Quick answer
Three dates matter most. Register the birth on LifeSG within 42 days. Change the Shared Parental Leave split within 4 weeks of the birth if 5 and 5 does not suit you. And note 1 April 2027: babies born from then get the SG Child Support Package instead of the Baby Bonus.
The useful number: Register the birth within 42 days. The birth date decides between the Baby Bonus and the SG Child Support Package.
Your dates, from one due date
Enter your due date to see each leave, registration and support date. Tick them off as you go.
Loading the official figures…
Which decisions and deadlines are ahead?
- About 20 weeks before your due date: book confinement help if you want it (typical practice, not a rule).
- About 16 weeks before: check your baby’s support. Babies born from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027 get the Baby Bonus Scheme; from 1 April 2027, the SG Child Support Package. Read How much will the Baby Bonus and CDA give my baby?.
- Before the birth: plan your leave. From 1 April 2026, a couple gets 16 weeks maternity, 4 weeks paternity and 10 weeks shared: 30 weeks. Read How much parental leave do we get, and how should we split it?.
- About 10 months before you return to work: join preschool waitlists (a typical lead time). Infant care takes babies from 2 months.
- After the birth: register the birth on LifeSG within 42 days (S$18). Apply for the Baby Bonus and pick your CDA bank in the same flow.
- Within 4 weeks of the birth: change the Shared Parental Leave split on LifeSG if you need to.
Which tools and downloads help?
- Confinement countdown checklist: every task dated to your due date.
- Baby Bonus + CDA maximiser: your baby’s support and the CDA matching to claim.
- Parental leave planner: each parent’s weeks.
- First-year baby cost estimator: year one, explained in What will our baby’s first year really cost?.
- Preschool waitlist timeline planner: when to join waitlists.
Print the Confinement countdown checklist and the Birth registration, Baby Bonus and CDA steps. Members can use the Employer conversation template before talking to HR.
What should you check elsewhere?
LifeSG, MOM and ECDA decide eligibility. Keep the Child Health Booklet safe, and discuss any health worry with your doctor.
Printables for this guide
Confinement countdown checklist
A week-by-week list to the due date: confinement help, hospital bag and paperwork. Then register the birth and open the CDA within the official deadlines.
Birth registration, Baby Bonus and CDA steps
The steps in order: register the birth on LifeSG within 42 days and enrol in the same flow. Then open the CDA for the First Step Grant and co-matching.
Employer conversation template
Prepare a flexible work request with a plan for how the work gets done. Covers MOM's rules on formal requests and childcare leave, with a request to fill in.
Start with your own details
Each tool works from your own dates and numbers, and child details stay on your phone.
Date every task to your due date →Frequently asked questions
What should I do first when I find out I am pregnant?
Start with your doctor or hospital for your care. For the admin, date every task with the confinement countdown checklist.
How long do we have to register the birth?
42 days, on LifeSG. It costs S$18, and the Baby Bonus application is in the same flow.
When should we look for infant care?
Many parents join waitlists about 10 months before returning to work. That is typical, not an official rule. Infant care takes babies from 2 months.
Keep this guide for the next big decision.
Build your own reading list and pick up where you left off with a free RaisingAngels account.
Free account · Tools stay free without an account.
Sources & assumptions
- LifeSG — Register your child’s birth ↗
- LifeSG — Baby Bonus Scheme ↗
- LifeSG — SG Child Support Package ↗
- MOM — Shared parental leave ↗
- ECDA — Overview of the infant and childcare subsidy scheme ↗
Waitlist lead times are typical parent experience, not official deadlines.