Where I used to live, there wasn't much competition with daycare and the costs were extraordinary.

When I was a single mum, I didn't have a car or license or much else. I looked at getting a job and actually had one lined up. BUT I would have been $60 worse off a week!! That cost was just with the out of pocket daycare for two children and then taxi fees to the daycare centre and then to work as there was no public transport in the area.

I couldn't believe it, and I had no choice but to stay on the single mother's pension which believe me doesn't cover alot at all once you take out rent and bills and feeding two children.

Gave me a new appreciation for single mums and stopped me judging the ones I thought had babies so they could 'bludge' of the government, the money no where near covered things.

I went back to work when both children were in school and that was obviously much more cost effective. My partner and I started a business and therefore I only had to work in school hours and took days off if the kids' were sick and also took most of their holidays off (they came to work with us a few days a week). Then I had to leave due to pregnancy complications at 16 weeks as it was a high manual labour job. For me, being a SAHM is very important and the right thing for me, so I will be doing this till this baby is in school. Although I will look at doing something from home as well, and as it stands, I do all business paperwork and phonecalling and quotes. I also will probably rotate parenting with DP when the baby gets older and I will do days at work while he stays home, perhaps once a week.

I count myself very lucky to have that flexibility and I really feel badly for some people that don't even have the choice to work, or work for only such a little bit more.