Hiring a Maid for New-Born Babies

The first months with a newborn are a blur of feeds, nappies and laundry that never ends. If both parents work, or grandparents can't help full time, a live-in helper becomes the extra pair of hands that keeps the house running.

Here's how to plan the hire, what it costs, which skills matter, and the house rules that keep your baby safe.

Can I Get the $60 Maid Levy When I Have a Baby?

Yes. MOM grants the concessionary rate when you hire a helper and live with a child or grandchild below 16 years old who is a Singapore Citizen.

• The child must live at the same registered address as you
• A second helper at $60 needs a second eligible person, such as an older sibling or a grandparent aged 67+
• If the levy on your bill stays at $300 after the birth, check the address records and MOM's levy concession page
• The concession ends when your youngest qualifying child turns 16, unless someone else in the home qualifies

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When Should I Hire a Helper Before the Baby Is Born?

Start looking around the second trimester. Interviews, Work Permit approval, medical checks and travel can take several weeks, and a transfer helper already in Singapore is usually faster than a fresh one from overseas.

Confinement Nanny or Helper: Which Do I Need?

Many families use both. The nanny covers the first month, then hands over to the helper, who watches and learns in the meantime.

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What Infant Care Skills Should a Helper Have?

Look for real hands-on experience with babies under 1, and test it with scenario questions in the interview. Many employers prefer helpers who are mothers, but ask anyway.

Interview questions worth asking:

• The baby is crying and the stove is on. What do you do first?
• How do you check milk temperature?
• The baby feels hot and won't feed. Who do you call?
• Are you OK waking at night some days, and how should we plan your rest?

Should I Send My Helper for a Baby Care or First Aid Course?

It's money well spent. Infant first aid covering choking and CPR matters most, because she is often the first person on the scene when you're at work.

• Pick a course with hands-on practice on infant mannequins
• Take an antenatal or baby care class together if the provider allows it, so you both learn one method
• Book it on a weekday, so it doesn't eat into her rest day
• Refresh the training once the baby starts solids, when choking risks change

What Safe Sleep Rules Should My Helper Follow?

HealthHub and the Health Promotion Board follow the ABCs of safe sleep to lower the risk of sudden infant death. Teach them to your helper on day one and put them in writing.

• Keep the room comfortably cool and don't overdress the baby
• Use a swaddle the way you've shown her, and stop once the baby starts rolling
• Babies who fall asleep in a carrier or rocker should be moved to the cot

What Hygiene Rules Matter Most With a Newborn?

• Wash hands before touching the baby, after nappies, and after handling raw food
• Change nappies promptly to prevent nappy rash
• Use boiled and cooled water for formula, never straight from the tap
• Keep baby laundry and bottles separate from the household's
• If she feels unwell, she should tell you and wear a mask near the baby

What Should My Helper Do in a Baby Emergency?

• Ambulance and fire: 995. Police: 999
• Put your number, your spouse's and one backup contact on speed dial and on the fridge
• Show her the nearest hospital A&E with a children's service, and how to get there by taxi
• Keep a copy of the baby's health booklet and your address in the diaper bag

How Do I Set Boundaries and Keep Night Duty Fair?

A helper who wakes for every feed and cleans all day burns out fast. Decide the split before the baby arrives.

• Rank priorities: baby first, then cooking, then cleaning. Tell her the floors can wait
• If she does night feeds, give her rest in the day
• Keep feeding and bedtime decisions with the parents, so baby care follows one set of rules
• Give her at least the legal minimum of 1 rest day a month that can't be paid off, and cover it yourselves

Can I Install a Camera to Watch My Helper and Baby?

Many Singapore families use a baby monitor or home camera. Keep it open and respectful.

• Tell her where the cameras are, ideally at the interview
• Point them at the nursery and living areas, never her room or the toilet
• Use footage to coach, and talk to her first before assuming the worst

P.S. Midnight feeds are still yours if you want them. A good helper just makes sure the bottle is sterilised and the kitchen is clean when you stumble in at 3am.