Nanny advice

[Nicole88]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of hiring a nanny for our new baby who is due in November. I'm fortunate enough to be able to either bring my baby to work with me or I could leave him/her at home with a nanny. I'll only need a nanny for maybe 4 hours in the afternoons maximum. How much do you think this will cost? Would it be cheaper if they were to look after the baby at my office? That way it's more of a mothers help because I'd be there as well? We are just exploring options at the moment. We would need childcare in some form from the baby being about 2 months old.

I really have no idea of what sort of a job would allow you to take an 8 week old baby and a nanny into work

Think about who this job would appeal to. For example, it might appeal to someone with school aged children - but they would not be wanting to do 4 hours in the afternoon as they could be needing to collect their child/children from school at 3pm.

Would it suit a young single nanny - personally I don't think so, as they would probably need a larger income and finding other work to fit around afternoon only hours may be tricky.

Cost wise, location may well make a difference. It could easily be £40+ per 4 hour afternoon if in a city.

Going to your office does not sound like much fun for baby or the nanny, or other office workers - babies make rather a lot of noise at times, and fowl smells. There is also the equipment to lug about or store at work - cot for example... many babies have an afternoon nap.

Is the baby coming to the office idea due to you wanting to breast feed whilst at work?

Well it's rather an odd situation. I am in the office alone abd i own the office i work freelance if you like, but I have a seperate spare room I could turn into a nursery. the main idea of having a nanny coming in is that I don't feel completely comfortable leaving a baby so young. I feel that if I'm at least around I will feel more confident having help. Plus I can be there if anything happens.

I was thinking maybe someone studying childcare or still in training? Since I'll be there I don't feel they need to be fully qualified yet as long as they're competent with some experience.

I think the baby coming to your office would work when it's very small, but by the time it's 7/8/9 months old I would think it would be better to leave it at home so the nanny can take it out/to the park etc, much more fun for your baby. For this reason I would employ someone as qualified/experienced as financially possible. If you can only afford a trainee then have one, but childcare really isn't the place to cut costs.

Could you work from home for those 4 hours in the afternoon? That way you can still be around, it won't be such an awful job for the nanny (sitting in a office for 4 hrs with a tiny baby is going to be DULL) and you won't need to have 2 cots/bouncers etc.

Is your office in a good location i.e. near to parks/playgroups etc? If the nanny could take the baby out from your office, that may work...

Something else to consider is whether you will be able to focus on work with your baby right there - I can't do it unless I am out of the house. Also the nanny may want to take the baby out particularly as they get older so you need to be happy with them in sole care. The whole baby in the office scenario will probably work best in the early months when they sleep a lot but once they are mobile and exploring the world I think confining them to a room next to your office will not work for anyone. And unless you want to change nannies at that stage - not great for attachment - then then again you will need more than a mother's help.

Cross post with Holy!

Plus you do know that lots of nannies aren't qualified anyway? Experience counts for a lot.