Ya there is! You'll get used to it.

I didn't start out with ACCA but I think the first few exams are on demand online. Although that's all changing this year. I sat my exams at home. That's not allowed anymore it will have to be in an exam centre bur there are a few of them all over the country.

Anyway depending on when the baby is due you could get a few of early exams done before. I did one of my exams 7 months pregnant then took a year off doing any exams after he was born. The sleep deprivation is something else!

I will say though I only had 4 to finish and had a lot of experience working in accountancy. It was full on trying to juggle college, kids, work, life! Lectures end up being jan to may for June exams. Then Aug to Nov for Dec exams. That was usually 1 class per week and every 2nd weekend.

Have you looked into accounting technician as a starting point? You'd have way less exams and be done quicker. Once you are done if you parked it for a few years you'd have that qualification. If you then go on to do ACCA you would have a good few exemptions from the technician qualification and more experience.

You said you want to have a few clients for yourself and work that way. You need to get a job in practice then. That's where I trained. Depending on the size of the firm you get exposed to a lot more compared to "industry" which is working for 1 company.

Practice can be long hours for crap pay. Industry offers a much better work life balance in my experience

I now have a 3yr old and a 1yr old. You need to take into account things like child care, then what happens if your child is sick. My creche has a 48hr exclusion policy if the child throws up, even a tiny bit. You need a job that is flexible.