Daycare or stay at home?

Hi Ladies, I'm due to return back to work from maternity soon, but there's been tears at the thought of leaving LO. I would love to stay home with LO, but I can't help but feel they would thrive more in daycare. Especially being around other children, being an only child at home. My partner is supportive of the idea of me staying home. Our bills would be covered, but wouldn't have a great deal left over. I guess I'd like to hear people's similar experiences. Were you happy with your decision to put your LO into daycare/stay at home?

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I go back 10th March as we can't afford for me to be off longer. LG will have just turned 5 months. If we could afford to, I'd take longer - we currently rent and want to buy so need to save which we can't do if I don't work. We don't have family nearby to help so I'll be working 2 nights and a Saturday afternoon so my husband can have her. If we had family nearby, I would swap the nights and Saturday for short shifts during the week as if get more time with LG and full weekends as a family. If you can afford to, I'd stay off as you can always take lo to baby groups and wait till they're older for childcare x

I couldn't be a stay at home mum. I just mentally couldn't do it. I like working, i like having a break from the kids, i like focusing on something else and feeling more than just a mum. I had my oldest just before covid hit, which meant by the time i came to return back to work, my job no longer existed and i couldn't get him into nursery as it was for key workers only. I managed to find another job and he started nursery at 14 months. He absolutely thrived, as has my middle child. If you find the fight nursery, you will never regret sending them.

I had to go back to work when my daughter was about 4months, but I would have loved to stay home with her longer. You can always have playdates and join toddler activities for more interactions with other kids

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