Last year I was almost that other Mum - DD1 was in childcare 4 days a week. We have no option other than childcare for when I'm at work, we have no one else to watch our girls.

If I was the other Mum I wouldn't think anything of it. I find the conversation of childcare comes up quite regularly these days when Im at Playgroup or other activities with my girls. It tends to pop up when we talk about the varying activities we do with our kids each week. If someone says to me they don't use childcare I tend to have two simiultaneous thoughts. 1. You're lucky that you don't need it (especially if they are working and have someone else care for their kids) and 2. (Especially if they don't work) when do you get a break? I don't say this to people, that is just my thought process.

Personally, I love our childcare and so does DD1. Admittedly I personally didnt like putting her in 4 days last year, but its what we had to do. I'm hoping the 3 days each girl will go for next year will be a better balance for us.

EDIT: just as a bit more perspective. One Mum I know, when asked about childcare says that no, her child doesn't go; she didn't become a Mum to send her child to be cared for by someone else. Even as someone who uses childcare, I don't take offence to this (and she doesn't mean it with any offence intended). Everyone parents differently and has different situations.