What does nanny do during baby naps?

Oh dear. I will pray for your future nanny 😵‍💫

By all means, go ahead with this plan if you want to ensure you have chronic trouble keeping a nanny and your nanny will never go above and beyond for you.

A nanny is a childcare professional, not an all-purpose skivvy. Show them the respect that deserves. If you're really going to resent them "not doing anything" while the baby naps and to attempt to keep their nose to the grindstone, you shouldn't employ one.

You’d pay an evening baby sitter, surely? Even though they’d spend most of the time sitting around for hours after the dc have gone to bed, waiting for you to get home. You’d pay them just for being there, for security and for peace of mind.
I’d ask a nanny to use the baby’s naps to do what needs doing for the dc, but when that’s all done, just be within earshot, catching their breath, until the baby awakes.

She’s a nanny, not a housekeeper. Nannies require breaks and don’t forget, that’s a three hour break today will rapidly drop down to nothing within in the next year or so.

I had an employer like this once it was suffocating I felt like I couldn’t even have a coffee and was being pushed to do too much housekeeping during baby naps. I’m the end I started taking the baby to groups that would finish just before nap time , gave a bottle before leaving the groups and baby had her 1.5-2 her nap in the pushchair and I’d walk round the park, have my lunch, get a coffee etc then walk her back home in time to wake up

I would expect her to have some time as a break, so that will take at least an hour probably if not more, and then do child-related stuff (prep food for child, clean up toys, etc.) She's not a housekeeper or cleaner so I wouldn't expect her to clean up our stuff, do our dishes, any of that stuff, no. And I think if you're going to try and micromanage how they spent baby nap time then you're starting off on a bad foot with any potential nanny. You are employing them to care for your child - during nap time, that might just be being in a supervisory role. In fact, even if they have their lunch then they are still technically 'on duty' in case baby wakes up unexpectedly, etc.

Treat your nanny well and they will treat you well.

You can't ask a nanny to prep meals for you. Or empty the dishwasher. These activities are not part of her duties, and while baby sleeps, she could have a tea break, catch up with emails etc.

I’d expect a tea break, a lunch break and then some tidying toys or preparing baby meals or something else baby-related.

Your baby naps for three hours now. But not for long. In a few months they will sleep a lot less!

As others have said, she can take a break during the day and you are obliged to give her one, and she can take care of baby needs with the rest of the nap time. She is not your house cleaner. If you want your house cleaned, employ a cleaner separately. If you are not there to be in the home while your baby sleeps, yes, you have to pay someone to do it.

Same thing as a SAHM? Hopefully a cup of tea, then on with all the housework. I don't know how, but it seems to be never-ending. If you're worried, write a list for her to work through

She is allowed a break you know right?

I would say baby laundry, tidying up, laying out activities, and prepping food (for the children, not the general household). But given looking after a child is full on I’m not sure it’s unreasonable for her to take a break, have an uninterrupted wee, lunch etc?