WIBU to hide from the cleaner?

[LaBelleSausage]

I’ve never been in this situation before as I usually work full time but I’m now at home on maternity leave.

We have a cleaner who comes once a week and she will be here in half an hour.
WIBU to go out somewhere and hide from her?

DH thinks I’m insane and should just sit with my feet up while she cleans around me, and to be fair to him he works from home so often does this.

I feel like it would be very awkward for both of us if I’m just sitting there though. I don’t want her to feel like I’m watching her and neither do I want her to think I’m a lazy cow (although I’m 39+4).

She’s really lovely, but I just don’t think I’m comfortable with it. We pay £40 for two hours of cleaning so she probably wouldn’t resent me or anything, I’d just feel very lazy.

I have a voucher for a free hot drink and cake in John Lewis that expires next week so I could go and hide there.

WWYD?

I used to do this when I first had a cleaner but now I don't. Have your cake etc today but in future stay in because when the baby is born you certainly won't want to be dragging yourself out.

When the baby is born I’ll probably feel a bit less guilty.
Plus the only baby playgroup in the village is 10-12 on a Thursday, so after a few weeks I’ll probably go to that and can avoid her for a legitimate reason

Why so awkward? Presume you don't feel this way about plumber, gardener even.

No, I feel just as awkward if it's a plumber or decorator (I've never had a gardener – but anyway I think that would be less awkward because they wouldn't be in the house).

It's probably worse because I don't feel I need to offer my cleaner tea/coffee (well, I have in the past but she seems very unbothered, so I've stopped) but I worry constantly about offering them to decorators etc, frequency, type, biscuits or not, etc etc. Another Very British curse, I think.

I’m with Rhiannon, I feel awkward with anyone working in the house, but particularly if I’m doing nothing and they’re doing a job that I’m capable of.

I'd go out too.
Go out and research cheaper cleaners? £40 for 2 hours??? Why, if they're good then it's worth it surely. Why pay people a pittance just because it's manual labour.

Glad you’re out and enjoying your cake.

Soak it in because it’ll be one of the last times you’re relaxed in a public eatery for a few years

I think do whatever you feel comfortable with. We have a cleaner and she comes while I'm working from home and while my daughter sits and does homework after school. I don't feel uncomfortable being home when she's there and she just gets on with it and we have a chat when she comes in to whatever room I might be in, though we mostly try to stay out of each others ways. But I think do what you want.

39+4 is a great age to be, btw!

@ThatWasNotLove, you are clearly mistaken.

I’ll have you know that I’m cooking up the most perfectly exquisitely behaved PFB there ever was, and they will come out of the womb fully versed in table manners and etiquette

Why so awkward? Presume you don't feel this way about plumber, gardener even.

They're different though. Especially as plumbers/electricians tend to be one off visits and the gardener isn't in the house.

If I get a plumber in to do something then it is because they have the skills/knowledge to do something I can't. I wouldn't call an electrician to come and change a light bulb so if I'm calling them in it is because the "problem" is beyond my technical capability.

When I used to have a cleaner it was because I didn't have the time due to work/DD/life getting in the way ... the whole point was that the cleaner came in while we were out so that she could get on with her work without an audience and to utilise time I didn't have available in my own schedule.

Sitting at home and watching someone do the work I am physically capable of doing but just don't want to do just feels awkward and I'd feel really lazy/guilty. I'd also worry that the cleaner felt uncomfortable as I know that when my boss is watching me (even if it's just because they need to ask me something so are waiting for me to finish the task I am doing) I feel like they are judging and appraising my work.

Thanks melj, you’ve expressed it perfectly.

Hurray for mumsnet, I’ve successfully frittered away my time and will be heading home to lie on the sofa eating a sharer sized bag of crisps in my lovely clean house

Reading this his whilst currently hiding from cleaner in the spare room that she doesn't clean. In my defence I'm off sick and not feeling very sociable!

I think she hates it when I'm here as much as I do.