Plarail123 you are not correct. It is not unusual at all for a nanny to bring a baby to work with her. Most childcare professionals would not choose to look after other children only to put their own child / children in childcare.
FromThePeg.... I've had a number of nannies, two of whom have brought their babies to work with them.
It can certainly work but it's not without complexities and compromises. In my opinion, it is not ideal... I find that most families who allow their nanny to return with her baby, or employ a nanny who has her own child, do so because:
- your nannying hours are irregular / limited and not attractive to a wide market of nannies
- your children are similar ages and therefore will have common requirements / activities / equipment needs
- your nanny has been with you a very long time, is part of the family and the work won't suffer or you wish to retain her at all costs
- the nanny has agreed a lower rate to allow for the 'shared care' aspect of the arrangement and this is appealing to you
My advice is to not put your head in the sand about it. If your nanny has hinted already, it's not fair / reasonable to dodge the subject.
Have a think about what you want to do, and communicate it to your nanny so that she understands what her options are in good time.
In your situation, if you have school aged children, but employ your nanny during the day for housekeeping / emergencies / sick care cover, then I personally would lean toward not wanting her to come back with her baby unless I was particularly attached or had found it hard to recruit.
If you do allow her back with her baby, make sure you change the contract to reflect the new situation, and also bear in mind things like sickness etc. She will need to have a good plan in place if her child is sick, and things like your children having bugs will take on a new meaning for her, so you need to be clear up front what your expectations are. If she drives your car, you will need a car seat. You will need stair gates / high chairs etc. It's not easy for a new mum to lug her child around to swimming lessons / horse riding / help with homework etc.. It's hard enough juggling your own children, but when you are paying for those services, it can be galling if you feel your DC are being short-changed.