Childcare dilemma

[badreams]

I'm hoping to return to work from mat leave in April. DS will be 9 months. I am hoping to do two days a week. DM would like to have DS one of those days and I'm looking into options for the second day.

Can't find any childminders who have availability and have been looking into nurseries too. My issues are that I don't drive and not sure how to get my DS to either child minder or nursery and then get myself to work and same for picking him up after. I've been looking at costs of taxis and searching bus routes but neither would work very well.

I wondered about a nanny but after looking into it I can't afford it.

I really want to be able to return to work but I'm not really sure what to do

You could get a taxi on manky days and that wouldn't be more than a couple of quid each way?

Taxis must be cheap where you live!
In my ordinary, very far from affluent town it would cost£5-6.

Still a lot cheaper than running a car if OP walked most days.

£5-6 one way, that is!

So then go for plan A get walking while you sort plan B for the point when you'll be working more days, learn to drive.

Where I live is also not remotely affluent and about £3 for that journey I think. City not town though.

Quite a few of the parents at DSs nursery walk and leave buggies at nursery for the day and then walk on to work. I know a few of them and they do about 20mins walk to nursery.
Kids bundled up in winter. It takes prep and need to be prepared to get up and get out on time. Seems overwhelming at first but get into a routine and it's doable.
We drive and it's 25mins in the car to nursery with good traffic and that's our closest nursery and then I'm another 20mins to work. Nursery opens at 7.30 so plenty of time.
When I picked DS1s nursery it was close to my work rather than my house as I worked until at least 5.30 and no nursery round us opened past 6pm. I usually could get there for 5.55 if I dashed at 5.30 on the dot.
Going back to work is not easy but loads of people have to work out the often complicated logistics of it, you are not alone. It is often a series of compromises and it often gets more complicated when they start school.

Good. I' glad you've decided.
I really, really, really would get used to walking a few miles each day from now though. It is a big shock to go back to work when youve been off even for a few weeks, so when you've been off for a few months and are leaving your little one for the first time, it is quite an adjustment. By getting used to walking 4 or 5 miles most days now that will be one less shock to your system and the much smaller journey to Nursery then on to work will not seem so daunting when you have other things to stress about.