What does nanny do during baby naps?

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We are looking to employ a nanny for our 10 month old. One of the things we are wondering about is - what does a nanny do while the baby naps (at home)? Our DC naps around 1-1.5 hours in the morning, and 1.5-2 hours in the early afternoon.

I understand nannies usually do baby laundry and ironing, and tidy away used baby items, but this wouldn't take up 3+ hours every single day... we don't want to pay a nanny to sit around while baby naps (this happened a while ago when we trialled a nanny).
Is it reasonable to expect her to do some light housework like emptying the dishwasher, and prepping some meals etc (we have a cleaner so wouldn't expect her to do a full on clean)?

What would you like her to do op?

Ah, but the point is this: people are suggesting it’s outrageous for the OP even to contemplate asking to nanny to do these tasks. It really isn’t in my experience, as confirmed by the 5 nannies we’ve had and the 3 agencies we’ve recruited them through - not a single one suggested it was unreasonable!
Of course any nanny candidate can say they’re not willing to do these things, or they’re not willing to do a baby’s laundry, or tidy their toys, or change their nappies, or they only want to work every other Thursday and only if the sun is shining. If that’s their approach they can jog on because plenty of fantastic nannies are quite happy to do all these things.

Not many in my experience! Most of us don’t want to do your laundry and housework, and would be pretty offended to be told you ‘weren’t getting your money’ out of us because we weren’t doing your personal tasks.

You’re conflating ridiculous behaviours like a nanny refusing to tidy a child’s toys (part of their job) or only working every other Thursday to imply that a nanny who doesn’t want to do your personal tasks such as doing your laundry are ‘snowflakes.’ They’re not. They’re just saying they will only do the job you’re paying them for. Same as how your cleaner won’t build an extension for you, or your builder doesn’t change the bedding on his lunch break.

I only had the one nanny as we established a good relationship from the start so she stayed from no1 being 6 weeks to no2 starting school. What I found was that the relationship had a bit of give and take on both sides - really necessary if you get dumped with a work crisis and are going to be late home........ She knew how to look after a baby much better than I did so I wasn't going to tell her when she did what although we did discuss what the "nursery duties" were. A good relationship is worth its weight in gold as once the children were older she would happily make a big dish of supper so there was some left over for us (her suggestion not mine), do a supermarket run to teach the children how to count out potatoes etc, post letters on the way to the park. She also emptied the dishwasher without being asked. TBH I think it is probably OK to ask a nanny to do that and if you have put a wash on before you leave for work to ask if she might put it in the dryer for you but that is as much as you can/should expect.

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Did you not read the OP?

The OP expected the nanny to tidy up toys, clean toys, wash, iron, fold and put away baby clothes. Not unreasonable as they are childcare related.

But OP thought that would still leave nanny 'sitting around while baby naps' so wanted the nanny to do some housework and meal-prep for the parents meals.

Which is outside of the usual job description of a nanny is it not? Which is why she was told she was unreasonable.

You or someone else finding someone willing to work outside their job description for no extra pay is irrelevant to whether or not it's a reasonable request or not.

No, you’re conflating asking a builder to change bedding or a gardener to clean a toilet (both deliberately ridiculous examples) with asking a nanny to unload a dishwasher or fold family laundry (in no way ridiculous asks, as confirmed by all the professional, experienced nannies who have done this for us without objection and the agencies who have placed them).

These tasks were part of the job we advertised for, the job they (and many others) applied for, the job we paid them for when we hired them, and the job they did for many years.

Which rather suggests OP will have no great difficulties either, but feel free to go on believing that every nanny has an identical attitude to you. 🤷‍♀️

Did you not read my original post? I said she should give her nanny breaks as
long as it’s feasible to do so.

But others have foamed at the mouth that it’s outrageous to ask a nanny to undertake any kind of household duties under any circumstances, ie regardless of whether she has time / is getting any sort of a break. And it would be a shame for OP to take that as gospel when it’s patently ridiculous.

And our nannies didn’t take on extra work for no pay, the household duties were part of their agreed tasks for which they were paid.

Where I live, when baby naps, nanny gets a break for at least the legally mandated minimum, plus also getting some extra time since it’s a not a proper break in that they can’t leave the property. If the baby naps for more than that, they do previously agreed upon and clearly defined baby related tasks. Some agree to do light housekeeping like dishes, MAYBE family laundry and some tidying. The nanny will potentially have a lot of time hanging around but, nannying babies is exhausting and we cared more about ensuring our nanny could be fully rested to give her all to our kiddo than “getting our money’s worth.” Our money’s worth was a well cared for child.

We also expected to have a long term relationship with our nanny and wanted her to be a valued member of our family. We wanted her to want to stay, and she is wonderful with our child. We knew we wouldn’t always be the absolute top of the pay scale and she was incredibly qualified, so we wanted to make the rest of the job environment really pleasant.

Don't put ideas in her head 🙄😂

But she wasn't doing nothing, she was on duty and could've easily been flat out with the baby if they were unsettled or poorly.

Just so you know,you will have to pay a nanny in the future when your child is at playgroup/ part time nursery too.

What hours will she be working?

It can be a long old day if you are working outside of someone else's working hours!

Who irons baby clothes? Or, in fact, any clothes? Our iron is gathering dust in a cupboard and we are by no means scruffy.

I think it's fine for you to pay her during naps, even when she isn't up and about doing stuff. It's time that she's not at home - she's in her workplace, supervising the baby, on-duty. So she should get paid for that. And looking after a baby is very intense, so a few hours to rest during the day while the baby sleeps sounds reasonable to me.

I'm shrieking at the ironing baby clothes 😆

I think, if you do want her to do some other particular jobs during naps, you'd need to add that to the job description and increase the pay to reflect it.

Don't try to micro manage if you want a good relationship with your child's nanny.

You either use a childminder/nursery or a nanny,

You can't have it both ways.

By all means include things in the job description such as baby laundry, keeping the toys/books etc tidy, prepping food for meals for the baby will eat while with the nanny. But you can't expect to fill every single second with something just to get your moneys worth.

The nanny is also a human. She should have lunch and break times while the baby is sleeping.

Hi OP, I’m not a professional nanny but I was paid to look after a baby for a little while. We would be out walking whilst baby had morning nap but if we got back and baby stayed asleep I would hang out a load of washing parents had put in earlier. That sometimes included emptying clothes horse of dry clothes.
Lunchtime nap was varied as we would be walking and the length of time depended on if they needed re-settling (or going back on a walk). During sleep time I would clean up baby’s lunch dishes, wipe high chair etc. Then have my own lunch break 20-30mins. In answer to your question, there really isn’t much time for lots of jobs. If the baby slept really well one day I would do additional jobs like sweep floor, tidy cushions but it couldn’t be anything too long or too noisy. The family I was working for were very appreciative, made it clear that I wasn’t obliged to do any extra jobs and that I was to enjoy a cup of tea and a rest if I wanted.

People who have others to fo it for them I'm guessing! It's not something I do 🤣

So a builder shouldn’t clean your toilet, but a professional childcare worker should clean and fold your pants? Why? Do you think the nursery staff should fold your clothes too?

Would you run errands for your boss? Pick up the shopping, buy them coffee or lunch?

If you went out in the evening and had a babysitter you would pay them while the child sleeps. The nanny will be on call all the time your child sleeps she isn't doing nothing!
She is entitled to a break just like any other worker I don't think you can expect her to do any housework. I imagine for some if ye nap time she will tidy up toys, prepare babies lunch, organise toys etc. Any other jobs related to the baby but nothing else.

Are you new to having money and employing household staff perhaps?

Oh dear.