. Ultimately, I am healthy and have a healthy baby. My OB was absolutely correct in everything she recommended as well, even though I got really stressed out because I thought she was doing unnecessary interventions at the time. So– trust your OB.
OP says
Thanks. I absolutely don’t want to ignore a serious issue. Were your home readings also high? Mine have seemed to actually get lower with time…
Anon says
No. But I always took my readings the “right” way– meaning I had rested for a few minutes, etc. Sometimes I would take a reading and it would be elevated, then five minutes later it would be normal. I think by blood pressure was spiking during pregnancy, which was what was showing up with the white coat syndrome but was not showing up when I was doing blood pressure readings at home. I really don’t think your OB can be too cautious in this situation. I learned later that many OBs would have ignored a blood pressure reading in the range mine was (Low 130s/high 80s) but in my situation, it was a symptom of something else going on. The reason she was concerned about mine is that it had been 115/70s at the beginning of pregnancy.
OP says
Really good to know – this sounds really similar to my situation. Thank you! And very glad your OB was on top of it.
Anon says
+1, I know someone who had similar issues. It’s not “nuts” for your OB to be considered about this, and if you ignore your doctor’s advice you may jeopardize your health or baby’s health.
OP says
I def don’t want to ignore something serious. And there’s really nothing they’re asking me to do at this point except monitor at home and potentially additional testing later on, which I’m all for. I didn’t mean to suggest I was trying to ignore medical advice, I was just wondering if others had been in the same situation.
Anon says
If you’re not confident in your at-home readings, a lot of pharmacists will take your blood pressure for you if you ask.