Preparing for labour in Singapore: things to do before giving birth, week by week

Preparing for labour in Singapore is mostly a list of things to do before giving birth, spread over the last 12 weeks: book your antenatal class and hospital tour by about 30 weeks, sort the hospital admission and MediSave paperwork by 34, line up confinement help and the car seat, have the GBS swab between 35 and 37 weeks, pack the hospital bag and talk through your birth plan with your doctor at about 36 weeks, and give your employer notice of maternity leave. Then plan D-day: who drives, which entrance, and what the signs are that it is time to go. The countdown below puts it in order, with the Singapore rules and hospital advice behind each step.

Most first-time mothers here deliver with their own obstetrician (gynae) or under a public hospital team at KKH, NUH or SGH. Wherever you give birth, the advice on the day is the same: when in doubt, call the delivery suite.

Things to do before giving birth: a week-by-week countdown

Admission paperwork

At KKH, the Admissions Office (Level 1, Women's Tower) and the online Admissions Buddy Portal, which you log into with Singpass, give financial counselling and an estimate of your delivery and ward bill. Bring your appointment booklet, your admissions folder if you chose a package or room, and your NRIC or passport on the day. Private hospitals have their own pre-admission forms, so ask your gynae's clinic when to file them. Our hospital maternity packages guide compares prices, and the delivery cost calculator shows what MediSave covers.

The car seat

By law, any child shorter than 1.35 metres must ride in an approved child restraint, so your baby needs one for the drive home from hospital. SingHealth's newborn advice is a rear-facing seat in the back, up to two years old; carrying your baby in your arms or a carrier in a car is unsafe. Fit it a few weeks early and practise buckling a doll or soft toy. Our car seat guide covers the standards and a fitting checklist.

Confinement bookings

Decide early whether you want a confinement centre, a live-in nanny, family help or meals delivered, because the popular options book out months ahead. If your nanny is Malaysian, you can apply for her work permit online from 4 weeks before your due date; our guide to the confinement nanny work permit walks through the MOM rules and fees. For meals, see our confinement food delivery guide.

Work and leave

MOM's rules: give your employer at least 4 weeks' notice before government-paid maternity leave, or you may get only half the pay. Our maternity leave calculator works out your dates and pay.

D-day planning

Most first labours start slowly, so you usually have time. Agree the plan before you need it.

Use our contraction timer, and it shows the pattern as you go.

The three stages of labour, in brief

Labour has three stages. In the first, contractions open your cervix to 10cm; HealthXchange's KKH anaesthetists put it at 8 to 12 hours for first-time mothers. The second stage is pushing and the birth, up to 1 to 1.5 hours for a first baby, HealthHub says. The third is the placenta, usually 5 to 30 minutes after the birth according to SGH.

Our full guide to the stages of labour and dilation explains each one in centimetres.

Early signs that labour is starting

Labour rarely begins as dramatically as it does in films. KKH lists three signs of labour: strong and regular contractions, a blood-stained mucus "show", and a sudden gush or continuous trickle of clear fluid from the vagina.

• Contractions that get longer, stronger and closer together, and do not ease when you rest or change position.
• Your waters breaking, as a gush or a trickle you cannot stop.
• A show: the mucus plug coming away, pink or lightly blood-streaked.
• A dull low backache or period-like cramps.

Braxton Hicks practice contractions are common in late pregnancy. They stay irregular and usually painless, and they do not open the cervix. Our signs of labour guide goes through how to tell them apart.

Time to go to the hospital?

Singapore hospitals give slightly different rules of thumb. HealthHub says to wait a while if you are not sure, and to go in when the pain is persistent and getting steadily worse. SGH gives the example of contractions every 10 to 15 minutes for more than 2 hours, and NUH lists regular contractions 5 to 15 minutes apart. If this is your first baby, the simplest move is to call your delivery suite or gynae when you think labour has started and let them guide you.

How to prepare your body before the due date

You cannot control how labour unfolds, but you can arrive rested, informed and as fit as possible. If you reach your due date with no sign of labour, our guide on how to start labour naturally sorts what works from what doesn't.

• Keep moving with safe, low-impact activity such as walking, prenatal yoga or swimming, if your gynae agrees.
• Practise upright and forward-leaning positions, and the breathing you will use in contractions.
• Eat regular, balanced meals, with enough water.
• Learn what pain relief is available, from breathing and warm water to gas, pethidine and the epidural.
• Sleep and rest as much as you can; early labour can be long.

Our guide to antenatal classes in Singapore explains your options, and our epidural and labour pain relief guide helps you decide before the day rather than in the middle of a contraction.

How to prepare your mind and your birth plan

Feeling informed and supported makes labour easier to handle, even when it does not go to plan. Talk through your hopes and worries with your partner, your gynae and whoever will be with you in the delivery room.

A birth plan sets out your preferences, from pain relief and positions to who is present and how you feel about interventions. It is not a contract, and your team may need to adapt for your safety or your baby's. Our guide to writing a birth plan in Singapore covers what hospitals allow. If a caesarean is possible, read ahead about c-section recovery in Singapore.

What to pack in your hospital bag

Have your bag packed and by the door by about 36 weeks. Pack for yourself, your baby and any partner staying over: loose clothes and a going-home outfit, toiletries, maternity pads, nursing bras, your NRIC and hospital papers, snacks, a phone charger, and bodysuits and a swaddle for your baby, with the car seat fitted. Our hospital bag checklist for Singapore lists what hospitals already supply, so you pack once.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important things to do before giving birth?

Book your antenatal class and hospital tour, finish the admission and MediSave paperwork, fit the car seat, arrange confinement help, have the GBS swab, pack the bag and agree your birth plan by about 36 weeks, and give your employer notice of maternity leave.

How long does labour usually last for a first baby in Singapore?

HealthXchange's KKH anaesthetists put the first stage at 8 to 12 hours for first-time mothers. Pushing can take up to 1 to 1.5 hours, and the placenta usually follows within 5 to 30 minutes. A second baby usually arrives faster than the first did.

When exactly should I head to the hospital?

When contractions are persistent and getting stronger. SGH's example is contractions every 10 to 15 minutes for more than 2 hours, and NUH lists 5 to 15 minutes apart. Go in straight away if your waters break, you bleed, your baby moves less, or you have signs of labour before 37 weeks.

When should I pack my hospital bag?

By about 36 weeks, since babies do not always wait for the due date. Keep your documents and the car seat with it.

Do I need a birth plan to give birth in Singapore?

No, it is optional, but many parents find it helps to think through their preferences and share them. KKH's doctors suggest discussing labour and pain relief with your doctor at around 36 weeks.