What are people's working patterns with 3 dc?

[Satsumadreams99]

Hi all, fairly new here so looking for some thoughts and advice really. I'm due a dd shortly and have two ds aged 4 and 2. I'm trying to think about how long to take off as mat leave this time and what sort of pattern to do when I return. Currently I do 3 days per week, dh does nursery drop offs as he works from home full time luckily so I can go in early and I leave work 430 to do pickups which works well.
Oldest DS starts school this Sep so I'll be around for a while to drop off and pickup which is great. Second DS will start school next Sep. I intend to still only do 3 days a week until they are all in school.
What do people do with 3? Ideally we don't want to rely on before/after school clubs whilst in reception at least but that means drop offs are likely to be 9ish and pickups 3.15ish so in theory could do nursery drops and pickups just before and after those times but would need to work out how.
If I work 'early' days then dh would be responsible for getting 3 ready which I suspect is doable although he sometimes struggles with 2 now. However he is nervous at the thought of doing pickups as it's not like 3 kids would happily entertain themselves at that age from 3.30 to say dinner time!
If I did pickups I'd have to leave work prob 230 which is not impossible as have very flexible employer and could feasibly then do some work in the evenings altough friends have warned me that could be disastrous once homework and extra curricular activities start up!
Childminder could be an option but we still have the getting them ready and out issue. Nanny is another option but with both of these I worry about the resilience of care with sickness etc plus their individual holiday requirements. Plus the two boys have really loved nursery and I think it's been good for them.
Any thoughts?!

[Satsumadreams99]

Thanks livvy- and are you happy with your youngest being with a childminder? Do you feel they get exposure to other kids and activities etc?

[Poocatcherchampion]

We have a nanny
One at school, one at preschool a couple of days and a baby full time with nanny.

I do morning nursery and school run.
Dh comes home for 4.30/5.

I work 4 days, dh works compressed hours - 9 day fortnight. Nanny does 3 days/4 days a week.

Works well. We are both in jobs that don't demand lots of extra hours.

[BackforGood]

If you are both working though, you need childcare, unless you work in some kind of a flexible job that you can stop at 3pm and do the next 2 - 3 hrs in the evening after they have gone to bed.
I don't really understand your objection to some form of wrap around care, when your dc have been used to Nursery ?

We've done lots of different combinations over the year, but that has always been around who drops off at Childminder / Nursery / School Breakfast club.

Your choice - from what you've explained - has to be using wrap around care, or your dh taking a 2 - 3 hr break in the afternoon and then working every evening.