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Original poster

Taking baby to work

66 replies

RedRoseMama · 21/01/2025 09:08

Hi I'm a new mum to a 3 month old, I'm planning on going to back to work when baby is around 6 months. And there is a potential for me to take baby to work with me. If this can happen (depending on some work scenarios) This wouldn't be all the time there would be flexibility in me working from home sometimes too etc. But Im hoping to hear from some other mothers who may have taken baby to work and what your experience was like?

OP posts:
LittleRedRidingHoody · 21/01/2025 09:12

I'd be surprised if your workplace was okay with it to be honest, most of the time it's a blanket no. What kind of work do you do?

I've had to take DS into the office a few times and absolutely don't recommend it. As a one off/occasionally it's fine but I barely get any work done and the work I can do is only because people are playing with him - which would quickly change if I was doing it regularly!

MrsSkylerWhite · 21/01/2025 09:15

How will you get any work done?

beautyandTVisgoodenoughforme · 21/01/2025 09:19

It’s difficult to imagine when they’re all cute and curled up and don’t move, but at 6 months your baby will be exactly the age to want to move and explore and look around. It will be stressful for you to try to contain or engage or distract them, and unfair on them to limit what is natural curiosity and behaviour at that age. https://thewonderweeks.com/blog/infant/brains-baby-at-6-months-old/

I know someone who worked a few hours but that was during nap times and they sleep trained from the first moment it was acceptable. Sleep training can mean different things to different people, in that case it was the “cry it out” type, leaving them alone at certain points in the day.

Brains baby at 6 months old

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https://thewonderweeks.com/blog/infant/brains-baby-at-6-months-old

YouveGotAFastCar · 21/01/2025 09:20

My baby came to work with me a couple of times - but it's fucking hard work. Even just happily in a sling, because I was lucky and he wasn't much of a crier, there's a lot of distractions - from the baby, feeding regularly, people coming to see the baby, etc.

It's also really hard to divide your mind and concentrate.

For the next few projects, DH and DS came with me, DS got security clearance and I'd meet them outside, feed, and give him back to DH. They had a brilliant time.

The older he got, the harder work was - at 3 months it was okay, but by 5 months he needed more stimulation and slept less, and by 9 months he was on the move!

TartanMammy · 21/01/2025 09:21

What job do you do? Most people are not able to take their baby to work. Unless you're a nanny or nursery worker or very flexibly self employed it would be very very unusual.

Insurance - your work won't be insured to have children on the premises. Health and safety nightmare, more workplaces are not child friendly.

It's distracting for other staff, to have a child around, where do you draw the line, crawling? Toddling?

It's distracting for you, there's no way you can be properly focussed on your job with your baby there. The same goes for work from home, if you are working you need childcare.

It's unprofessional, the people you interact with at work, whether clients, the public or colleagues deserve your full attention while you're being paid to be there.

Some workplaces have an onsite nursery, could that work for you?

Alabas · 21/01/2025 09:25

I think it would be easier to answer if you could provide more information. Will you be working alone? Does it involve interacting with others (phone calls, meetings, etc.)? Who will be looking after the baby whilst you do your work? Who will be doing your work whilst you look after the baby?

If your job is to press a button every 15mins in a room you have to yourself, it might be doable, I’m just struggling to think of any job that can be done with a baby!

Mindymomo · 21/01/2025 09:25

It wouldn’t have worked for me with my first DC, he could hardly be put down, only slept 30 minutes at a time, needed a lot of looking after. My second DC, he would sleep 3/4 hours at a time, nothing woke him up, in fact I had to wake him up, just so he would sleep at night, so yes, I could have worked afternoons with him.

Starlight1984 · 21/01/2025 09:41

RedRoseMama · 21/01/2025 09:08

Hi I'm a new mum to a 3 month old, I'm planning on going to back to work when baby is around 6 months. And there is a potential for me to take baby to work with me. If this can happen (depending on some work scenarios) This wouldn't be all the time there would be flexibility in me working from home sometimes too etc. But Im hoping to hear from some other mothers who may have taken baby to work and what your experience was like?

You can't be serious?

No, absolutely not.

Completelyjo · 21/01/2025 09:42

To be blunt, you have a potato baby at 3 months. Without trying to be patronising or “just you wait” you absolutely cannot just take an older baby to work and actually work.

theugly5 · 21/01/2025 09:47

Poor baby, sounds crap for them as they'll be ignored while you work! Either that or you will be neglecting your work to keep them entertained (obviously this does depend on what your job is but I can't think of anything other than a nursery where you would be able to both work and keep your baby entertained at the same time!)
I assume you would also have baby with you when working from home as from your post you've implied you won't be using any sort of childcare - again sounds crap for the baby!

Original poster
RedRoseMama · 21/01/2025 10:02

So I honestly didn't know what I was going to do about my job when I first found out I was pregnant because I'm a bar manager and I knew that just wasn't an option. However my general manager suggested a possibility of moving to a different section of the business, this could mean it would be office based, they said they would be flexible about feedings and working from home sometimes. My intention is to get her into play groups, /minders /nursery when she's about one so it wouldn't be forever.

OP posts:
ChuggerMugger · 21/01/2025 10:17

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LittleRedRidingHoody · 21/01/2025 10:21

RedRoseMama · 21/01/2025 10:02

So I honestly didn't know what I was going to do about my job when I first found out I was pregnant because I'm a bar manager and I knew that just wasn't an option. However my general manager suggested a possibility of moving to a different section of the business, this could mean it would be office based, they said they would be flexible about feedings and working from home sometimes. My intention is to get her into play groups, /minders /nursery when she's about one so it wouldn't be forever.

When they say that, I'd assume they'd mean with someone there taking care of the baby. So WFH for a shorter commute/so you can feed in breaks.

You will need childcare for all the hours you are working - probably a full time nursery if you're working full time.

CosyRoby · 21/01/2025 10:24

So your manager has said they would be flexible about feeding ?
That’s completely different than taking a baby in to work for a full 8/9 hour shift.
You can’t take a baby into work and you can’t work from home with a baby.
They will cry / make noise / want picked up / need changed / need resettled / need food etc the list is endless of what they will need plus that’s before the baby is mobile . My youngest was cruising along furniture at 8 months , no way could they have been stuck in an office all day.
You need to either extend your maternity leave or sort out childcare .
Also I’d be extremely pissed off if I was paying for childcare for my own kids then you brought your baby in to work and I’d definitely complain to the management.

Greeneyegirl · 21/01/2025 10:28

I mean...if you work at a nursery then yeah. Tm but you need to find nursery or childcare

Icecreamandcoffee · 21/01/2025 10:35

The only people I know who brought their baby into the workplace worked at day nurseries and their child had a space at the nursery.

HPandthelastwish · 21/01/2025 10:38

Yeah, I think you and your manager have had a misunderstanding.

They'll make room for you to pump of maybe for your baby to be brought to you. Or they'll allow WFH so you don't have to commute and do the nursery run easier.

There is no way they will want you directly and solely responsible for the baby whilst you are meant to be working.

Icecreamandcoffee · 21/01/2025 10:46

In terms of more office based roles. The only flexibility I've encountered is that parents have been allowed to WFH or bring children to the office due to childcare emergencies (nursery boiler broken down/ nursery closed due to staff sickness ect) and it's always been made very clear that the parent will need to have backup childcare the next day or take annual leave. One of my friends was allowed to WFH and take care of her child one day a week on a short term basis (May to September) as her child's day nursery didn't have space for him on a Friday until September but she was expected to have childcare in place on Fridays for September.

Overthebow · 21/01/2025 10:48

You can’t take your baby to work with you in a bar or in an office, unless you have a nanny with to help and your manager is ok with the set up. You need to find actual childcare for when you go back to work. It’s good that your work sounds flexible and will support feeding, have a think about what working patterns may make this easier for you and then discuss with your manager.

purplecorkheart · 21/01/2025 10:49

I think there maybe some crossed wires here. I would imagine they mean that the childminder could pop in with the baby for a feed. I cannot imagine that an office in a pub would be safe place for a baby to be crawling around.

Gazelda · 21/01/2025 10:51

I had huge guilt when my DD was in nursery while I went to work. I felt as though neither my employer nor my child were getting the best of me.

And that was with DD being surrounded by people paid to engage with her, tend to her needs, nurture her. At the same time I was working undistracted.

I can't imaging how little work I'd get done if I had a baby with me. And how little pleasure DD would have got in a sling without any meaningful interaction for hours on end.

Sorry OP, this isn't a viable solution. Proper childcare is the only way.

Donotgogentle · 21/01/2025 10:58

Your manager hasn’t said you can take your baby to work!

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 21/01/2025 11:02

I don't think your manager is suggesting you bring your baby into work!

EmmaMaria · 21/01/2025 11:07

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 21/01/2025 11:02

I don't think your manager is suggesting you bring your baby into work!

And if he is, then suggest that he get a Health & Safety check on that, and clear it with the company insurance. Because I can tell you with absolute certainty that neither of those will agree to it.

CeCe45 · 21/01/2025 11:13

Are you serious?! Jesus OP just sort childcare out like everyone else does?! You cannot take your baby to work.