I would like to go back to work after 3 months maternity leave (which I won't really get but I'm still taking it from short term disability... that's a whole nother story) but I don't know how I will afford it? I make $26 (OT qualified) an hour plus my finance's salary so we make a good living wage but I don't know how I can afford a sitter $15-$20 an hour (more than half of my hourly wage) to be able to go back to work? 

How do people do it? I see people who work at McDonald's obviously making $15 an hour going back to work but who takes care of their baby? Even if you have family don't they work? Plus I don't think they'd do it for free unless it was your parents... Unfortunately I never knew my father and my mother is too sick, plus everyone I know including my mother and my fiancés family are in Texas. We are pretty much alone here but I can imagine lots of people are in similar situations when they move for a job and get pregnant??

I really want to know how can I make this work? What have other people done or plan to do?

FYI this will be our first child and pregnancy for both of us