Confinement nanny in Singapore: the cost, what she does day to day, and whether you need one

A confinement nanny in Singapore costs roughly $120 to $146 a day on agencies' own price pages, or about $3,800 to $4,100 for a 28-day live-in package, before the extras. NannySOS starts at $1,999 for 14 days, Xpress caps its 28-day package at $3,800, PEM quotes about $3,880 and NewBubs starts at $146 a day. On top come the government levy for a Malaysian nanny ($60 a month for a Singapore citizen baby), her insurance, her meals, herbs and a red packet. She cooks your confinement meals, cares for the baby and usually handles night feeds so you can sleep. Below are the prices side by side, what pushes the bill up, a day in her schedule, the night-care question, and a checklist to decide whether you need one at all.

Confinement nanny cost in Singapore: agency prices compared

These are the prices each agency publishes on its own website, read on 11 October 2026. Agencies quote in different units, so the last column is our own sum for a 28-day stay where the page allows it. Prices change, and every agency asks you to enquire for a final quote.

No agency page we read publishes a separate rate for a Singaporean or PR nanny, so ask. A local nanny needs no work permit or levy, which saves the extras below.

Live-in, daytime or night-only

Live-in is the usual arrangement: she stays for the whole stay and takes the nights. Daytime nannies keep set hours, 8am to 6pm at Xpress and 9am to 5pm at NewBubs, and go home. Xpress also offers night-only cover from 9pm to 7am. Daytime help is not much cheaper: PEM's daytime package starts at the same $3,880 as its live-in one, and Xpress's daytime rate is $16 a day below its live-in rate. What you save is the spare room and the privacy.

The extras that raise the bill

A worked example: a 28-day live-in package at $3,800, the $60 levy for a Singapore citizen baby, the $35 permit fee, an ang bao of $88 on the first day and $188 on the last, and $580 of herbs come to $4,751, before groceries and insurance if the package doesn't include it. Our baby cost estimator, the rest of our parenting tools and our guide to budgeting for a baby in Singapore help you fit that into the first year.

Do you need a confinement nanny?

Not always. HealthHub notes that some mothers find a confinement nanny, or an experienced female friend or relative, helps them settle in during the first weeks. The question is who will cook, who will take the nights, and who will lift and carry while you heal. Use your situation to decide.

If you decide against a live-in nanny, our confinement guide has a rest plan for doing it yourselves, and a daytime confinement arrangement covers the hours when you're alone.

What a confinement nanny does day to day

Agencies describe the job as caring for two people: your baby and you. This sample day follows KKH's advice to breastfeed on demand every two to three hours, night feeds included. It is an illustration, not a contract, so agree your own routine in writing.

What is in the job, and what isn't

The night-care question: does she sleep with the baby?

It's the question parents ask most, and the answer is your choice. PEM says it depends on you and your spouse's preference, because newborns wake every few hours. The common arrangements:

• The baby sleeps in the nanny's room. She settles the baby between feeds and brings the baby to you to breastfeed, or gives expressed milk or formula, which gives you the longest stretch of sleep.
• The baby sleeps in your room. She comes in for nappy changes and settling. You see more of your baby at night but sleep less.
• A mix. The baby is with her until the early-morning feed, then with you.

Whichever you choose, follow HealthHub's safe-sleep advice: let your baby sleep in your room but not in your bed, on their back, in a cot with no blankets, pillows, bumpers or soft toys for the first 6 months. If the cot goes in the nanny's room, the same rules apply there. Tell her on day one, because older customs sometimes differ. If you are breastfeeding, KKH's advice to feed on demand every two to three hours, including at night, also helps prevent engorgement. Our postnatal recovery guide covers how your own body heals over the same weeks.

Local or foreign nanny: the work permit you need to know about

Confinement nannies are either locals (Singaporeans or Permanent Residents) or Malaysians on a short-term work permit. If you hire a Malaysian nanny, MOM's rules affect your timeline and budget. Our full guide to the confinement nanny work permit walks through the application.

• Who applies: the employer, who must be 21 or older with a newborn under four months old. An agency can apply for you.
• When to apply: from 4 weeks before your expected delivery date, up to 16 weeks after the birth. MOM processes it within a week unless it needs more information.
• How long it lasts: up to 16 weeks from your child's birth, which is why the 28-day stay is common.
• The nanny: she must be Malaysian and at least 23 and below 70 years old when you apply, and MOM leaves the medical examination optional.
• The levy: $60 a month if your baby is a Singapore citizen, $300 a month if not. If you already employ a helper, MOM combines both levies in one GIRO deduction.
• Insurance and tax: you need medical cover of at least $60,000 a year for policies starting on or after 1 July 2023, and MOM notes that her salary is taxable.

A local nanny needs no permit or levy, but locals are fewer and book out fast. Check the current rules on mom.gov.sg before you sign.

Live-in or daytime: which arrangement suits you

There are two common shapes for the help, and the right one depends on your home, support network and how much you need overnight.

Live-in nanny

A live-in nanny stays in your home for the whole engagement, usually giving hands-on help around the clock including overnight feeds. It is the most intensive support, and for sleep-deprived first-time parents it can be a lifeline. The trade-offs: you need a spare room or proper sleeping space, and you are sharing your home with another adult day and night during a private, raw season.

Daytime nanny

A daytime nanny comes in for set hours and goes home at day's end. This suits families without room for a live-in helper, those who value privacy at night, or parents who want strong daytime support while keeping nights to themselves. If that sounds like you, Fussy Mama offers daytime confinement support as a flexible alternative to a live-in arrangement.

Agency or freelance: weighing the trade-offs

Agencies keep a vetted pool of nannies, while freelance nannies usually come recommended by friends or parent groups. Both can work well, with different risks.

Hiring through an agency

• Pros: a vetted pool of nannies, a written contract, handling of the work permit, levy and insurance for foreign nannies, and usually a replacement policy if your nanny falls ill or is not the right fit.
• Cons: typically costs more, and if your first choice is unavailable you may have less say over the replacement. Packages vary widely, so confirm exactly what is included before you commit.

Hiring a freelance nanny

• Pros: often recommended by someone you trust, can feel more personal, and you deal with the nanny directly with no middleman markup.
• Cons: no agency safety net, so you check references yourself, arrange any permit, levy and insurance for a foreign nanny, and need a backup plan if she cannot come. Put the key terms in writing anyway.

Whichever route you pick, check references and ask about situations that may apply to you, such as twins, a caesarean recovery, jaundice, or hands-on breastfeeding support. A nanny who is wonderful with a textbook newborn may be less suited to a complex first few weeks.

How far ahead should you book?

Earlier than most first-time parents expect. Experienced, well-reviewed nannies are in high demand and can be booked out months ahead, so many Singapore families start looking in the second trimester, and the best-reviewed nannies are taken first. If your baby is due near Chinese New Year, book even earlier, because availability tightens and rates rise.

It helps to have a rough timeline. Our due date calculator gives an estimated date to plan the search around.

What to settle before you hire

A clear conversation up front prevents most of the friction families hit later. Before you confirm anyone, talk through the following and write down what you agree, whether agency or freelance.

1. Duties and boundaries: exactly what she will and will not do, so neither side is quietly disappointed.
2. Diet and dishes: the confinement meals she cooks, whether she can adapt for allergies, halal, vegetarian or a lighter palate, and who buys the groceries.
3. Hours and overnight care: start and end times for a daytime nanny, and how night feeds are handled if she lives in.
4. Days off and breaks: whether she takes a rest day, and who covers baby and meals if she does.
5. Dialect and language: the language or dialect she is most comfortable in. This matters more than people expect when you are exhausted and want instructions understood the first time.
6. References: contact details of past families you can speak to, plus her own health and how she keeps baby's areas clean.

Cultural confinement practices: what is tradition and what is choice

Many customs come from Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions: staying warm, avoiding cold foods, herbal baths, ginger-based meals, abdominal binding, and resting at home for the month. A good nanny often follows the practices she knows best. These can be comforting, but most are personal choices rather than medical requirements, so keep what feels right and gently set aside the rest. If a practice clashes with your doctor's advice (for example around wound care or diet after a caesarean), follow your doctor, and tell your nanny your preferences early so she can care for you in a way that suits your family.

Setting expectations and other ways to get support

Even the best nanny is not a substitute for your own recovery or your instincts as a parent. She is there to support you, not take over. Be clear and kind about how you like things done, give it a few days to settle into a rhythm, and speak up early if something is not working. With an agency you can usually request a change; with a freelancer, agree in advance what happens if it is not the right fit. If you are struggling emotionally rather than just tired, that is common and worth taking seriously: our guide to postnatal depression and where to get help in Singapore points you to support.

A nanny is not the only path. Some families book a residential stay instead, and our confinement centre guide compares eight centres' prices and inclusions. Some families prefer confinement food delivery in Singapore for the meals while handling baby care themselves, lean on a parent or in-law, or bring in a postnatal doula or lactation consultant for targeted support. Fussy Mama also offers post-natal support services and post-natal massage to suit different needs and budgets. Related reading: our guides to baby's full month celebration.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a confinement nanny cost in Singapore?

About $120 to $146 a day on the agency price pages we read in October 2026, which works out to roughly $3,800 to $4,100 for a 28-day live-in package, while NannySOS starts at $1,999 for 14 days. Add the MOM levy for a Malaysian nanny ($60 a month for a Singapore citizen baby), insurance, herbs, her meals and an ang bao.

Is a daytime confinement nanny cheaper than a live-in one?

A little, or not at all. Xpress's daytime rate starts at $120 a day against $136 for live-in, and PEM's daytime and live-in packages both start at $3,880 for 28 days. The saving is space and privacy rather than money.

Does a confinement nanny sleep with the baby?

Only if you want her to, and never in the same bed. Many families put the baby's cot in her room so she can settle the baby between feeds. HealthHub's safe-sleep advice still applies: no bed-sharing, baby on their back, and an empty cot.

Do I need a confinement nanny after a C-section?

Help of some kind is close to essential. KKH says not to lift heavy objects for at least two months after a caesarean, and NUH says recovery takes at least 6 weeks. A nanny, a relative or daytime help can carry the load while your wound heals.

Do I need a work permit for a confinement nanny?

You do if you hire a foreign (Malaysian) nanny: she works on a Work Permit for confinement nanny, valid for up to 16 weeks from your baby's birth and not renewable. The employer applies and pays a monthly levy that depends on the baby's citizenship, and medical insurance is required. A local Singaporean or PR nanny does not need this permit. Confirm the current rules on mom.gov.sg.

When should I start looking for a confinement nanny?

Often around the second trimester. Sought-after nannies book out months ahead, and demand spikes around festive periods such as Chinese New Year. Booking early gives you the best choice and a buffer if your baby arrives off-schedule.

What is the difference between a confinement nanny and a stay-in nanny?

They overlap. A stay-in (live-in) nanny lodges in your home and provides round-the-clock help, while a daytime nanny works set hours and goes home. A confinement nanny is engaged specifically for the recovery period after birth, and can be either live-in or daytime.

How do I check a confinement nanny is reliable?

Call references from past families, interview her about scenarios that matter to you (night feeds, breastfeeding support, recovering from a caesarean, twins), and trust your read on her warmth and communication. With an agency, ask how it screens and trains its nannies and what happens if one has to be replaced.

Take your time, ask plenty of questions, and pick the arrangement that genuinely fits your family. The goal is simple: more rest for mum, good care for baby, and a calmer start.