This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I think we’ve featured these well-reviewed, machine washable pants in the past, but I hadn’t noticed they were part of the big Anniversary Sale until just now. (These dry clean ankle pants have even more great reviews!) The pictured pants are available in black and gray, in regular and petite sizes 0-14 — they’re $52.90 now, but will be $79 after the sale ends August 3. Vince Camuto Straight Leg Pants
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
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- 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:
Click here to see our top posts!
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?
NewMomAnon says
I bought myself new skinny jeans despite deep misgivings about buying non-bootcut jeans, and today is the first blue jeans Friday at work. I got to work and realized that my only shoes at work are heels (my daughter insisted that I wear flip flops for the commute to work). So I am wearing the lowest pair of heels, and rolled the hems up twice so they are ankle-length…is that how the cool kids are wearing jeans these days? Or will I just look like my jeans are too long?
Meg Murry says
So after yesterday’s mention about nurses at a hospital warning against swaddling (why? hip dysplasia? breaking free and smothering with a blanket? Did some study come out that I haven’t seen?) made me think – are there any other “new” theories or rules about infant care that have come out in the last few years? My cousins are all starting to have their first babies, and I don’t want them looking at me with horror when I suggest swaddling or something, the way people get upset at a grandma suggesting honey for an infant’s cough or other outdated advice. My youngest is not yet 4, but it seems like the current advice is always shifting. And don’t get me started on all the new products aimed at babies that didn’t exist when my kids were little – I don’t want to even go there.
The things I can think of that have changed since my oldest was born 8 years ago (or maybe just become more widespread):
-Recommendation to wait until 6 months for solid food, instead of the old 4-6 months advice
-Push toward baby-led weaning away from spoon feeding
-In some circles, skipping baby cereal altogether
-Rearfacing until 2 (or older) becoming more mainstream/widespread and not just the fringe
-Drop-side cribs being deemed dangerous and phased out
I know things I had to teach my parents and in-laws involved no honey, waiting on introducing certain high allergen foods, babies sleeping on backs instead of stomach, rear facing infant seats, no baby walkers that walked around anymore (replaced by stationary exersaucers), no antique cribs with wide spaced slats, no baby bumpers or soft blankets in the crib.
What else is out there that I need to learn if I’m going to watch my new baby cousins and not be completely out of touch? Or products that we recalled or highly discouraged now so I don’t offend someone by offering it to them?
anon says
My baby is 5 months and we were still taught swaddling. (If you use something like a Halo sleepsack swaddle, they can still move their legs just fine; maybe that is the concern?) One new thing is the advice NOT to avoid peanuts, but to actively feed peanut products from a young age. Other than that, though, our pediatrician pretty much said anywhere between 4-6 months was fine to start foods (our baby could sit up at 4 months, so no worries there) — studies are really inconclusive about whether it’s better to start closer to 4 or closer to 6 months.
PhillyAnon says
The switch away from swaddling seems to be really recent and not universal. My mom is a nicu nurse and her hospital switched from recommending swaddling to discouraging swaddling in favor of non-swaddle sleepsacks/wearable blankets sometime between when my daughter was born last November and this spring. I’m pretty sure the concern is babies being able to flip themselves (which some can do freakishly young) and suffocating?
And there does seem to be a switch back to starting solids including allergens at 4-6 months. It is so hard to keep up!
NewMomAnon says
Well, some of the food stuff might be pediatrician-dependent; mine recommended solid foods earlier for my kiddo, wasn’t a fan of baby-led weaning, and at 8 months said my kiddo should eat everything (including high allergen foods) but that honey was the only no-no. Her advice on rice cereal was that it was basically just a thickener for formula/b*milk and not to overthink using it for a few months to get baby used to texture. I’ve heard some pediatricians still recommend adding rice cereal to bottles for very hungry babies; mine warned against it.
I think there are more hot-button “political” issues in the mom circles now than there used to be – baby-led weaning is one. Vaccines, both timing and whether to get them, is another. “Attachment parenting,” including bed-sharing and extended nursing, is pitted against “cry it out” sleep training, and especially new moms might get very defensive of their choices in this area (I know I did, and I wish I had been more relaxed about it). I don’t know whether “baby wearing” was a big thing 4 years ago, but it’s certainly trendy now and made my life so much easier as a new mom.
anne-on says
The only things that have seemed to change quite a lot are the ones you’ve touched on – sleeping on a back, no blankets/stuffies in the crib, no bumpers, no juice in bottles, rear facing in car seats for up to 2-yrs, etc.
Interestingly enough – there’s been studies recently (and my pediatrician agrees) that honey is just as good (if not better) than cough syrup for young children in helping coughs.
NewMomAnon says
I’ve read that on the honey too, but always with the disclaimer not to give it to babies under 1 year old because it contains a trace amount of botulism that is fine for older toddlers but can make little babies very sick. Has that changed? Not that it matters to me anymore, my kiddo is old enough to be past the warnings anyway.
Pigpen's Mama says
Our pediatrician said no honey til one when we were discussing food at our 9 month checkup. She said peanut butter starting at a year, in light of the new research coming out. But that seemed more like a ‘split it down the middle’ rec between the new research and the old recommendations.
No idea when this advice started being given, but we were told no water before 6 months because of the risk for water toxicity.
mascot says
That’s interesting about the water. We were told to start introducing a mealtime only straw sippy when we introduced solids (so 4-5 months). I doubt he drank more than 1-2ozs a day.
My mom didn’t breastfeed so she she didn’t understand the idea that babies don’t need bottles of water in addition to milk. Not sure if that was a thing in the 70s or she just didn’t remember infant days.
anon says
hrm, my ped just said okay to give water at 4 months when it’s really hot out (baby gets suuuuuper sweaty and then constipated). But just a couple oz/day and only when it’s really hot.
Pigpen's Momg says
I think there were exceptions for hot days — it was winter for us, so not an issue.
Also, it was with the introduction of food, which happened to be around 6 months.
When I read about it, it seemed to be one of those ‘rules’ that was really in place to avoid the extreme such as several bottles of water a day, rather than the occasional sip here or there.
anonyc says
More of a sidenote: my youngest is almost 15 months, and I don’t think much has really changed from when I had my first ~7 years ago. One thing I have noticed is that my ped, seeing that I have not killed or horribly ruined my older kids, doesn’t give me too much advice about stuff–no long lectures about sleep training or eating. Or if advice is given, it’s in a more “if you’re interested” sort of way. For example, the food discussion was all, “have at! try new stuff! just no honey until 1!”–no mention of cereals or anything else. For the record we swaddled hard-core with my oldest, and some but not much with the others, mostly because they didn’t like or need it as much as the first. I’ve heard nothing anti-swaddling apart from this board.
I appreciate this more hands-off approach, although with more confidence as a parent, I also feel free to ignore non-medical advice that I disagree with (or know won’t work with my kid). I didn’t feel that ballsy when I was a first-time parent, though, and when I talk to friends who are behind me in the kid track I often mention that sometimes it’s okay to ignore what your pediatrician says about sleeping/food/etc. Like, if it’s totally killing you to do CIO, then don’t, or wait for a while and try it with a slightly older kid. FWIW my ped practice, in particular, is very!!! pro-CIO, but it never really came up with my most recent kid (partly I imagine because she is a pretty awesome sleeper).
I’m totally down with the pro-non-honey-allergens move, too, and my kiddo is a serious Bamba addict (peanut puffs from Israel that was mentioned in that big NYT article on this topic a while back)–one of her first words was “BAMBA!!!!”. It’s available via Prime for anyone interested.
Also, I never realized that baby wearing was really A Thing–my parents used probably the original baby carrier (some sort of proto-bjorn) with us when we were little (like, early 80s). To hear about that, and other attachment parenting things (co-sleeper, BF to 1+) now often strikes me as more like re-branding or creating a philosophy/movement from things that have already been around a loooong time, at least IME. Or perhaps my parents and their friends were just a bunch of hippies ahead of their time.
Momata says
I think another big change in the last 10 years is the advice on updated whooping cough / TDAP vaccines for adults in contact with the child, and for the pregnant mom. All adults in contact with the infant are encouraged to get a booster TDAP even if they were immunized as a child, as whooping cough has morphed. The pregnant mom is encouraged to get a booster TDAP during each pregnancy to give antibodies to the fetus. (For example, I got a TDAP booster in 2011 before becoming pregnant to protect a friend’s child; I was not advised to get another one while I was pregnant in 2013, but the guidance changed and I was advised to get another one during my 2015 pregnancy.)
Katarina says
I think the recommendation on starting solids is actually moving earlier, based on some evidence that introducing solids closer to 4 months reduces the incidence of allergies. I think there is a lot of disagreement on this, though, and the official APA recommendations are conflicting, and overall there is not much evidence either way on starting closer to 4 months or six months. My pediatrician recommended starting solids at 4 months and skipping cereal. There are also recommendations to introduce high allergy foods sooner,that it reduces the incidence of allergies.
Sarabeth says
The only thing I can think of is that new evidence has come out on the amount of arsenic in rice specifically, so even people who give cereal may be avoiding rice cereal in favor of oats. And avoiding rice products generally. I agree that there’s actually a swing back to earlier introduction of solids in small doses, though my ped said (and my own research suggested) that there’s really too little evidence to know how it will affect allergies.
Anon says
The 4-6 months solid food recommendation actually has the best science behind it. Science of mom really breaks it down.
http://scienceofmom.com/2015/05/14/starting-solids-4-months-6-months-or-somewhere-in-between/#more-3288
AEK says
One more childcare question: For those who do / did nanny share, where did you find the nanny / other family?
anon says
I’m not in one, but in my area, there is a very high volume local mothers’ group with an online forum where people post looking to join/create nanny shares.
POSITA says
I met another mom during maternity leave at a neighborhood meet up. Later I posted an ad on a neighborhood listserve where moms set up meet ups and sell baby stuff. People will post ads there and that works well. My husband and I met with several families before we found a family that needed compatible hours, were located close by, and had similar views on childcare.
In my area, no one bothers finding another nannyshare family until about 2.5 months before the share is supposed to start. It takes a leap of faith to go that long without any childcare lined up, but remarkably it always seems to work out. That is about the right amount of time to interview families, decide on logistics and then find a nanny.
maternity clothes? says
How did you decide which maternity clothes to save and which to pass on? I hope to be pregnant again, but not for 3-4 years. It seems silly to save everything for that amount of time, and I don’t know what will look hopelessly dated by then and what seasons I will be pregnant in. On the other hand, life happens and what if I end up pregnant sooner rather than later? And I probably will be even less willing to spend a lot on maternity clothes then than I was this time.
Thoughts?
Anon says
I would put all of them in a tub and store them (but we have a TON of storage space in our house). If storage was going to be inconvenient, I would keep the basic, non-trendy pieces (so like jeans/slacks, plain tanks and shirts, basic dresses, etc.) and donate or give away the rest.
ANP says
Yeah, I’d keep it all if you can/have the space — getting rid of anything stained, hole-y, etc. But if it’s in good condition hang onto it and reassess when you get pregnant again.
Katarina says
I kept everything, but I have a lot of closet space.
Maddie Ross says
I kept everything that was still in good condition (which was basically everything except a couple pitted white shirts), including the bras I wore on the way up. I put it all in one big plastic tub. I’ve loaned out a couple of things since then (the nice jeans and some nicer work stuff). If I get pregnant again I hope I’ll get it back, but if not, no biggie. If I don’t, I’ll probably give the entire tub away in a couple of years.
anon says
A friend who is pregnant again after only two years was saying the other day how almost all of her clothes from the first pregnancy are very dated (much more so then for regular clothes). Based on this, my plan is to keep the basics (solid work pants and skirts, undergarments, maybe a basic dress) and anything I truly love but promptly donate the rest.
JEB says
I only kept a few of my favorites that actually fit well. This included my favorite jeans (I actually really miss them…they were better than my regular jeans!), a great pair of work pants, a pencil skirt, and a few dresses that I really liked. They’re all pretty basic, so I don’t think they’ll look dated if I were to use them again in a few years. I felt mostly indifferent towards the majority of my maternity clothes, so I have an upcoming appointment to consign/donate them. We’re about 90% sure we’re one-and-done, so I think that makes it a little easier to part with everything.
maternity clothes? says
Thanks for the thoughts ladies. I think I’m leaning towards keeping only the favorites, especially since storage space is very much an issue….
sfg says
I have these pants. They are fantastic.
3kids says
Can I just say how tempted I am to quit pumping at 5 months? This morning, in a silly attempt to save a couple bucks on milk for my iced coffee (decaf) when I have gallons of milk at home, I packed up a cup in one of the kids’ Thermos cups and put it in my Medela PIS bag (yes, dumb) with the intention of mixing it with my iced coffee at work. Of course, it wasn’t closed properly and leaked all over the bag, meaning I had to spend 20 minutes in the car cleaning it up, will have to spend an hour later dealing with washing out the bag and components, and possibly have a broken pump (afraid to turn it on and check). On top of that, I think Starbucks charged me for a latte anyway. And I wouldn’t even have been carrying the pump back to work if I weren’t so busy yesterday afternoon that I had to pump in the car on the way to daycare (yielding only a measly less than 2 oz.). AND, baby doesn’t even drink the milk (bottle refusal – 3rd kid in a row) – he only eats up to 6 oz of it per day mixed with purees (so I am up all night feeding him). And I was up til 2am working at home, and had at least 2 night feedings after I finally went to bed (lost track). And the only reason I went to get iced coffee is because I am so tired from working late and the months of sleep deprivation and need a pick-me-up (even if decaf). And today is supposed to be my “off” day but I am at work anyway because things are too busy and a partner is going on vacation and needs me to fill in, and I don’t want to turn down work after being on leave. Conclusion – I really want to quit pumping, but would feel bad for my baby! (I pumped for the other two 12 months and about 9 months)
mascot says
I’m exhausted just reading that. Happy mommy equals happy baby. If the pumping isn’t working, stop. You can still nurse if that is working and keep trying with different cups. No, the 3rd child wouldn’t get pumped milk (that he’s not really eating anyway). But, he gets the trade-off of having a super experienced and less stressed mother.
Sarabeth says
Do it. If he’s only getting 6 oz anyway, just switch those 6 oz to formula. It will make no actual difference nutritionally. You can keep nursing nights and weekends as long as you want.
Momata says
No way would I go through all the hassle of pumping for 2 oz at a time for a total of 6 oz max. Keep up your nursing relationship when you are together but ditch the pump. Be good to yourself – you’re a good mommy.
CPA Lady says
I never pumped but I was still able to nurse 3x a day for a couple of months after I went back to work. I supplemented with formula during the day. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Your baby would be totally fine even if he were exclusively formula fed from day one. If you want to quit, quit.
JEB says
The best advice I’ve heard is not to quit on a bad day. Of course it’s totally okay to quit whenever you’re ready, but I’d wait to reassess the situation in the next few days when things have hopefully calmed down. Ultimately, do what’s best for you. Your baby will be totally fine either way!
Personally, I dream of destroying my pump, Office Space-style.
Meg Murry says
Yes, I’d re-evaluate how you feel Monday. But if the pump is dead, I think that’s a sign and you shouldn’t spend money replacing it for a baby who won’t even drink the pumped milk.
Maybe cut down to just one pumping at noon so your supply won’t tank?
Can you send the husband out with the kids this weekend or get a sitter so you can take an afternoon nap? Sleep deprivation is the worst!
In House Lobbyist says
I stopped pumping with both of mine at 6 months. I nursed the second one longer because she was better nurser; my first preferred a bottle. So I think you’ve done great and even a few days benefits your baby so you have “permission” to quit before you kill yourself.
Momata says
Babywearing device reviews welcome! I’m about to have my second child – 2 under 2. I didn’t “babywear” with my first because neither kid nor I needed it; I used a baby bj0rn as a conveyance on walks only because she hated the stroller. I suspect I might need some more help being hands-free once I have two kids. What babywearing devices worked for you, particularly if you had your baby in summertime? The bjorn seems a little structured for just being with the baby and freeing my hands, and also sweaty for August and September. I tried a hand-me-down M0by with my last kid and hated it/couldn’t figure it out.
anonyc says
Of the littler babies I’m seeing in carriers these days, several are using mesh wraps or slings. Seems like it would be cooler. I used a bjorn with one summer baby, but he was anti-carrier so I couldn’t comment much. Used my ergo with the others and just accepted that I was going to be a massive sweatball during the day in the summer (path of least resistance). When I used the infant car seat stroller in hot weather, the kids felt like they would get pretty hot because it’s hard for air to circulate. Basically summers we were all sweaty when tooling around outside.
Meg Murry says
2nd recommendation for a mesh wrap or sling, especially for around the house. The thing I used most, honestly, when my babies were infants, was a homemade sling made out of rings from slingrings.com and a bedsheet.
Just be aware that there used to be a bunch of mesh fabrics advertising itself as UV protective – the UV protective part has been proven false, but the fabric otherwise worked well, being thin and lightweight. I think the name was Solarveil? Not sure if it’s still available once the UV protection part was proven false, but it made a good summer sling.
Meg Murry says
This is the no-sew method I used with the bedsheet – I used a jersey sheet set I found on clearance at Target and cut it to the width and length I wanted, since it was cheaper than buying jersey fabric.
http://www.slingrings.com/nosew.php
JEB says
Someone gifted me a K-Tan, which was easy to figure out. My baby hated it, so I didn’t end up using it. But it seemed like a less structured option that would be easy to use with a newborn.
Anon says
I love my baby k’tan. Very soft and comfy. My baby loves it so I wear it constantly. Wearing a baby in the summer is hot though :-/
anon says
Also looooooooooved the k’tan for the first 3 months. (Yes, it is still hot, though. I think they make an “active” one that is supposed to be less hot.) Used it a lot around the house because baby needed it to nap long enough at first, but he wouldn’t tolerate it awake until he had full head control. I will say that while it was an absolute godsend for the first 2 months, once he was over about 12 lb it became pretty hard on my back and I couldn’t take him for long walks in it anymore. Switched to the Ergo for walking. Now, at almost 5 months and 16 lb, it has probably outlived its usefulness. Still, can’t even imagine first few months without it. My husband and I are close enough in size that we could share the same one – they are sized for the parent, not the baby – which was convenient.
Spirograph says
I have a summerweight Bjorn, which I like (especially for indoor use). The mesh is definitely better than the big quilted fabric versions, but there’s no getting around sweat in DC summer. Once baby gets above about 15 lbs, I prefer the ergobaby with hip straps… More sweat, but less shoulder/back soreness.
Anonymous says
I love my Maya Wrap for when they’re really little — it’s a ring sling, easy to figure out and nice fabrics. I do think sweat will be a factor regardless of what you end up with. Once they got too big for the ring sling, we used an Ergo w/an infant insert. Baby wearing kept me sane — takes practice sometimes but is totally worth it in the end!
NewMomAnon says
I used a Moby with my January baby and thought it was too sweaty even then….I had a simple sling that I liked for the early newborn days. I also have an Ergo, but I think for a summer baby with a toddler underfoot, I’d reach for my Boba Air instead. It’s lighter weight, and I can smush it up into the little carry pouch and stuff it in my diaper bag. I don’t know if that can be used with a newborn though.