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Maybe home daycare? You can be with your child full time and make money at the same time. I tried it and realized I don't have the patience for it, but it works for some people!

Oh, gosh, do I understand how you feel. When I first had my youngest child (now 7 1/2 mos. old), I dreaded the thought of returning to my former job (which I had to do to fulfill the company's policy regarding FMLA). The people I worked for were AWESOME, and I was very fortunate in that I was able to get very reduced hours while my youngest daughter (age 19) watched her baby brother. So, in that respect, I didn't miss much (fortunately, most of the time he was napping), and I was SO glad to not have to use day care (which both my husband and I don't ever wish to use). Currently, I'm driving a small school bus for special needs' students, but just accepted another position for driving elderly people - and I can take the baby!! I've also looked through the yellow pages in our local phone book, and have asked various offices if they "outsourced" and payrolled those employees. Perhaps you could try the same. Also, depending on where you work and what you do, can you work from home? Something else to consider...if you're going to have the child in day care (until you come up with something else), it's going to eat up most, if not all, of what you earn (unless you earn quite a substantial amount). In many cases, it costs as much, if not more, to put a child in day care as you'll earn. It's not worth it, and besides, as you said so well, you want to be the one to raise your baby girl. Try the yellow pages, and don't be afraid to ask some of the businesses you call, in the event they don't outsource, if they know anybody that does. Let us know what you find out, as you might help somebody else with the same dilemma you're in. I think most of us would like to have some creative alternatives to taking care of our own children whilst earning an income...without having to file a 1099 at the end of the year.