Like Mel I brought dd home as baby (10 months) and did/do not have local family. It is a HUGE adjustment as all have said, and I would never go back ditto as above.
One thing I found is that although I have many many supportive friends who can and have taken dd when I needed a break it has been easier and more natural to get breaks from my other single mom friends. Where most (but not all) of my married/non parent friends won't step in when dd is having a tough time (some special needs means this is more often than with some kids) my single mom friends will much more quickly take a more active role. This has occurred over time with a network of local single moms...we just sort of naturally without much discussion pick up the slack for each other when needed. Obviously this only works if parenting beliefs are similar but I find it easier to ask for help when I know that I will have the opportunity to give it back to someone in the same boat. I did not have these friends before adopting dd but met them through things like her gym class etc. We often take turns cooking or having playdates/sitting. Our kids (all onlys) have built sibling like relationships in some respects and since many of us are still also dating (or trying to squeeze that in) it is a built in support system for the issues this brings up as well
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It is the best, hardest thing. I have to laugh because at dinner tonight with one of my single mom friends and both our dd's the girls got into whining and saying I can't. I laughed and told them both, "your not going to get far saying that to two single mom's by adoption...you wouldn't be sitting here if we believed in I can't" Of course the girls just looked at us but my friend and I got a good chuckle.