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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Cleaner bringing baby to work with her

41 replies

Mini2017 · 27/08/2017 19:20

Hi,
What do you guys think of a cleaner who wants to brink her baby to work with her. She's currently pregnant and baby is due in December. She will have a replacement but would like to comeback after 5 months( not a problem for me) but, she would like to bring her baby along( 5 hours, two times week) and stop to breastfeed. Her reason is that she's not comfortable leaving her lo with anyone with him. Separation anxiety etc
Would you guys object?

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usernameavailable · 01/09/2017 09:04

I never had a cleaner, but at 5 months old i can assure you my housework was not done within the time I used to be able to do it! In fact I only ever did what really needed to be done. There were days I was motivated to get a good cleaning session done, however Dd had a totally different plan and wanted to scream until I gave her attention every second, so my cleaning plans went right down the pan! What will she do if her baby is having one of those days? Let her baby scream blue murder for 5 hours while she tends to your home? No that won't happen. Even with all my baby's toys, her dad here on his days off I would still find she would want just me on some days. One if my DDs used to feed for 45 mins a time every 2 hours. Thats around an hour and a half you could be paying her for not cleaning.
Sorry, I think its a bad idea. I also understand how she feels. I only ever leave my children with my mum when they are sleeping, and that is so rare. But you couldn't take ur baby to your office so why is cleaning your home as her job any less important? Its not. U employ her and should ask yourself would this be acceptable in any other work place

juneau · 01/09/2017 09:07

If she's pregnant with her first I'm sure she's full of good intentions, but once the DC is here and 5 months old and she realises the reality of the situation I'm sure she'll see how impossible it will be. Where she put the DC when she's cleaning for 5 hours at a time, I wonder?

I would say no. Various cleaners of mine have asked to bring their DC (often much older than 5 months), when they've been ill or on school holidays and the answer has always been no. My home is not a nursery and if they can't find childcare then I'll find another cleaner!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 01/09/2017 09:09

I'd give it a trial run. I was at my most organised when ds was tiny and my house was immaculate so it can be done.

AWaspOnAWindowInAHeatwave · 01/09/2017 09:15

At 5mo DD would happily sit in a backpack or sling for up to half an hour. No way she would have tolerated 5 hours though.

Sparrowlegs248 · 01/09/2017 09:15

Really depends on the baby, and she won't know what the baby is like til it's here.......

There is no way on earth I could have done this with my first. I couldn't keep my own house clean let alone someone else's.

My second though, is totally different. It's easily done, take a bag of toys along, a compact jumperoo/Walker/bouncy chair.

LadyWithLapdog · 01/09/2017 09:15

No point trying IMO. You'll only have to make other arrangements soon after when she realises it can't work.

Kardashianlove · 01/09/2017 09:21

Is this her first baby? 'Stopping to breastfeed' is probably in her mind one or two feeds during the clean. But in reality, her baby could want feeding every 10 minutes over a period of a couple of hours, especially in an unfamiliar place. Or could have fussy phase/growth spurt.
Then they poo/be sick/need an outfit change/don't want to be put down/get overtired but want holding to nap, etc. It just goes on. You can't explain it but even easy baby's can be all consuming.

Can you offer for her to split it into 2 days so she does shorter hours making it easier to leave her baby?

BastardGoDarkly · 01/09/2017 09:22

I will say though, all of my clients said yes to the idea (some of them with knowing smiles, looking back)

So maybe you don't have to actually say no at this point, if you like her and she's been a good cleaner, just see how it goes

destinycall · 01/09/2017 09:28

I'd be concerned about the insurance and liability implications. If the baby had an accident in your house would you be liable in the same way that employers are liable for an employee's accident? It would not be too hard to find a new cleaner so it seems like an unnecessary risk to me.

BoredOnMatLeave · 01/09/2017 09:33

I'd let her try but I doubt it would work.

I have a cleaner because I couldn't get it done with a baby. She needs to be doing a full 5 hours cleaning too, it's not just breastfeeding but settling, nappies etc too. I imagine she would be there 7 hours!

InvisibleKittenAttack · 01/09/2017 12:35

Thing is, you can say yes, she can end up with a 5 month old in an amazing routine who's happy to sit in a bouncy chair or in a sling and this will work fine. Great. You did a trail and it was a success!

Then after a few weeks she'll have a mobile baby who is getting used to solids, might be having less naps, a few weeks after that it's clear this isn't working, but she's not got any childcare lined up.

Best to say no now so she's got until April/may time to sort childcare.

LynetteScavo · 01/09/2017 18:23

The only reason I've ever had a cleaner was because I couldn't clean with a moving baby/toddler.

I would say no.

Ameliablue · 01/09/2017 18:34

I'd say no, to expect a baby to only need minimal attention for 5 hours is unrealistic. There's also considerations such as how baby proof your house is. You wouldn't want the baby to be injured or for anything of yours to be broken.

PoppyPopcorn · 01/09/2017 18:41

Her reason is that she's not comfortable leaving her lo with anyone with him. Separation anxiety etc

She's going to get fuck all done with a 5 month old, especially if she has to move the baby each time she walks out of the room. I'd be saying absolutely no way. I used to have a cleaner who came with a 2 year old - but her child was in a good routine and slept for two hours every morning in a travel cot which Mum brought - she got loads done as the child slept.

BellyBean · 01/09/2017 18:47

If it was only an hour or two at a time I could see that working, timing naps and perhaps a playpen or something, but 5 hours? No way.

scrabbler3 · 03/09/2017 20:57

I don't think it's feasible.

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