Hire a nanny who might get pregnant?

[Anonymous]

We interviewed a nanny who we really like and she comes highly recommended from an acquaintance, so we feel great choosing her. We are new to the nanny game and it would give me so much peace of mind to hire someone we "know" at least sort of. But she's been very upfront about the fact that she and her husband are trying to have a baby. She mentioned something about them having been trying for a while and it hasn't happened yet. When my husband and I talked about it later, he sort of shrugged and said, well we'd have at least 9 months to figure out what to do! I'm very torn. She's not pregnant now and I know nannies do get pregnant and people deal with it, but is it foolish to deliberately set ourselves up for this problem?

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. Hire someone else. It was foolish of her to be so candid with a potential employer when she already has been trying unsuccessfully (might not happen any time soon). On the other hand, the fact that she even did tell you makes me wonder if she IS already pregnant and is trying to hide it and will later tell you she "didn't know she was" at the interview (and then once she finds out will still wait until the end of the first trimester to mention it because of course "the risk of miscarriage is so high," etc).

If you still want to hire her, you need to be very clear about things: many women get put on bed rest early in the pregnancy, or have other restrictions (see the other thread here about the pregnant nanny who "can't lift her toddler charge or go outside" in her first trimester!). How would you handle that? Is she expecting you to hold the job for her while on maternity leave? Is she expecting to get full pay for all the extra days she will need off to see the doctor and also all the days she might call out sick for not feeling up to chasing after your child(ren)? Is she expecting you to be open to her continuing to watch your child(ren) with her own child in tow after her maternity leave?

It just sounds like a headache and the fact she already told you makes me feel she's either hiding the fact that she already knows she is pregnant, or is super naive and foolish.

[Anonymous]

Go with your gut..

But I have been given jobs when I was about to get pregnant. I also hired a nanny in the same situation. The nanny worked us for a year, went on to do something else while being an occasional sitter for us, and still not pregnant.

Having to find someone else is a definite drawback but I don't think it would be a deal breaker.

[Anonymous]

Call me horrible if you must, but I wouldn't hire her.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't hire her just for the fact that there is a strong possibility she may end up pregnant any day now.

A pregnant nanny will have limited mobility, esp. as she enters her third trimester.

Then once she has the baby, she will most likely need some time off to recover as well as begin caring for the child.

It is highly likely once she has the baby, she will need to bring him/her with her to work daily which means not only will your child get 50% less attention, but also will be exposed to more germs.

I would keep searching...Your dream nanny is just around the corner OP! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Another nanny here and I agree - hire someone else. Absolutely not worth the worry and upheaval.

[Anonymous]

The same laws thst apply to hiring you should apply to to nannies. What a bunch of hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

I do not think a revolving door of child care providers is healthy. I would not hire her.

[Anonymous]

No way. I wouldn't hire a nanny who was married either. Putting a dating clause in the contract helps. Just don't allow the nanny to ever be alone in a room with a male over the age of 18 that she isn't related to. I'm a nanny and this has been in 2 of my contacts. Sounds crazy but it works.

[Anonymous]

Some dumb ass out there hired OP, who then got pregnant.

What a b.

[Anonymous]

Being a nanny is very different than any other profession. Children develop very deep attachments to their nannies and the nanny position should never be a revolving door. Often the last few months of pregnancy, it is difficult to lift a charge as well so you aren't taking about even having a nanny for potentially nine months.

I wouldn;t hire a nanny who was actively trying to get pregnant. The again, I made it a point to hire an older nanny for various reasons so it isn't an issue.

[Anonymous]

Depends on whether you need a nanny as a stop gap until you get into daycare or if you are looking for someone to be with you for a few years. In the former, sure, roll the dice. In the latter, I would not do this. Then you will need to mess with leave for her, potential time off towards the end for appointments or illness, whether she comes back or not after the baby - or wants to bring the baby; or is dealing with sleep deprivation while caring for your baby.

Yep, it's awful, but I would be shocked if other employers or ONE employee that rely on that employee fully to make their "business" run would do any differently. It's just such a different situation from an office that can spread work out a bit while someone is out or even hire a sub if needed.

[Anonymous]

This is ridiculous..She was being honest. Most pregnant women are healthy throughout theit pregnancies and can lift just fine. There's no guarantee about having the same nanny for years. Nannies could get fired or let go because of circumstances whether their own or their bosses. I have seen alot of mb's having children so close together, where the one is barely walking and they're heavily pregnant again. Do we now tell them they can't do that because of whatever illnesses may happen in the 3rd trimester..no one knows how they will feel or the limitations until they get to that part of their pregnancies and you may have overlooked an excellent nanny for your kids based on assumptions

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I wouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

MB here. I hired a lot in my dayjob and you cannot discriminate in hiring based on that kind of statement.

However, I'm also a woman and I would NEVER say something like that in a job interview. Regardless of what the law says, it's just stupid to think announcing your intention to get pregnant will have zero impact on how you're viewed as a potential long-term employee.

OP - broaden your search and see if you can find other candidates. Now is a terrific time to be looking for a nanny as so many families will let nannies go when kids start school.

Among the things I look at first in nanny candidates is reliability, stability, likelihood of being employed with us for at least a couple of years, etc... Knowing pregnancy was potentially imminent (or even knowing that a struggle with infertility was possible) would raise concerns about some of my most fundamental requirements.