Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My cleaner wants to bring her baby to my house…

115 replies

That80show · 30/11/2025 21:37

Evening all,

My cleaner (she has only been once before) has a 8 month old baby and has called today to say that her child minder is no longer available to look after him so could she bring him on Friday when she cleans my house. She said that he won’t be of any bother as he will just sleep…

As a mum of a baby of a similar age I know just how demanding looking after a baby can be and highly doubt he will sleep for the 3 hours that she is at my house.
i know she has a husband but maybe he is working that day so is unable to look after their son.
On the one hand I feel bad because I know how difficult it can be to juggle motherhood and work so I was tempted to say well bring him just this once but that I won’t accept it on a regular basis.
On the other hand I can’t see her being able to focus on cleaning my house properly which I really need as I too have a young family and busy with work.

Am I being totally unreasonable in saying no I’m sorry this isn’t going to work?

OP posts:
25percentoffeverything · 01/12/2025 11:58

PInkyStarfish · 30/11/2025 22:24

No, it’s completely unprofessional. You cannot bring your baby to any job.

that's just not true. You can't make a final statement about ALL work places 🙄

It's not common to say the least, but let's not pretend it's not happening ever.

youwillneverknow · 01/12/2025 12:11

SAHM of 3 here, with a weekly cleaner. It would be a hard no from me and cheeky for her to even ask. You cannot clean for 3 hours whilst looking after an 8 month old. The cleaning won’t be done properly or the child will potentially be unsupervised for periods of time. Neither of those situations are good. Based on your recent update, she sounds highly unreliable to be honest, and I’d say you’re better off trying to find a new cleaner.

Cyclebabble · 01/12/2025 15:08

Iocanepowder · 01/12/2025 10:59

This is not op’s problem. She is paying for a service.

In most other professions, no way in hell would we be allowed to have our baby with us while we work.

Show quote history

What you say is true. It is not her problem. However, I know that for people on the bottom rung of society getting childcare at a rate that makes work viable can be hard. My cleaner used to bring her son with her when he had holidays. He was a charming young man and played quietly. I accept though all children are not the same.

Original poster
That80show · 01/12/2025 15:25

Update!
I asked the cleaner again if this would be a one off or would it be a regular occurrence? She said it would be regular until she finds childcare

OP posts:
VikaOlson · 01/12/2025 15:26

That80show · 01/12/2025 15:25

Update!
I asked the cleaner again if this would be a one off or would it be a regular occurrence? She said it would be regular until she finds childcare

What's her actual plan for the baby while she's working? Strapped in to a car seat for 3 hours or roaming around?

Iocanepowder · 01/12/2025 15:33

That80show · 01/12/2025 15:25

Update!
I asked the cleaner again if this would be a one off or would it be a regular occurrence? She said it would be regular until she finds childcare

Jesus. And assume you’re not her only client on Fridays. Poor kid. A PP was right in guessing she didn’t actually have childcare at all on Fridays.

I would try and find another cleaner tbh and say you’re not comfortable with this arrangement.

WellOrganisedWoman · 01/12/2025 16:03

I’d be moving on. She’s done one clean, hasn’t stuck to the day agreed and now wants to bring her baby with her when working until she organises childcare.

Gymnopedie · 01/12/2025 16:21

and now wants to bring her baby with her when working until she organises childcare.

Which I suspect would be the twelfth of never.

Whatsthatsheila · 01/12/2025 19:23

That80show · 01/12/2025 15:25

Update!
I asked the cleaner again if this would be a one off or would it be a regular occurrence? She said it would be regular until she finds childcare

Hard pass…

new cleaner

outerspacepotato · 02/12/2025 22:18

That80show · 01/12/2025 15:25

Update!
I asked the cleaner again if this would be a one off or would it be a regular occurrence? She said it would be regular until she finds childcare

I would find someone else. You're paying to get a job done that you don't have time to do yourself. She's been changing the goalposts with days and now wanting to bring an 8 month old after only doing one clean and leave them in a pram for 3 hours and then she has to rush off to another job? That poor baby. She's confirmed she'll be bringing her kid and there will be no childcare except possibly you. She's unreliable and this is not an appropriate or safe situation to have a baby in. Pretty soon that baby will be wanting to cruise and then walking.

Is she working for a company or on her own? Is she insured and bonded?

Lavender14 · 02/12/2025 23:10

Marble10 · 30/11/2025 22:22

Is it a one off or permanent? It’s hard out there for mums, but it wouldn’t be acceptable to bring a baby into the office because no childcare.

Lots of workplaces do facilitate this depending on where you work, my office colleagues have their kids in all the time as have I and same in previous places I've worked but then its community sector. It depends obviously on the vibe and culture as well as safety.

I think it's unfair to suggest she won't be able to do the job well, if I was in her shoes I'd be paying double attention to make sure you couldn't say anything wasn't up to scratch.

Pryceosh1987 · 03/12/2025 02:39

It sounds like your cleaner may need a nanny. I would accept her request and see how things play out. If the cleaner does well even with the child there, make it permanent, but if not then its time to deny the request.

Hoppinggreen · 03/12/2025 09:51

Pryceosh1987 · 03/12/2025 02:39

It sounds like your cleaner may need a nanny. I would accept her request and see how things play out. If the cleaner does well even with the child there, make it permanent, but if not then its time to deny the request.

Why?
OP wants her house cleaned and there are plenty of people who will do it without a baby in tow.

Zoec1975 · 27/01/2026 08:18

That80show · 30/11/2025 21:37

Evening all,

My cleaner (she has only been once before) has a 8 month old baby and has called today to say that her child minder is no longer available to look after him so could she bring him on Friday when she cleans my house. She said that he won’t be of any bother as he will just sleep…

As a mum of a baby of a similar age I know just how demanding looking after a baby can be and highly doubt he will sleep for the 3 hours that she is at my house.
i know she has a husband but maybe he is working that day so is unable to look after their son.
On the one hand I feel bad because I know how difficult it can be to juggle motherhood and work so I was tempted to say well bring him just this once but that I won’t accept it on a regular basis.
On the other hand I can’t see her being able to focus on cleaning my house properly which I really need as I too have a young family and busy with work.

Am I being totally unreasonable in saying no I’m sorry this isn’t going to work?

Absolutely not,how can she predict what the baby will be,it could be crying all day long and you paying her for bits of work and she can’t do it all.she needs to find a child minder or take the day off.

rwalker · 27/01/2026 08:38

No because it probably would be fine at the moment
but it will become the norm and it won’t be an immobile baby for long

New posts on this thread. Refresh page