Giving birth is one thing you cannot restart

My partner and I decided to have a baby after 3 all the years been together and we thought we were ready. We budgeted, tracked spending, thought we had it “good enough.”

Fast forward—our 3-month-old needs care, and childcare costs? Basically as much as our rent. We’d planned a nanny-share with friends, but they just backed out. Suddenly, we’re scrambling. Full-time nanny is impossible, full-time parenting for my partner would wreck her career, and loans for nannies… yeah, not a thing.

We’re exploring options but coming up empty. I feel trapped, overwhelmed, and honestly, I hate myself for not planning better, for not earning more, for feeling like I’m failing my son and my partner.

Has anyone been in this situation? How do you even start to make childcare affordable without feeling like you’re drowning? #AskLemon8 #letschat