Expecting · Checklist
Confinement countdown checklist
Reach your due date with the help booked, the bag packed and the paperwork mapped out, one small job at a time. Count the weeks back from your estimated due date and write the real date beside each one.
Download the PDF (A4, 2 pages)Open to print
Use it with: Confinement countdown checklist tool · What do I need to sort out before baby arrives?
1Before baby arrives
- Week 20 beforeBook confinement helpNannies and caterers for popular months fill early. Decide what help you want and book it.
- Week 16 beforePlan the moneyRun the Baby Bonus Maximiser and decide how much you will save into the CDA.
- Week 12 beforeBook antenatal classes and a delivery-ward tourAsk your hospital what it runs and when.
- Week 8 beforeChoose your CDA bankYou pick POSB/DBS, OCBC or UOB in the Baby Bonus part of birth registration, so decide now.
- Week 8 beforeTell your employer about maternity leave OfficialMOM: at least 4 weeks before your leave starts, and leave can start 4 weeks before the birth. Agree dates with both employers; the Parental Leave Planner shows how the weeks fit.
- Week 6 beforePack the hospital bagBoth parents' NRICs, marriage certificate, antenatal notes, baby's going-home outfit, chargers, snacks.
- Week 4 beforeSort the logistics for the big dayCar seat fitted, route to the hospital, who looks after older children.
- Week 4 beforeStock the first fortnight at homeDiapers, wipes, feeding things, easy meals, and a list of who brings what.
2After baby arrives
- BirthKeep the hospital's birth papers safeYou need the birth details to register on LifeSG.
- Week 2 afterRegister the birth on LifeSG OfficialWithin 42 days of birth, S$18 per child. LifeSG asks for a credit or debit card; ICA’s page also lists PayNow. A digital birth certificate is issued.
- Week 2 afterEnrol for the Baby Bonus or the SG Child Support Package in the same flow OfficialOptional and only if eligible. You give a parent's bank account, your CDA bank and the trustee's details.
- Week 3 afterOpen the CDA at your chosen bank OfficialFollow the email and LifeSG notification you receive after enrolment. The First Step Grant is paid in automatically.
- Week 4 afterBook the 2-month vaccinationsThe next doses on the national schedule are due at 2 months. Track them on the Vaccination Record Card.
- Day 42Last day to register the birth OfficialIf it is done, tick and rest.
Expecting · Checklist
Our confinement contacts and helpers
Put every number you will need at 3am on one page, and agree who does what in the first weeks before anyone is tired.
| Who | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital delivery suite | ||
| Obstetrician or clinic | ||
| Baby's doctor or polyclinic | ||
| Confinement nanny | ||
| Confinement food caterer | ||
| Lactation help | ||
| Family helper |
1Who does what in the first weeks
| Job | Weekdays | Nights and weekends |
|---|---|---|
| Meals for mum | ||
| Laundry and cleaning | ||
| Older children | ||
| LifeSG and bank admin |
Official steps are marked Official. Every other line is common practice, not a rule; move it to suit your family. Born from 1 April 2027? The SG Child Support Package replaces the Baby Bonus, and enrolment is offered in birth registration.
Sources: LifeSG, Register your child’s birth, life.gov.sg/services-tools/birth-registration; LifeSG, Baby Bonus Child Development Account (CDA), life.gov.sg/family-parenting/benefits-support/baby-bonus-scheme/cda; LifeSG, SG Child Support Package, life.gov.sg/family-parenting/benefits-support/sg-child-support-package; Communicable Diseases Agency, Vaccinations (National Childhood Immunisation Schedule), cda.gov.sg/public/vaccinations, checked 10 October 2026; MOM, Planning your maternity leave, mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/maternity-leave/planning-your-leave, and ICA, Register Birth and Download Digital Birth Certificate, ica.gov.sg/documents/birth/birth_registration, checked 12 October 2026, with LifeSG birth registration re-read the same day.
Updated 12 October 2026. Print on A4, portrait, black and white is fine. Stick it on the fridge from week 20.