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Original poster

Nanny Pregnant, does it work out?

32 replies

winegumss · 01/08/2007 17:04

Our nanny is pregnant, we have a 1,3 and 4 yr old - can she continue working for me with the same commitment and love for our children ro si she going to start taking multiple days off and not wanting to baby sit??? Have you had a pregnant nanny?

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flowerybeanbag · 01/08/2007 17:09
Mumpbump · 01/08/2007 17:14

Who can say? Depends on how the pregnancy goes. I don't think you can assume that she will be unable to do the job, you just have to see what happens.

Original poster
winegumss · 01/08/2007 17:15

i cant can i! emplotyment rights etc etc!!!

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flowerybeanbag · 01/08/2007 17:17

Exactly right winegums. Just checking! You'd be surprised...

fridayschild · 01/08/2007 17:40

Will she get all "I know my rights" at you? If so i think you need to do a risk assessment - can you cut down the amount of heaving lifting she needs to do etc. We had a pg nanny who went to the CAB and got all kinds of advice suitable for someone employed by a large multi-national, rather than a nanny employed by parents.

As for your question - you've been pg 3 times yourself, I take it? Who can say whether she'll have a hard pregnancy and need time off? Just depends on your nanny

Original poster
winegumss · 01/08/2007 17:57

i don't know what to think really, she will probably be fine. you just wonder and think of the worst to start with. i think she might even continue to work with us after the baby and ask her mum to help her - i just cant help thinking that the willing ness to be here with us wont be there.

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yogimum · 01/08/2007 18:15

I was the pregnant nanny. I just started a new job and my employer didn't really want to keep me on and I did decide to leave after our chat though on the Monday she changed her mind. Unfortunately I had terrible sickness and had to cut down my hours though I did stay for about five months until she found a replacement. She does have rights and will need time off for appointments etc. I also had time off to go to a pre-natal yoga class. Obviously people have different experiences in pregnancy but I would bear this in mind.

NoBiggy · 01/08/2007 18:16

Probably not, same with most of us, pre-children we could stay late, work weekends and be the company hero. Afterwards we feel our energy is needed elsewhere.

Do you think she'll bring baby to work? It could work out OK if you have a back-up for evening and weekend sitting.

Bubble99 · 01/08/2007 18:27

If she needs the job/money then I'm sure she will continue working with the same commitment. She is unlikely to be able to find a job with a new employer.

You do need to allow her (paid) time off for scans etc. But you can ask that she tries to book scans to fit in with your set-up. You can also ask to see appt cards/letters for doctors/hospital appts (though NOT confidential medical details) to make sure that time taken off paid for antenatal care is genuine (sorry if that sounds horrible but!)

I am employing three pregnant nursery nursese (at our daycare nurseries) and we seem to be doing OK.

Be sure to do a risk assessment and ask her for a signed copy of it back when/if she has read and agreed with it. If her pregnancy is 'high-risk' she must inform you so that you can adapt duties if necessary.

HTH.

Original poster
winegumss · 01/08/2007 19:11

risk assessment - how do i do that? i know it might sound daft!

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flowerybeanbag · 01/08/2007 19:16

here

bossykate · 01/08/2007 19:20

i have a team member who is pg. she has taken numerous days off and is currently working a reduced day. i work in a huge company, so this is feasible. it simply would not be feasible for me to cover for a pg nanny i employed. one of the reasons we have chosen nursery! just out of curiosity, what are the options for a nanny employer faced with numerous absences due to pg related illness?

bossykate · 01/08/2007 19:21

"not be feasible for me to cover for a pg nanny i employed..."

i meant if she took the same amount of time off that my team member has/is taking.

Bubble99 · 01/08/2007 19:21

winegumss. I'm just getting the kids to bed. I'll post in a while.

In the meantime you might want to google 'risk assessment pregnancy.' You'll probably find some published online by local councils which will give you some ideas.

bossykate · 01/08/2007 19:21

am not in any way unsympathetic or suggesting that nannies shouldn't have the same rights as anyone else... but how is it possible for a nanny employer to cover for this?

Bubble99 · 01/08/2007 19:45

bossykate. AFAIK you have to cover it, BK, whatever the size of the employer. It is yet another reason why I wish the govermnent would distinguish properly between small and large employers.

Maybe this is why 'mannys' are becoming more popular?

Bubble99 · 01/08/2007 19:46

'Mannies.'

flowerybeanbag · 01/08/2007 19:47

only thing you can do is forcibly start her maternity leave at 36 weeks if she is off with a pg-related illness.
Other than that, nothing you can do really.

Bubble99 · 01/08/2007 19:53

If an employee has a high-risk pregnancy and/or has had complications (eg bleeding)
you can and should request a doctor's letter to state that they are fit for work.

Original poster
winegumss · 01/08/2007 20:01

Thank you all - have been reading up on the dti pages, in fior an interesting 9 months plus!

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Original poster
winegumss · 01/08/2007 20:04

i am concerned that i shall be going from 3 kids and a nanny to looking after 4 plus the nannny while she is paid by me to be resting and breast feeding etc, still nervous about the whole situation!

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NoBiggy · 01/08/2007 20:15

If she's previously been good and conscientious I don't see why that would change, you just, I would suggest, be unable to depend on her for extras. The odd weekend, sleepover, staying late in the evening as you're late at work. She may feel her own commitments to her new family should take precedence.

Would a nanny agency be a good source of a stand-in during her leave perhaps?

eleusis · 01/08/2007 20:16

With that mix of ages, I would be thinking seriously if I wanted her to bring her baby to work with her. You have to keep her job for her (just like any other employee) but you do not have to let her bring her baby back with her. It might work and you might be happy to do it. But, just know you are not obligated to have the baby return with her. Assuming you like the nenny, if it was me, I would probably be okay with the baby joining in the mix, but I would expect some reduction in her pay to account for now being efffectively a share. Your kids will make sacrifices. They will want to do things that don't suit the baby's napping/feeding schedule or they will want to play with a friend who is too rough with the baby, etc.

eleusis · 01/08/2007 20:16

Is she on a fixed term contract?

mogs0 · 01/08/2007 20:18

I have been a pregnant nanny. My youngest charge came with me to most of my ante-natal appointments so that my employer didn't need to take time off. Infact, I had 2 of them with me for one of my scans. I was very fortunate and had a stress free pregnancy and didn't have to have any days off sick.

I didn't really have any idea about my employment rights and when my employers said that it wouldn't be possible for me to carry on working for them after my baby was born I agreed and stopped working for them at 7months pg. I would have preferred to work a bit longer but my replacement wanted to start then so that was that.

How long has your nanny worked for you? Do you think you'd be happy for her to return to work with her baby? TBH, if I was asked not to bring my baby with me I probably wouldn't want to come back. Having said that, now that my baby is nearly 5yrs I'd gladly leave him at home!!!

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