Pandemic of course messed with much of the social infra the world over, BUT no real social option for child care in a developed country is a very USA problem. Good family leave policy (1 year+) and wide availability of kindergarten-type facilities (no it’s not a “grade” in childcare, it’s a type of a facility) with universal guarantee of availability are the norm elsewhere and do wonders to enable parents to work.

When caring for a newborn for more than a few weeks means one becomes unemployed, no wonder families decide to not play that game until kids are a bit older. Otherwise, you look for a job just to risk needing a leave that can result in loss of this job if the kid gets sufficiently sick.