should I have a baby?

Nurseries and childminders don't generally open until 7:30am (you get the occasional one that opens at 7) and the latest they're open until is usually around 6pm. Wrap-around care once they're in school is a whole different ballgame e.g. we're having to put DS1 into holiday club before Easter - they don't open until 8am, despite the same provider starting breakfast club from 7:30am during term time.

It's a fucking nightmare. In the absence of supportive family, your situation doesn't sound sustainable or doable unless one of you reduces working hours, or you have the funds to pay for a nanny, and probably never see your child except at weekends.

You also don't want an unsuppportive and stressful working environment when you're trying to get back to work after mat leave (horrible), trying to work on four broken hours sleep a night if you end up with a non-sleeper, or having to bob out every other day at short notice because your child has contracted the latest bug going around nursery. A huge amount of my A/L for both my DSs was spent on looking after them when they were sick in their first two years of childcare - they're just continuously ill.

If you are already stressed and struggling, then a baby will increase that. And as PPs say, childcare that covers 12+ hours a day will be expensive and possibly very difficult to find unless you can employ a nanny. Tbh yes, i think 12 hour days would be very difficult and stressful with a young child. Could your partner feasibly do either dropoff, pickup or both?

I don't mean to be negative, and 'difficult' certainly doesn't mean 'impossible', but I think you may have to make some tough choices about your priorities. I would be inclined to hold off on getting pregnant until you're in a less pressured and more sustainable situation. Good luck.

FYI most nurseries open between 8-8.30am and close between 6-6.30pm. We are lucky as ours opens at 7.30 but most don't.

There is never a right time to have a baby. It might not happen straight away, or it might happen immediately! But I do believe things always work out. I completely understand your insecurities though. Do you have any savings? Even on a FTC you will be entitled to some maternity pay (or maternity allowance - might want to look it up im not sure of ins and outs) depending on how long you have worked there.

Re commute - it is doable. I was made redundant when I returned from maternity leave (I know, don't ask, it was horrific at time but worked out for the best) so had similar feelings of insecurity. But I now have a better job! New job is 63mile commute each way so I too leave house at 6.30am. Luckily I have worked it so I can do earlier finishes and wfh a few days a week and we are planning on moving nearer soon as DH has a new job. So I would say commute is doable but it depends on a) distance dh travels to work - can he do nursery drop off and pick up? B) flexible working - can you work from home at all? Start later? Finish earlier? C) planning re making meals in advance, all things ready for nursery.

Also need to consider cost of childcare and whether you could afford it as you say you have no family nearby.

But all said, there is never a right time and even people in permanent jobs aren't safe (look at me!) so I would weigh up the options and potentially save for a bit first :)