What does nanny do during baby naps?

What would you be doing?
probably preparing bottles, folding baby clothes, having a tea break and keeping a watchful eye on your precious baby before it wakes and when it wakes it will want a nice kiss and a cuddle to feel safe and nurtured by it’s hired mum help.
your baby won’t be napping for long though OP 3 hours is a long time for a 10 month old to be napping anyway.

You can hire a nanny-housekeeper instead - that role basically covers everything a SAHM would do, so then there would be an expectation they get on with stuff while baby naps. But it’s a different role, and generally you would find it harder to get applicants and have to pay slightly more.

When I was Childminding, I had one parent who used to 'jokingly' say that she would knock 2 hours fees off when I let her know that the baby had slept for that long that day. She soon stopped when I 'jokingly' said that in that case, I would nip out and do my shopping while her baby slept.

When baby naps she should take her break! That she is entitled to!

Jesus. Who would want to be your nanny?

It never occurred to me to think our nanny should have been doing chores etc during DC nap time. It's a full on role when they are awake and as long as all the baby related duties were done, I had absolutely no problem with her sitting and having a cuppa, if that's what she had chosen to do. I never asked her what she did do. Do you or your DH take a lunch break at work?

You are paying them to look after the baby. That's it.

You want them focused on the baby and ready to look after them at a moment's notice, not random arbitrary chores to make you feel like they have value or are logging enough time on a time sheet.

Come on OP, don't be silly.

Yes, it's their time to have their break, and if nap long enough also to do child related stuff (clearing up the morning's detritus, washing toys and kit that need it, maybe laundry (depends on whether there's a full enough load - at least sorting it and putting it ready to wash, plus folding and putting away newly laundered clothes)

The only "light housework" I asked for (and got) was a request that if she was washing up in the sink to do anything that was there (never more than the morning coffee cups, and then only sometimes, when we both just dumped them down in a hurry) or put them in the machine; plus if emptying the machine to empty it completely and put everything away.

I do know someone who worked insane hours and who kept their nanny on when DC were a bit older, and so had the school day without the DC, between morning school run and after-school care. But they negotiated the housekeeper role (and employed a cleaner as well, so it really was light duties - mainly all the household laundry, dropping and picking up dry cleaning, receiving supermarket delivery and putting it away etc and general tidying as by that time she knew where things were meant to live - and IIRC that part wasn't every day and wasn't done at all during the school holidays). But that evolved over a time and worked because it grew from a different nannying pattern when the DC were preschool and the nanny was v happy with the family as employers. Unusual I think, but possible.

I don't have a nanny for my kids but I had a series of nannies as a child, two of whom I'm still close to now. My nannies were expected to do light cleaning and tidying up, so perhaps cleaninf kitchen surfaces or hoovering the living room but never deep cleaning a bathroom.

Cleaning?

I'd allow for an hour for lunch for a start. Then as previously suggested by pp's. I wouldn't go in hard now on her downtime - in 18 months time she theoretically won't get any breaks so keep on her good side now.

She is a Nanny not your cleaner/chef:skivvy 🙄

She’s still on duty whilst the baby is napping. You are not paying her to “sit around”, you are paying for her to be there so your child is not left alone.

But when baby is napping, the nanny is still at work by just being there, in your house, watching your child while you aren't able to. You can't employ someone to be a nanny and then want them to do cleaning and making meals for you because your baby sleeps five hours or whatever a day! You're employing them to care for your child - if that is just being present in the house and ready to respond when they wake then that's what the job is at that moment in time. I don't ask for a discount on nursery fees because DD2 is asleep for two hours of the day.

Worry less about getting your money's worth out of people and worry more about finding a nanny who is nurturing and a safe pair of hands for your child. Napping so long is a short-term thing anyway.

She's looking after your child even while they sleep.

She's being paid for her knowledge, skills and experience. All of those things are still in existence while your baby sleeps.

@i123i the reason you got a strong response was your wording: we don't want to pay a nanny to sit around while baby naps (this happened a while ago when we trialled a nanny).

This is exactly what any sitter or Nanny does at night time so why would daytime naps be different? She will be there and available if the baby needs it, having a break ( which you didn't consider ) and doing a few light baby related chores. This is normal for a nanny.

But she did do stuff
she was in your home with the baby whilst you weren’t
I think it’s your view of what a nanny should do which needs to change

...What did you expect her to do?

If there were obvious baby-related tasks to do, like say washing up bottles, then yes a nanny should do those during nap periods. But if you're going to hire a nanny for a very young baby who sleeps a lot in the daytime, no shit they are going to have periods of doing nothing while a baby sleeps. So what? If you don't want that, look after your own young baby.

Nannies are entitled to breaks
I employed one and wouldn’t have expected her to work a 12 hour day without a rest - she could make herself lunch, coffee, watch telly etc
nannies can do nursery duties - so baby related laundry, cooking and tidying
my nanny would occasionally fold my laundry or unload a dishwasher but it wasn’t expected
please don’t treat your nanny like a skivvy - they aren’t

Would you expect to go and sit in a stranger's house without being paid for your time?

I didn't know or ask what mine did during naps and no it is not reasonable to ask them to do household duties. Focus on finding a person that you trust with your baby and that trusts you to be a respectful employer. A nanny who has that will stay long term (hopefully) which is priceless.

You won't be paying her to sit around. You'll be paying her to mind your child while they're asleep.

Unless they'll be able to clock off and leave the house when your child is asleep you'll have to pay.

I used to babysit in the evenings and most of the time there the kids were asleep.
I'd pick up the toys, clean up the plates then sit down with my book not crack on with their housework.

But she isnt doing 'nothing' while baby sleeps, is she - she is still responsible for keeping the child safe.
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You wouldn't expect a babysitter to do your non-baby-related household chores would you, so why should your nanny?

Sounds like what you want is a 'mother's help'. They won't be highly qualified like a nanny though.