I am a nanny at 14wks pregnant when should I leave for maternity?

[daisy26]

I am 14weeks pregnant and im a nanny to 3 kids, two of them are young but can be hard work and im already feeln exhausted. I will hopefull be going back to this family, they know my situation it;s just to choose when do I leave. I am due the 19th august, sometimes I still have to lift the 2year old but onlu in and out of the car. Was wondering when to leave beginning of june or july? If i left in june when would I have to go back. Im a new mum so would like at least 3months off if possible. Any advice?

[daisy26]

can anyone give me some advice or ideas on this please

[daisy26]

can someone please answer my thread

[Champagnesupernova]

Hi daisy
Congratulations!
Sorry I'm not an expert (am preg with my first too) but surely it will depend on what you've got agreed with your employer?
You may find posting this in nannies and childminders gets you a better response as they'll have more experience.
Hth and good luck with the pg - hope the tiredness passes soon.

[Peachy]

For info ojn your maternity rihghths, i recommend the ACAS website.

As for the maternity leave- being exhausted at 14 weeks is normal and doesn't necessarily mean you'll feel the same later on. I'd go for July and then if you got too tired to cope you could always try and renegotiate later on.

Wouldn't worry about lifting toddler; I know 1st pregnancies are nerve wracking but many Mum's have littlies to lift- I have to cart a 4.5 year old up to bed each night at 34 weeks!

[Lazylou]

Hi Daisy. Didn't want your thread to go unanswered but don't really know what to suggest. I think you can have 9 months maternity leave, although I am not 100% sure. Someone with better knowledge will surely be along soon to tell you correctly! As for the younger kids, just be careful with the lifting and take it easy. Try and have little periods in the day where you can sit and rest for 10 mins or so. I know it's hard with little kids around.

[daisy26]

thankyou for the advice-wasn't sure wether put the thread in this one or nannies, maybe should put it in nannies one

[flowerybeanbag]

Daisy you get a year maternity leave, and assuming you qualify for maternity pay you will get paid for 9 months of that. If you want to go back sooner than a year you will need to let your employers know, but there's no need to do so yet, and I would never recommend making any firm decisions this early on. Similarly when thinking about when to start your leave, you don't have to decide yet, so see how you feel a bit further down the line.

With regard to the lifting, your employer is required to do a risk assessment so you could discuss this then. Have a look here about maternity leave basics, here about maternity pay and here about working while you are pregnant.

[daisy26]

Yeh I know it's early but they will need to get cover and find the right candidate for maternity leave as in the past they have had problems with 1 or 2 nannies. If you get paid for a year but go back earlier obv then your maternity pay stops does it?

[flowerybeanbag]

With all due respect daisy, their need to find cover is their problem not yours, you need to focus on what's right for you and your baby, not them, and you shouldn't feel pressured into making decisions and not being able to change your mind.

And yes obviously if you choose to return to work early your maternity pay stops as you start receiving normal pay again. I think I said in my previous post that you get a year off but get paid for 9 months of that. The link gives more information about how the pay is worked out.

[daisy26]

yeh I know I have a habit at times thinking of others more than me, I can't help it the pay is quite good with them but obv when and if i go back my hours and days be shorter. Surely i be getting more pay if i go back then maternity maybe. Ill have a look at the maternity rights, thankyou

[stephblack]

Hi

I had J in August = I have been a childminder for 4 years and also have a 4 year old. I worked up to 3 days before my due date - now I wouldn't recommend you do this as having time before the baby is really important but also you don't want to have to much time otherwise you sit being impatient waiting for the baby. I wouldn't worry about picking the child up to put it in and out of the car - if you had a 2 year old of yourself you would be doing it..... I went back to work in January and it wasn't a day too soon. I would probably have gone back to work now when J is 6 months and starting to sit on his own and onto solids. I wouldn't rush back. You have 9 months paid leave but if you go back sooner you would stop your maternity pay. Remember having children is a season in your life and a time you can never go back too. Hope that helps.

[daisy26]

thankyou yeh that helps a bit well ish still not sure what to do-like my friends say you may not want to go back-but will see what happens

[mumnannymum]

Hi I am a nanny and a mum. I gave up work 4 weeks before I was due and ended up being a week late!!!! I was only going to take 3 months off after he was born but as a first time mum I didn't want to rush back and it was winter as well which didn't help as I had to get the train to work with my son. I returned to my job but in lots of ways wish I had looked for another job. I worked 5 days 8 to 6 and it was hard work with the travel etc. I stayed for just over three years taking my son with me each day. I would have just found a part time job 3 or 4 days to then give me days at home as well. That was 5 years ago and the time off was less. I would suggest to take the time off after so leave it until July its better to have the time with your baby Good luck

[Judy1234]

We had two nannies take maternity leave and the first one took it twice. I can't say that with much enthusiasm because it's not like replacing a secretary with a temp - it's severing emotional bonds between nanny and my babies and maternity leave period from the eyes of a toddler is an absolute age.

Just trying to remember what the first one too (the second nanny didn't want to return to work and moved out of the area and probably stopped about 6 months in I think). The first one carried on pretty late I think - her choice entirely. 8 months may be but we were very helpful and involved and my chidlrne's father's a teacher so was around quite a bit too. And she came back after about 1 - 2 months but that may be unusual.

[Peachy]

You don't have to sever the bonds though- my sister worked at a Nursery with kids dhe'd known since soon after birth and she visited often so the bonds were still there, which was great for the kids and her.

[Judy1234]

That's true and the same with our first nanny who stayed 10 years (didn't live in) and had two of her own babies and we went to hospital to visit her when they were born adn she came over a few times to see the chdilre nwith the temporary nanny whilst she was on maternity leave.

[daisy26]

Ill prob leave beginning of july then as i would rather obv have more time off with the baby. The parents are understanding and ate happy for me obviously, they have evn said to me that your hours will be less as they know I want to go back. I have a friend who maybe interested in doing my maternity cover but she has a child to so it be 4 kids, but shes very highly qualified.I don't well actually know I wouldn't be able to go back doing 8-6 mon-fri even tho 2 would be at school allday and the other at pre-school from 9-12. I don't mind going back parttime and prob would do that first-if possible jobshare with my friend

[Peachy]

A good Nanny or childcarer is so important, any parent with an ounce of sense will do what they can to hang on to someone they've found who fits with them. Job share sounds like a good idea, but wait and see. Too early to make decisions yet- with ds3 I thought I wasn't sure if I was going back, then DH lost his job and I thought I was going back straight away to pay the bills, then he got a better job and I haven't gone back after 4.5 years (but went to college and am at Uni)- never could have predicted that LOL!