Hi you're right it's insane for most of the time I used nurseries I took home literally tens of pounds a month, for some of it work was simply an expensive hobby since it cost me more to go there than I made a month.
However my sister pays way more than I do for her nursery in CT.
So as others have said you can use the free hours for the older one, you can use vouchers if either of your workplaces have them, you can look for a cheaper nursery (generally those in poorer neighbourhoods or with shorter hours) in a year you can try and persuade some preschools to offer your older daughter full days for 2 or 3 days a week, if you can you could do 4 days and your husband 4 which reduces your childcare needs to 3 days a week ummmm now I'm running out of ideas
Oh 2 more you can work from home or back to back with your husband ie
you nights he days what fun!
Failing that how long until you can rope the older ones in!!!!
Oh and welcome to London
Failing that how long until you can rope the older ones in!!!!