So you are currently experiencing this, well done, it's a real journey, what part of the TTC journey are you in?
About planning it sooner, yes, I think most people doing this journey has those thoughts of "why didn't I do this ages ago?", I had those thoughts too, I wasted so much time on trying to get lucky with love but all my relationships turned out like a horror movie. I really don't need a partner, I like being solo/lone/single and any other words to describe doing it alone.
About the cycles, it's different for everyone, it's full of anxiety, so stressful, you don't know the outcome, it's so unknown and you just got to get it done. And the medical injections (stims) ohh my god it's very stressful. I hope I am not scaring anyone reading this.
About the return to work and childcare situation. Again, it's different for everyone. You won't believe how your physical body changes and all those hormones affecting the body and mind. There are other scary stuff too but I really don't want to scare off anyone reading this, things can happen postpartum like healthwise, like complications affecting health (I am going through this). So certain things can change plans. Even birth plans can change. Regarding childcare/nurseries, yes this needs to be planned, it's so important.