Just found out im pregnant... I'm a nanny...

[wellbalanced]

When shall i tell my bosses? i was thinking after 12wk.
Also i plan on staying on at work but ive not had the conversation with my bosses. Im dreading telling them but i know they are expecting it.
Please let me know how it worked out for you guys.
I plan (if all is well) to work up to birth, but not sure how long taking off? Whats your thoughts? How long did you have off? I was thinking 8wk ish...
Thanks

Hi,

First of all, congratulations!

I'm not sure when the limit is but there is a certain number of weeks by when you must tell your employer your expecting to take mat leave. Sure everyone else will tell me whether or not I'm right.

Sure your bosses will be fine!

Sorry I haven't been much help, just wanted to say congratulations

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I told my employers that I was pregnant at 14weeks when I realised I was going to struggle to fit in my normal jeans much longer! I was dreading it too as I knew my boss's views on Nannys with babies but she was great. However we had a very honest discussion straight away where we both decided the job wouldn't work with me having my own child. (Boss has second home in France where they spend up to 6 weeks a year and also I would do proxy parenting at least one night a week whilst MB went to London as DB worked away all week. I couldn't leave my own child for that length of time!) MB agreed to pay the full maternity pay ( they can claim it back from the government) and I helped look for my replacement. I worked up until 8months and had my DS 2 weeks later. I'm taking the full allowance of time for maternity leave. As for when you go back to work, I think it's hard to judge before you have the baby. My boss baby was angelic - very placid, sleeping thru the night 7pm til 7.30am by 10weeks and very easy. My DS is the exact opposite - quite demanding, hard to get to sleep, feeds alot (I'm breast feeding )and I don't think I could do a good job if I had to go back to work right now. Are you thinking about taking your baby to work? Have your employers hinted that this would be okay? They legally have to hold your job open (unless, I think, they can make you redundant and prove it was nothing to do with you being pregnant.) but you are not legally entitled to take your baby back to work with you. Could you leave your baby being looked after by someone else whilst you look after someone elses children? Financially I will have to go back to work when my maternity leave finishes and in an ideal world I will find someone who is willing to take on me and my son but at the end of the day that will be an ideal not a given right. Hope it all goes well for you and good luck telling your employers. Also with regards to working right up to the birth - I guess it depends on the age of the children. It gets very tiring at the end and if you are being paid to do a job you can't just take a nap when you feel like it. I had a boy aged 5 ( full time school ) and a baby who was 5 months when I left. Lugging the baby in a car seat at 8months pregnant is hard work! I felt I had to prove that I could still be a great Nanny and the only thing I refused to do was help with the horses ( only used to do occassionally if MB or groom were away ). Hope this helps and sorry it's so long!

Thanks for the replies so far.
We have vaguely talked about bringing own baby but that was before i was pregnant so its easy for them to say that really. Just hoping they still feel that way.
I'm sure they will be fine and hopefully yes i will take my baby with me.
I dont really want to find someone to have my baby while i go and look after someone elses children, doesnt seem right really. But i do know where you are coming from.
My children in job are 2yrs and 4yrs so im hoping at that age it will work well.
I only have 3 friends (nannies) who been pregnant, 2 worked up til birth (1 a wk before and other a day!!) 3rd friend is pregnant at mo. The friend who worked til day before went back after 6weeks and has a demanding baby but copes fine. the other girl works before and after sch, and the one that is pregnant at mo has been made redundant as from when starts mat leave.

Any more who have done this would love to hear your stories of how easy/hard you found it.
Thanks

To be honest I think it depends on your employer and your charges. I know my boss was very vocal that she wouldn't want to find her children crying / wanting something whilst the nanny was feeding / cuddling / doing something with their own child. I personally would be more worried that I would end up overly neglecting my own baby to prove that I could do the job iyswim. My boss didn't work tho so I think it would be much easier if your employer does. Some employers are far more relaxed and just look at it as an extra playmate for their children. I hope your employer is happy for you to take your little one although personally I'd take longer than 8 weeks off as those first few weeks are very tiring and also you never get those weeks back. All I wanted to do was sit and cuddle my LO.....Good luck!

Thanks for the info, My bosses do work (thankfully!!) so they would be out most of the day. If i do go back to work with my baby thou ill also be out too, we rarely stay in and just cos ive had a baby wont mean ill be staying in as that would be unfair on charges. I know what you mean about finding the right balance but hopefully this will work-but who knows until you try.I dont think ill take much longer then 8wk off thou, for money reasons too unfortunatly.

Hello Wellbalanced!!
I have two children who are now aged 10 and the other is 7 years old, i have been a nanny for 21 years and have always worked as a nanny while pregnant and while they were small babies, with my first pregnancy a nanny friend worked my maternity leave and i had a total of 8 weeks off, and my baby was 6 weeks old when i returned to work, i found out i was pregnant with my second baby as i was just about to start a new job, i told the family straight away and they were fine and once again a nanny friend worked my maternity leave, this time i had 6 weeks off and went back to work with my 4 week old baby!! All the family's i have worked for have thought it a bonus that i have children, i understand their worries and can relate to problems they may be having! In my books honesty is the best policy so tell your employers as soon as poss, i'm sure they will be pleased for you and keep you on, so stop worrying and just tell them!! Good luck

Thanks cake thats a v positive story you have. I hope mine works out like that. You also went back to work v early with your bubs, Were you not knackered? Did you breastfeed? How did you cope with lack of sleep? To be fair i think it will be fine when tell them but who knows. I dont plan on telling my bosses until 12wk ish only because thats when we're telling everyone else. I have no symptons so i should get away with it til then. Only 4 and abit wk left, hopefully will go quick!!

Hi Wellbalanced!! I went back to work when both my babies were young, it was good to get up dressed and get out otherwise you can find yourself not getting dressed and lazing around all day (yep, we do do that some days!!) and of course i wanted to show them both off!! both my children are fab at getting up and never moan when i am racing off to work at 7.45 in the morning, they are well adjusted and find it easy making friends, i can't remember being tired, but did take their pj's with me so as soon as we got home from work i could put them to bed and have very important "me" time. They are still fab at going to bed, my 10 year old goes to bed between 7 and 7.30, they have to go to bed early as they get up early. I did breastfeed both my children for about 3 to 4 months each, How many days do you work? I work 3 days, don't think i would like to work more as my children get days where they don't have to share me and days that they do!!! It's a good balance!! Good luck, and please do tell me how you get on!! Take care x

HI
I work 4 days but 2 different jobs-2days each.
I got my booking in appt on one of my days but ive just managed to change my days at work so ive got away with that. My scan appt is on my other bosses day (shes a midwife so knows already)
Im keen all being well to work as far up to my due date as i can then take off 8-10wk, and just like to hear how other people get on.
Thanks for the advice. xx