Is it reasonable to expect my pregnant nanny to continue to tidy the dcs bedrooms and playroom

[MrsFogi]

Our nanny is about 6.5 months pregnant. She tells me she's finding it uncomfortable to tidy the dcs bedrooms and play room due to her bump. I'm wondering if I have to let her off doing this (I'm wondering what she actually will do for the rest of her time here as the dcs are at school all day) or is it reasonable to expect her to carry on doing this for a while longer.

Unless her pregnancy is medically complicated such that she can't do her job and therefore needs to start mat leave early, then no, she should continue with her usual duties.

I would expect her to keep keep tidying too. I worked till 7 months (swimming teacher) then went on light duties. As an employer do you have to offer those? Six and a half months ding that big, what going to happen when she gets further along. When is maternity leave due?

It's going to be really tricky as I suspect there are discrimination laws underfoot some where. Sorry not really helped , but I'd be a bit too.

Hmmm tidying as in putting a few toys in a toy box and a bit of hoovering sounds reasonable. what's she finding difficult? I don't know a lot about what nanny duties include could she swap it for another task or get kids to help her? Everyone's pregnancys are very different .

I think it's fine. Tbh I wouldn't be expecting anyone to tidy up a school age child's bedroom or playroom except change bedding etc. Toys/ books/ crap should be tidied up by them. They make the mess, they tidy. A nanny should be encouraging this or supervising tidying, not doing it for them. Even my 3 year old does this

I agree that the children should be doing this tidying anyway. It is the nanny's job to teach them to tidy their things away and supervise to ensure it is done properly. Having the nanny tidy up after them isn't a great life lesson to teach your children.

Has she ever mentioned she has SPD or back pain? Possibly that could be causing her problems. Agree that kids should be tidying too, maybe they are but you didn't mention it.

But surely what 'ANOPoster' thinks their child should/should not do themselves is irrelevant. If bedroom tidying is part of the duties of this nannies paid role, then that is what thy have to do. And if there are no alternative light/duties for them to swap to, then they have to do it, or declare themselves incapable and start mat leave!?

I worked in a crèche for years where a lot of the staff were pregnant at different stages. They all managed to keep their classrooms tidy, lift and care the children and keep up with the curriculum. There was a fair amount of cleaning including mopping and cleaning behind and under shelves involved. Our manager was very particular (and rightly so) regarding hygiene and cleanliness. I do remember one person complaining actually when she was nearly due, she couldn't change the toddlers anymore as the changing tables were high and it was straining her back lifting 2 year olds up onto it.

I've never been pregnant so not really fair to judge her. Does she have a lot of back pain/ issues? Do you think it's possible to give her other jobs to do instead maybe your ironing/ cooking?

What kind of tasks is she expected to do in the bedroom and what is she saying the issue is?

Is it the bending? I would have found it really hard to lift lots of small toys off the floor. In fact last time I was pg I got one of those gripper stick things to pick stuff up with!
With a nanny, do you do a risk assessment once they tell you they're pg, as you would in other jobs?

Have you done a risk assessment with her? If this is an issue then it needs managing.

Yes you need to do a risk assessment.

Can anyone explain how I do a risk assessment? Whilst I understand that O.H. does this in a company I'm a bit at a loss as to how I go about doing this at home/with no knowledge of risk assessments. Or indeed how I risk assess tidying.

I assume she will tidy her own house or live in a pigsty till she gives birth and other mums cope so yes I feel she should continue with Her duties

If she really feels is too much then she needs do start her ml

Is she coming Back with baby?

If kids at school all day ten she has time to sit down so yes should be able to do basic nursery duties

Saying that / I would expect school age children to tidy their rooms

Is she usually lazy? How long has she been working for you? Were you happy with her before?

Because, she didn't refuse to tidy up as soon as she told you she was pregnant.

What kind of tidying up takes her all day while the kids are at school? She can't be doing just that all day.

Anyway, it is not to any of us to say if she should tidy up or not. It is to her. Seriously, a pregnant woman tells you she finds it hard to clean for you, did you at leats ask her what was wrong and tried to find a solution? Or were you to busy being upset at her, because, obviously, the only reason she told you that was tha she is lazy and trying to take advantage of you.

Let's be overly dramatic, but what if she tidy up and clean for you, pass out and hurt herself/the baby. Are your eady to deal with the consequence of forcing your nanny to continue doing something after she told you that it was a problem for her

I think as an emplyer, if you are told about something like that, you need to make sure sure the employee is safe.

As an employer, you need to risk assess and make 'reasonable adjustments' to reduce the likelihood of particular risks.

Ask your DH or someone who uses risk assessment forms in a HR capacity to show you a form and how they use it.

Risk assessing tidying for someone pregnant might include risk of lifting/carrying heavy objects if this is part of their usual job for example. This could be managed by not requiring the person to carry the heavy objects that they usually would.

If your nanny is finding bending down etc uncomfortable, could you get her a grabber? Also, make sure that she knows the correct way to bend down (ie bend knees and not back) - then it's her responsibility to make sure that she does bend correctly.

Other than tidying, what other duties does she have when the children are at school?

She could always get the GP to sign her off work (I believe it is too soon for her to be forced to begin ML) so might end up not being there at all, and yet being paid. Better to find a solution together.

If her GP signs her off work then whether she gets sick pay over and above SSP depends on her contract terms. Many nanny-contracts specify sick-pay at the employers discretion.

Firstly, what sort of beds are they? If they're high sleeper cabin beds, completely understandable, I don't think a 6 month pregnant woman should be climbing up onto them.

A normal bed, however, should be fine. Unless you have tricky bed sheets that need extra hard tugging (in which case just buy a couple of new ones).

She may need to take more frequent rests, but she's only just entered her third trimester and if she's not coping now, what will she be like at 8 months?!

Hmmm I can see both sides in that I'm a CM and 7mnths pregnant with DC1. I find bending over, hoovering and picking up things off the floor does get hard on my back, especially after a couple of days doing it, so I don't think she is unnecessarily complaining. However, jobs still need to get done, so aside from children helping as much as possible, you need to do other things to make your life easier, sit on the floor to tidy up, make sure you are bending with your knees, when hoovering just do one room at a time and sit down in between if needed...this is what I have to do otherwise I would live and work in a pigsty!

I can't believe people are dictating what the OP's DCs should be doing!

You'll be pleased to note that nobody on this forum has the power to dictate to the OP. However, other posters have the right to express the opinion that it isn't a great idea to bring children up to expect someone to follow them round tidying up after them.

To do a risk assessment look at each part of her job description, what it requires her to do, consider what strain it may put on her body and whether she's handling any hazardous substances etc then look at how you can minimise that risk. For example if your children got rubella it would be too risky for the nanny to come to work so you need to address infectious diseases and how you would either adjust the role or whether you are unable to provide alternative duties (in which case she's off on full pay).

Even if it is in nannies job description to tidy a child's bedroom, nannies aren't skivvies, if the child is old enough to help tidy up then they should! No one dictated this- it was just suggested by a few posters as this is a good thing for a child to learn.

A nanny is there to effectively parent whilst a parent isn't. Part if parenting is helping your children to grow up to be able to be sufficient in doing all these things themselves as an adult.

Obviously according to age so a 3 year old has years ahead to practice so does less, a 16 year old can leave home any time and should know how to cook/ clean/ bills/ etc etc

The most pleasent family I know have a cook, full time housekeeper, x2 nannies, chauffeur etc. Their children still have to tidy, help to cook, walk places, be polite etc. Just because someone else could do it, doesn't mean you have to make it harder for them, or stop doing things yourself

So for example a nanny to 5 year old I would expect to wash and iron children's clothes for child, but I would also expect child to take clothes off and in correct laundry basket to start with, and help put clothes away.not just throw clothes on floor or leave on side