shedreamsincolor that's what I was getting at as well. It's crazy how much I'm planning and stressing about how to ask for 6 months off (again, at no cost to my firm since it would be 100% unpaid). That just isn't done around here.
When I brought it up to HR she started suggesting all these scenarios where I come back part-time or do some work from home at first and I was like "no that's not what I was saying at all." Sigh.
My state (WA) has a family and medical leave act that is the exact same as FMLA, (same employment requirements, same 12 weeks of job protection) and it can be used in addition to FMLA. So I *could* take a total of 24 weeks off. Of course, all of this is unpaid. Does your state have something similar?
Unfortunately, no. MA has no leave laws whatsoever so all we have is FMLA (which DH calls the F My Life Act).
Post by shedreamsincolor on May 21, 2016 20:09:12 GMT -5
jubilantsquirrel - MN has "parental leave" which is also 12 weeks but companies are allowed to run it in conjunction with FMLA and state law doesn't require your employer to hold your job more than 12 weeks. So although some truly exceptional employers might allow 24 weeks the norm here is definitely to run them both together for a total of 12 weeks. I just checked my benefits for this time around and I have 7 weeks paid between maternity benefits and vacation/sick time, so at least some of it paid this time. Last maternity leave I was switching jobs so took 14 weeks, which was all I could afford as it was all unpaid. I'm hopin for 12 weeks fully off this time with another 4 at part time. @dashook I really hope you can get the full 6 months you are hoping for. It is stressful!!
Post by cookswithwine9 on May 21, 2016 20:31:36 GMT -5
Thanks tgrimes1980 and ClassyMrsA! I have started googling... I hear good things about lucie's list for product reviews. Any other good sites for reviews?
Post by jubilantsquirrel on May 21, 2016 20:44:10 GMT -5
shedreamsincolor, yeah I've only known one person who took the entire 24 weeks off, I don't think that's something most folks can afford, or honestly even know it's an option. That's great that you're able to get some time paid! I took 6 weeks last time and was paid 50% through STD. I'm hoping to take 12 weeks this time, but outside of STD it will all be unpaid.
Post by ClassyMrsA on May 21, 2016 20:44:19 GMT -5
cookswithwine9 Baby bargains is good, too. I also read the reviews online like on Target and Babies R Us. I had a subscription to Parents magazine and thought they had some good suggestions, too. Once I narrowed it down to two or three items, I Googled for reviews of each.
The only thing I wish I'd done differently was to get a carseat/stroller set that had a nice jogging stroller. They're bigger, but it's so much smoother and of course I could run with it. Otherwise I love what we bought.
shedreamsincolor yeah sorry, I registered for this site with my old username from TB so people on my BMB would know me but I quickly changed my display name after that. Wish I could change it entirely but not possible and I don't want to create a new account with dashook as the registered username because I'd lose all my posts and LTs. #FWP
I bought $200 AG maternity jeans for $60 today! Whoop! I get so excited over a good deal. My mom and I went to Babies R Us just to look around and I left totally overwhelmed! I apparently need to do way more research!
I too was overwhelmed when DH and I walked though Babies R Us. I think a lot of it has to do with wanting to have "the right" items for our baby and the lists they give is huge and not everything we need.
No, but considering I went to bed nearly 2 hrs later than normal AND my son is still sleeping, I should be too!!! I'm annoyed I'm awake also danib I hope in the last few hours you were able get get a little more shut eye.
cookswithwine9 I did 95% off my registry online based on Lucie's List and Baby Bargains. I went to Buy Buy Baby to test out strollers since they have a great selection. Amazon reviews are great too.
Anyone else wake up way too early to pee and not be able to fall back to sleep? This is becoming an annoying habit.
I've been waking up at 4:30 every frickin morning. It's so obnoxious. Sometimes I can fall asleep, other times I toss and turn until my alarm goes off or DS gets up.
You looked wonderful hangry! danib, last night got up at 1:30am and struggled getting back to sleep, then again at 4am... I take awhile to fall asleep naturally so this isn't helping any. DH and I are still in bed, he's watching Turn: Washington's spies. I've seen season 1&2 but didn't realize he didn't watch it. Lol
So regarding strollers... Do most people get the heavy looking one PLUS one of those smaller lightweight ones? And the heavy looking ones, some allow you to use a car seat in it and others don't? Do I understand correctly?
kleigh I do have 2 strollers. A big one that a car seat can click in or a toddler seat attaches (uppababy vista) and we have an umbrella stroller. But it totally depends on your lifestyle. We live in a city so often take the big stroller to get places. Having a big one is so much easier to push, like I can consistently do it one handed, and it holds so much. The umbrella stroller is lighter and more compact though. My sisters, who live a suburban lifestyle just had umbrella strollers and a click and go one for the first 6 months. And that worked for them.
kleigh I do have 2 strollers. A big one that a car seat can click in or a toddler seat attaches (uppababy vista) and we have an umbrella stroller. But it totally depends on your lifestyle. We live in a city so often take the big stroller to get places. Having a big one is so much easier to push, like I can consistently do it one handed, and it holds so much. The umbrella stroller is lighter and more compact though. My sisters, who live a suburban lifestyle just had umbrella strollers and a click and go one for the first 6 months. And that worked for them.
This is like us. We got the Uppa baby g-luxe for the umbrella and use it for mall, travel, or places where a big stroller is a pain. We got the Baby Jogger Summit x3 as a jogger, but tbh I rarely run anymore. But we are in an urban area and it's easier to navigate and and usable in a few inches of snow. We still use both at 2.5 years old.
I also used a snap and go at first with the bucket seat since it was so convenient.
I think some people go with something like the baby jogger city mini as a all purpose stroller since it folds really flat and is kind of the best of both world, if you dont need a jogger. They have adapters for carseats. Or there's a similar Britax system where it's all compatible if you do their bucket seat.
Post by tallblonde on May 22, 2016 14:51:42 GMT -5
Forgot about twins situation...I'd look at the Britax b agile and the baby jogger city select. I think they both can accommodate 2 carseats and then a variety of other seat combos. If you are using for mostly outdoor use, then I'd consider the 2 seater Baby Jogger options since they aren't super wide and still fold flat.
I think I've seen a neat twins snap and go where the seats are side by side that looks handy.
Can you tell I did a lot of stroller research? Ha
I think Lucie's List just launched a multiples part of their website.
Post by ClassyMrsA on May 22, 2016 16:48:52 GMT -5
kleigh We started off with just a click connect stroller and carseat. When L was 6 months, we got a jogging stroller because I started running 5ks with DH. I love that thing. It's so easy to push and has lots of storage. Then we got a little umbrella stroller in December because we couldn't fit our other ones in the car on our drive to CO. It doesn't go as well, but it's so light and easy to take to run errands or go to the mall.
Since we got the umbrella stroller, we put the click connect stroller in storage because we just never used it anymore. I'll have to get a double stroller that works for a toddler and that will also let me click in my carseat so that other stroller may get sold.
Post by sophiegrace on May 22, 2016 17:28:21 GMT -5
Hi everyone!! Finally home from being out of state and having trouble catching up so I'm going to just jump right in...
Since our babies will be 6ish months old when the weather gets warm again, is it possible that we'll skip over the necessity to get a stroller that can click in with the bucket seat?
Hi everyone!! Finally home from being out of state and having trouble catching up so I'm going to just jump right in...
Since our babies will be 6ish months old when the weather gets warm again, is it possible that we'll skip over the necessity to get a stroller that can click in with the bucket seat?
This is a really good point. We are in CT so def some winter weather from about November to March.
Hi everyone!! Finally home from being out of state and having trouble catching up so I'm going to just jump right in...
Since our babies will be 6ish months old when the weather gets warm again, is it possible that we'll skip over the necessity to get a stroller that can click in with the bucket seat?
This is a really good point. We are in CT so def some winter weather from about November to March.
I think about it far too frequently. It's such a big investment and I don't want to mess it up.
Post by sophiegrace on May 22, 2016 18:40:00 GMT -5
Oh and I just remembered regarding registries..A lot of BMBs used to (maybe still do?) have a best loved/needed/hated baby item thread and I based a huge bit of my registry off of those combined with actual buyer reviews.
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