Our nanny needs a hysterectomy. What to expect.

[heidihole]

We have just employed a new nanny, 2 weeks ago. She has told us today that an appointment with a gynaecologist a few days ago has suggested that in 6 months time she may need a hysterectomy.

She won't know for 6 months if she's to have one, but then if she does they will do it immediately.

The 'problem' is that in 6 months time I will be about to give birth (9 weeks pregnant now)

The nanny has said that she would have 6 weeks of no lifting. This will run over the time I'm giving birth.

I said something non committal like "dont worry we will work round this" but TBH had no idea what to expect. A quick Google suggests that it may not be a case of no heavy lifting but may actually be 6 weeks off work. Does a newborn count as "heavy"??

Anyone know what the recovery from a hysterectomy may entail for us as a family with a 21 month old and a newborn. Of course I will ask her too but I'm trying to arm myself with info too!

Hi OP

You might get more response in:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childminders_nannies_au_pairs_etc
Will you be on maternity leave? Will you need a full time nanny;could you manage with alternative childcare?
What does your contract say regarding sick pay ?

I had an abdominal hysterectomy at 35. I was fit and healthy but the hospital laid down the law about having 12 weeks off work, doing nothing for 6 weeks, then I had to gradually increase activity over the following 6 weeks.

It really isn't something you can muck about with, the internal wounds take longer to heal than the scar. I wanted to pick up my then 9mo DD at 4 weeks post-op and called the hospital to check but they bollocked me and said I wasn't to risk it.

If its any help my DM had an abdominal hysterectomy when my Dd was 8 weeks old and she absolutely could not hold her at all for a few weeks, the recovery was a lot more intense and hard on her than any of us expected in all honesty. Didn't return to work for 3 months, and DM works in an office environment so not physically demanding in the slightest.

From people I have known I would agree with what Meglet describes. No driving for a good few weeks either.

Not recommended to carry kettle from tap to socket/worktop for first six weeks after op, and definitely no driving as insurance would be invalid for approx. same period. I don't see how this could work.

Did she know nothing of this when she accepted the position?

There are different types of hysterectomy - as well as abdominal, they can also be done laparoscipally (?sp) and vaginally, both of which have much quicker recovery times (still major surgery, but not so restrictive on length of time for lifting etc).

If she had just seen a gynae she must have been aware that there were problems (assuming we are talking NHS in the UK here, rather than in a country where women routinely see a gynae). I don't suppose that makes any difference to her entitlement to sick pay though.

Depending on the exact nature of her problems she possibly shouldn't be doing heavy lifting now either, maybe some sort of risk assessment needed? I know nothing about employing nannies, just quite a lot about gynae problems BTW.

She must have known that this was likely - why would the gynae make a decision in six months then act immediately? Sounds suspicious to me.

Regardless of employment law, IMO she has acted immorally knowing the situation and the situation you were going to end up in. She's played the game.

Is she on a trial period?