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This surplice top has been around in various incarnations for several years now — Nordstrom has some great colors for it right now, including this lovely black graphic print. This looks like the rare top that isn’t a “nursing” top, per se, but is great for both pumping and nursing (depending on your pumping style, of course). It’s $49 at Nordstrom, available in sizes XS-XL. Vince Camuto Faux Wrap Top
(L-2)
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Moms on the Hill says
Reposting from yesterday…
Has anyone in the Capitol Hill area in DC had success getting on the Moms on the Hill listserv? Any tips? I unfortunately don’t know any one to recommend me (one of the reasons I want to join is none of my friends in the area have kids), and my e-mail requests to join have not really worked.
Thanks in advance!
CapHillAnon says
Just seeing this posting now. I joined years ago when it was not such a challenge, but I last year I did reach out to the moderators for a membership question and got a response pretty quickly. Are you sending emails to “[email protected]”? I don’t want to post my email address here publicly, but I am happy to recommend you if we can find a way to connect. It can be a very useful listserv.
RDC says
Cat – I’m having issues with this page on my phone. I can open the homepage, but none of the links (post title, “read more,” or comments) work to get to the actual post. I can only see the full posts and comments thru my feed reader. This happened yesterday, too.
(Was) due in june says
Ditto. On chrome on a droid.
Due in December says
Can only see three comments, using Firefox on my work PC. Surely there must be more?
HM - Paging AnonAtty says
AnonAtty – I saw your post on the birth stories. Would love to connect with a fellow “heart mom” (which is not what HM stands for… go figure!). Please feel free to email me at [email protected].
M says
Can anyone provide insight on the 1st semester screening (the one that tests for Down Syndrome, etc.). I had to push for the ultrasound at my doctor and they are making it pretty inconvenient (long appt. with a specialist), and I’m not sure if it’s worth the fight. FWIW we just want the information so we can be prepared. We wouldn’t terminate based on it (no judgment to anyone who feels differently).
anon says
Can you switch practitioners? This is a standard part of the practice everywhere that my friends and I have gone (if you mean the 12 week anatomy screen).
anon says
(Our practice had sonogram in-house, but yes, it does take a long time.)
RDC says
I was high risk so the screening was done as part of that, but o understand it’s usually done by a specialist and is a long appt (at least an hour) so that part sounds right to me.
MSJ says
I had an IVF twin pregnancy so had no shortage of ultrasounds (the idea of just having the 20 week one is so foreign to me as a result), but that was the experience of my cousin. I believe most of my friends had the 12-week NT ultrasound in New York. If you are most concerned about chromosomal abnormalities, you may also wish to look into the fetal free dna bloodtest. It seems more accurate (but importantly, not perfect) than the other screenings and entails a blooddraw (so less invasive than an amnio or cvs). If you are not high risk, insurance won’t cover it, but I know at least one of the major providers has an out of pocket cap around $200 if you call and ask. However, there seems to be major variations on who can get it depending on doctor and state. Some refuse unless you have other risk factors. As an aside, I would be really curious if this is a state law issue or simply variations depending on practices.
Meg Murry says
Are you referring to the blood test and NT screening? I had it with my first, but not my second, I don’t think – although with my first, we opted out of the tri-screen (that is now quad screen) because of the low reliability (only 80% reliable at the time) combined with no concerns caught on the NT screen. Or do you mean the NIPT (MaterniT21, etc) test?
Did you ask your doctor why s/he didn’t recommend it? Reasons I can think of:
-The NT test is not a very accurate test. Only identifies 82%-87%of babies with Downs Syndrome, and also has a pretty high false positive rate.
-A Catholic hospital/doctor and they don’t want to do tests that could encourage termination?
-Maybe it isn’t covered by your insurance, or often isn’t covered by insurance in your area/state
-The doctor is generally non-interventionist and doesn’t do any more tests than your medical history requires
-The testing isn’t available at your current practice/hospital system and most people find it’s not worth the bother.
Regarding the NIPT test:
“NIPT has mostly been studied on women who are at increased risk for having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends offering it only to expecting moms who meet those criteria. More research is under way to determine whether the test is useful for women of average risk and women carrying twins or more.” – from the link on babycenter. So if you aren’t high risk, it may not be worth it (or may not be covered by your insurance). In other words, they don’t actually know how accurate the test is in non-high risk patients – so even getting a negative (good) result doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is 100% a-ok, just that they can’t give you a 100% guarantee one way or another.
Can you talk to your doctor about whether s/he doesn’t recommend testing at this point because there is a better, more accurate test later, or what the other reasons might be?
Meg Murry says
Oops, forgot link to source: http://www.babycenter.com/0_screening-for-down-syndrome_1519375.bc
Normally I don’t turn to babycenter for medical advice, but this appears to be actually sound medical info, not a message board full of opinions.
Anonymous says
Yes it is the 12 week anatomy scan. They push for the blood test because it is the practice’s personal position that this is the way the medical community should head. My issue is that I can’t get anything in writing regarding insurance coverage or OOP costs for the blood test, whereas insurance will cover the ultrasound. Since their position is that the blood test should be done in lieu of the ultrasound, they won’t do the ultrasound in house and sent me to an OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies (which I’m not) and said the appt. will take 2+ hours. I feel like I’m being pressured not to get the ultrasound, which also makes me think maybe this OB is not a good fit for me (I’m the poster who posted yesterday about switching doctors).
M says
Yes it is the 12 week anatomy scan. They push for the blood test because it is the practice’s personal position that this is the way the medical community should head. My issue is that I can’t get anything in writing regarding insurance coverage or OOP costs for the blood test, whereas insurance will cover the ultrasound. Since their position is that the blood test should be done in lieu of the ultrasound, they won’t do the ultrasound in house and sent me to an OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies (which I’m not) and said the appt. will take 2+ hours. I feel like I’m being pressured not to get the ultrasound, which also makes me think maybe this OB is not a good fit for me (I’m the poster who posted yesterday about switching doctors).
Sarabeth says
I’d consider switching doctors, yes, since the seem not to communicate well. But for this specific question, if they will tell you which blood test they use, you should be able to call your insurance and/or the test provider directly for more info on your insurance coverage and costs.
ncmom says
You may not be able to get a straight answer from your insurance company. I was not, and was told they couldn’t tell me up front which codes would be covered due to their fraud prevention controls. My insurance only covered two ultrasounds, so the first trimester screening and the initial pregnancy confirmation were covered, I had to pay for the OB’s anatomy scan out of pocket.
At my OB’s office, you elect to do the 1st trimester screening you get a referral for a specialist. I found the specialist had much better equipment so the ultrasound was amazing. The screening portion left a little to be desired, as they would only say your risk is 1 in x, not an official yes or no. The specialist also did a blood test.
Due in December says
I had the blood test and the 12 week anatomy scan, and both were recommended by my OB and covered by my insurance as a matter of course (FWIW, low-risk pregnancy, I’m 30). From what I understand (and this could be faulty, as it is all very confusing), the blood test and 12 week anatomy scan are complementary, and one doesn’t necessarily replace the other. Neither will rule out chromosomal abnormalities, just give an idea of risk (the 12 week anatomy scan by looking at fluid at base of neck, I think). I would consider switching doctors.
Pest says
I just had the blood test and U/S done. They were covered by my insurance and recommended by my doctor because I am over 35 (and was at conception). The blood test tested not just for Down’s but also trisomy 13, Klinefelter’s Syndrome and Turner’s Syndrome and revealed the gender (which they will or won’t tell you depending on whether you want to know). The rest of what Due in December was what my OB told me except the U/S measures the nose bone, not just the thickness of the neck.
Anonymous says
Mine would have been at a specialist’s office, even though my OB has a sonogram in house.
MDMom says
Yes, that part sounds right. Mine was done at a specialists office- a high risk ob/Maternal Fetal Medicine practice. This is common. An MFM practice has better quality ultrasound machinery and ultrasound techs (who are better at taking these measurements on ultrasound than regular ob/gyns). They budget about an hour for the appt but it might take much less time, depending on how the baby is lying.
My OB discussed the screening options but said they usually recommend the NT scan for low risk people and the blood test for higher risk (because it may not be covered by insurance). We opted for the NT scan- honestly just because I was paranoid and wanted another ultrasound before we started telling people. I had a normal/uncomplicated pregnancy and only had ultrasounds at first appt (9 w) and 20 weeks otherwise.
If you don’t feel comfortable with your ob/gyn practice, switch sooner rather than later!
Daycare for both kids says
Anyone with 2 kids who put both kids in daycare (as opposed to using a nanny for the younger child?). I have two boys, ages 1 and 3. My older one is in daycare and loves it. There is an opening in the same daycare for my 1-year old.
Currently, my mom (who is absolutely amazing in every way) watches my 1 year old full-time. However, she is going to leave for home soon (she lives abroad). Do I put my 1 year old in daycare along with his older brother, or should I get a nanny for the 1-year old? My preference is daycare for both because I feel that my older one has benefitted immensely from daycare and he’s been going since he was 6 months old. But, I am worried about the logistics of it all. Is it just too hard to schlep two young kids out the door every day?
Other considerations are: two in daycare is WAY cheaper than a nanny + daycare, and if we went the nanny route, we have potentially found someone who would be really great with my 1-year old (and will also pick up the older one from daycare).
I’d greatly appreciate any feedback.
Meg Murry says
In my area the only reason people get a nanny just for the youngest is if daycare doesn’t have a space available. I’ve never heard of someone having a nanny for only 1 kid while sending the other to full day care if they had the option to send both either to the nanny or both to daycare. Is it a pain to get 2 kids out the door? Yes. Is it do-able? Yes, especially if your partner helps.
In our area, a nanny for the 2 kids might be close or cheaper than daycare for 2 (especially for places that charge more for the rooms under 12 or 18 months), so some people will pull the older one from full time daycare to do a nanny for 2, and then just add on a cheaper part-time preschool for the oldest. I think this also makes sense if you need a nanny outside the hours that daycares are typically open. But you need to do what works best for your family.
My kids both went to daycare – each started at 8-10 weeks old, and have thrived there. We love our daycare very much, and I can’t imagine it any other way.
EP-er says
Grandparents watched my son until he started school full time (kindergarten.) We had the same deal with my daughter until she was 18 months, when my parents decided to buy a house on a whim. In another state. And they might be around to help with the kids, but they might not. They couldn’t commit any more. (Which is totally okay with me, but my mom doesn’t get why I can’t just pull my children in and out of care when she decides that she wants to watch them after all!) So at 18 months, I put my daughter in day care. Really hard at first, but so much better now! My son goes to summer camp there and it is great to have a back-up nearby for snow days.
Two in day care makes more sense than 1 in day care/1 with nanny.
Jdubs says
I currently have two in daycare and it has been great! (1 & 4) I have zero regrets about this choice… the only reason we are switching to a nanny is that my older one is starting pre-k and the logistics of getting two out the door with two different pickup times is way too much. Now the nanny will have the younger one full time and pick up the older one from school.
OP says
Thanks ladies. In my area it’s very common to have a nanny for the baby and then have the nanny pick up the toddler from preschool/daycare around 3 pm or so. The advantage of the nanny is that she would do the extra stuff around the house – laundry, dishes, tidying up, etc that you wouldn’t get if you had both kids in daycare. However, on balance, I think daycare for both makes more sense, from a socialization point of view and certainly from a cost-savings standpoint. I am worried about getting both the kids out the door though. It’s hard enough with my toddler. I just need to be extra organized and try to pack as much stuff up the night before.
Anonymous says
The only time I’ve heard of a nanny+preschool is when the preschool is only for a small part of the day (ie, 9-noon).
I have three in daycare. Getting 2+ out the door is harder than 1, but not ‘pay for a nanny to avoid it’ level of hard. Our daycares have always provided food, so the babies are the hardest in morning prep with their bottles, so you’d avoid that. You already have a routine for the older, and the younger will follow.
Anonymous says
By that I mean I wouldn’t pay for a nanny to avoid getting one child out the door if I already had to get another out to the same location at the same time. Trust me, I’d love to walk out the door without prepping anyone ;)
anon for this says
My boyfriend’s son is starting pre-k in about a month. I would love to get him a “yay you’re starting pre-k!” gift, but I doubt that’s appropriate. Any thoughts/ideas?
pockets says
Why wouldn’t it be appropriate? What about something he’ll use in school – backpack, thermos, pencil case, lunchbox? Or a new pair of sneakers or a hat or some accessory? I think it would be really sweet to get him something.
Anonymous says
I wouldn’t say it’s inappropriate, just not ‘a thing’. I think it’s sweet. Backpack, lunchbox, or thermos is the first thing that comes to mind.
FYI, Most school supplies, IME, are now communal at the younger ages – so I wouldn’t bother with a special set of pencils, etc.
JJ says
I think that’s really sweet and cute. A personalized little backpack, sneakers that he likes, (if the school doesn’t have uniforms) a t-shirt with whatever character that he likes, etc. would all be good gifts.
Or, matchbox cars or dinosaurs *always* go over well if my boys are any indication.
Anonymous says
Kindercone!
I believe it’s a german tradition… guessing by the name… but a friend did one for her daughter last year. It seemed like fun. I think she just put in random stuff – like stocking stuffer / easter basket types of things.
Meg Murry says
Will he be going from your boyfriend’s place, or his mom’s? If from your boyfriend’s, one of my friends takes a picture of her kids every year on the first day and last day of school with a piece of paper that says something like “First Day of Pre-K” and the date, and has them write their name on it. It’s really cute to see the progression from the sloppy, backwards letters handwriting up to neat printing up to cursive, etc.
Alternately, could you get him a T-shirt with the name of the school? My kids school does “spirit day” every Friday, and the kids are encouraged to wear school colors, and the PTO and athletic booster clubs sell school T-shirts.
Anon says
Definitely want to second kindercone (really a Schultute). Super cute German tradition and probably one reason why their education system is better than ours. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schult%C3%BCte
Alternatively, you could lay out some real cash and get the kid a traditional Japanese randoseru (about $300-400), but those are generally given by grandparents.