Pregnant nanny-when should i tell my employer?

[no1childminder]

Hi, i am a nanny and i have just found out im pregnant. im not sure when to tell my employer (to be honest im really not looking forward to!) im definately going to wait until i am at least 3mths anyway, but not sure how soon after this?? i was thinking when im 4mths. what do you all think? what would you do or what did you do? thanks :)

I'm not a nanny but I have always spilled the beans as soon as I thought I was at risk of them noticing first. Although this last pregnancy I had to go for some tests and doctor appointments so I felt duty bound to explain myself.

There is a point when it is legally required, although I can't remember when that is. Check out direct.gov.uk.

Thank you strix

Why are you dreading telling them?

It's an interesting one, because on one hand people generally don't want to tell anyone in the first 3 months, but at the same time the first 3 months is exactly when you are often feeling your worst, and your work can suffer.

I think it depends on how well you cope. If you have awful morning (or all day!) sickness, then you will need to tell them sooner rather than later. You will also need either time off for check ups etc - or to be able to take the mindees with you, in which case you would need to also tell the parents about it. (I wouldn't have minded my nanny taking the DC with her, but would have minded her taking them without telling me).

I assume you're nervous about telling them because you have to face the issue of what will happen after maternity leave finishes - will you come back, will you try to come back with your DC, will they be happy to consider that, etc. None of it very easy.

congrats

are you worried about theur reaction? have you recently started a job?

We have a nanny for our little boy, and our first nanny became pregnant about 9 months after she joined us.

As an employer, although I recognise that it is your decision and one which you make for your own reasons, I would appreciate knowing sooner rather than later. I remember plenty of times when our nanny was late, needed to go home early because she wasn't well, insisted on not driving to us if there was a risk of snow and numerous other things, which I now guess was because she was in the early stages of her pregnancy. If I had known about the pregnancy, I wouldn't have been so baffled about her behaviour and it would've been more understandable. As it was, we were questionning the reasons for these and other things, and weren't reaching very favourable conclusions.

Fair enough that you don't want to tell for 3 months, and you don't have to until 25 weeks, HOWEVER the sooner you do the sooner you are protected by law. You are entitled to a risk assessment and you gain additional protection from dismissal so really there's no advantage to hanging on until 25 weeks!

Thanks guys. im only dreading telling her because i know she really likes having me as her nanny and is always saying how she wants me there for "years" to come. its just basically the letting her down part i dont like. shes really nice so she'll only be happy for me, but i know for a fact i dont want to go back to work for her after and i know she'll ask. i've always hated giving nice families my 4wks notice. i see what you mean by telling her just incase im sick/need to go home early/have appointments etc. i think il plan to tell her at 12wks but if i start to get bad morning sickness il tell her before. thank you everyone x

Good luck trying not to tell

im 9 weeks and and very very sick. Have been signed off for 3 weeks now and have been admited to hospital with dehydration..

even if id have wanted to keep it a secret i couldnt have

Im going to just play it by ear. i dont even feel pregnant at the mo, but i may well start getting morning sickness soon! if i start to feel sick or ill before the 12wk mark il tell them. thank you for your opinions everyone x

Hi no1chilminder!

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

I'm a payroll specialist so just thought I'd let you know that legally you don't have to tell your employer until your 25th week.
If I was you though, I'd tell her as soon as you felt able. It'll save you having to make up lots of dodgy food stories or anything!

Good luck.