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Original poster

Working with baby at workplace

41 replies

family01 · 12/10/2018 21:19

Hi everyone, I just wanted some thoughts on what would it be like if a women gave birth and could take her baby to work with her? for example what if there was a place/area at the workplace where the babies were kept whilst the mum went off to work a couple of rooms down. What if her employer let her breastfeed whenever the baby needed feeding? what if the baby was looked after by professional carers whilst the mum worked?
I know there are childcare services e.g. nurseries etc but I was wondering if care/service was available in the workplace of the working mother?
Are there any benefits for the mother and child?
Are there any benefits for the employer?

What are your thoughts?
Please do share as I am really curious.
Thanks a lot for your love and support Smile

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 12/10/2018 21:21

I wouldn't have been able to concentrate if my children had been two doors down the corridor. Aren't you talking about just a nearby nursery, so that you could pop in at break times?

Dazedandconfused1988 · 12/10/2018 21:25

My mum worked somewhere with a crèche when my youngest sibling was about 18mo

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:33

What if the cost of it was cheaper?

OP posts:
happydaysrhere · 12/10/2018 21:34

I honestly think employers should do more about childcare, crèches are a great idea what with the cost of childcare and if you childcare falls through I think it would be a great idea . Saying that it shouldn't interfere with work . I once worked for a small company where manager would bring baby with her baby was just was bored shitless , constant crying very off putting for the rest of us . Some people just put work before children .

xyzandabc · 12/10/2018 21:35

My eldest 2 went to a nursery on site where my DH worked with days a week. Obviously no breastfeeding involved but he had to collect or go sort them out if they needed Calpol etc (only happened once I think).

I think a nursery a few doors away down a corridor would be a nightmare, too noisy for a regular office and a nightmare for the nursery if parents kept popping in throughout the day. This one was onsite but in a different, purpose built, building with a garden etc.

Plus side, neither of us had to go out of our way to drop them off/pick them up. It was easy for him to go to parents evening etc.

Downside, they had to do the commute with him 45 - 60 mins each way.

We didn't really have any choice about it, our local childminder gave us 2 weeks notice and this was the only place that had space for both of them especially as the youngest was under 12 months.

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:35

Sorry I'm still new to using this website.
HollowTalk, what if the cost of it was cheaper?
Dazedandconfused1988, how did she find it?

OP posts:
MrsPob · 12/10/2018 21:35

Do you mean a crèche? Some big workplaces do provide them, but I'm not sure being so near the mother (or father!) is a good idea - how would they concentrate on doing their job properly?

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 12/10/2018 21:38

At what stage are you thinking? After a years maternity leave? Or after a couple of months?

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:40

Your feedback/thoughts are great.

So say if there was a creche thing on the ground floor with maybe a garden too, wouldn't the parent find it useful to just nip there to see if the baby was happy? Or just knowing whilst working that the baby isn't too far and everything is ok so far?

Would the employer find it helpful in terms of not losing employees maybe?

OP posts:
Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:44

Just from the time the baby is born to when they are 1 years old.
Or would it be better up to 2 yrs of age?
What do you think the maximum age of the child should be?

OP posts:
Faster · 12/10/2018 21:47

If this was at my work place I wouldn’t be able to nip down and see them, I work within critical care, nor would I want random strangers nipping down and swig their children’s whilst mine were in the same room,

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:51

Faster, but when parents leave their babies at nurseries, they don't leave them there with a family member. And also these 'strangers' would just be colleagues. Maybe in large workplaces have a creche in different areas? I'm sure there would be safeguarding and health and safety regulations in place.

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Faster · 12/10/2018 21:55

No I appreciate that, but the strangers I leave my child with are DBS checked, I have met and spent time with. Plus just because they are colleagues doesn’t mean that I would want them being around my DS. Also I work in an organisation which employs 8000 peoples, so whilst they are colleagues they are also strangers.

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:56

xyzandabc, I can see there being a problem in the commuting with a baby/babies especially if using public transport.
Hmm another thing I didn't think about.

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BikeRunSki · 12/10/2018 21:57

Just from the time the baby is born to when they are 1 years old.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the law in England at least (not sure about the rest of the UK) allows for 12 months maternity leave or shared parental leave. I appreciate that many people will go back to work sooner, but I would not be keen to place my baby in a crèche that they would have to leave again - and resettle elsewhere - when they are 1.

Or do you mean for ad hoc care for parents visiting/doing KIT days on parental/maternity leave? That could work, but you’d have to have a massive workforce be make it viable.

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 21:59

True, Faster, I see your point. thanks for sharing it - really appreciate it. I love it when people share a problem. So, just want to clarify are you for a or against a creche at the workplace? and for you to be happy with 'a' creche what would your ideal one be? if you don't mind me asking - please feel free to ignore.

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Faster · 12/10/2018 22:00

Yeah deffo with the mat leave thing. I returned to work at 8 months and would not have placed DS in a care setting three floors down if that service meant he had to resettle into another care service 4 months later.

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 22:01

Hi BikeRunSki, sorry I'm new to the jargon, what do you mean by ad hoc care for parents visiting/doing KIT days on parental/maternity leave?

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MynameisJune · 12/10/2018 22:01

Counter productive to maternity leave surely? If this was a thing then employers would expect a new mother back at work long before 6, 9 or 12 months.

Crèches for older toddlers/preschoolers would obviously be helpful but not for any younger than 6 months at least. And it would need to run like an independent, ofsted inspected nursery.

BackforGood · 12/10/2018 22:03

I'd alway advise parents to use a Nursery near home rather than near (or at) work.
Mainly so you don't have to commute, but also means
a) other parents can share drop off / collection
b) you can drop them there when you are off sick - or, come to that if you had a day's AL booked, maybe for a funeral or maybe even a treat which wasn't suitable for a little one
c) more likely to be able to use as wrap around care when they move to school
d) you'd have to move the dc if you changed jobs
e) it would be difficult if you had to go out to meetings, then you'd have to return to office to get dc

There are big downsides to entwining your work and your domestic arrangements

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 22:03

So age in terms of how long the child could stay at the creche would be a huge factor of course. What is the maximum age we are looking at? 2, 3, 4?

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 12/10/2018 22:03

I am not against the idea of s workplace crèche in principle, but only if it were a long term setting, at least up to PreSchool age, if not school age ie: like day nurseries.

It wouldn’t work for me though, as I am not often in the same place 2 days running.

carly2803 · 12/10/2018 22:05

I would....i would love that - but as long as it wa somewhere where my child could stay until 3 or school..

i wouldnt want to pull him out at say age 18 months and have to find another provider.

Im opting for anursery which have links to the school ive picked for him - which imo is ideal

but.. as a single mum - i would love to be able to take my baby to work ad pick him up once done - never having to panic about being late!

Faster · 12/10/2018 22:05

I’m neither for or against a crèche at a workplace. It’s just that your business idea doesn’t suit my families needs really.
Being able to pop down to see ds? Nah, my manager wouldn’t allow it, I work in a theatre, you don’t want your crib nurse just popping out during heart surgery and 9/10 I don’t get a break. Plus it would only upset DS If I went to see him and then I left, again.
Only taking til 12mo? DS would have to go through the process of resettling into another care provider, no chance. I went back to work at 8 months. I want the minimum disruption to him from the get go.

I work for the NHS, it is a huge employer, so if you were gonna fit your service for the workforce you would need 24/7 care provision for suit all employees, and that’s just not a financially viable business plan.

Original poster
family01 · 12/10/2018 22:05

Thank-you for this BackforGood

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