Choosing between a daytime vs full-time confinement nanny can feel urgent when you are planning for birth, recovery, and newborn care. In Singapore, many expecting parents start with a simple question: “How much support will we truly need once the baby arrives?”
The right answer depends on your recovery, your feeding plan, your partner’s leave, and whether you expect help from family. When you match the nanny’s hours to your real-life routine, you protect your rest, your confidence, and your baby’s day-to-day stability.
Daytime vs Full-Time Confinement Nanny: Which is The Best for Postpartum Care?
For postpartum support, families often compare two setups:
- Daytime nanny: Support during agreed daytime hours, then you manage evenings and nights.
- Full-time nanny: Support across day and night baby care, with structured rest time for the nanny.
In confinement care, the nanny’s role typically centres on newborn routines and mum’s recovery support at home, rather than general household management.
What a Confinement Nanny Supports (So You Can Compare Properly)
Before you decide on hours, confirm the job scope you actually need during confinement. A well-trained confinement nanny can support:
- Day and night baby care (feeds support, burping, soothing, diaper changes, sleep routines)
- Confinement food and tonic cooking that suits your recovery needs and preferences
- Herbal bath preparation (for mum’s bathing routine during confinement)
- Breastfeeding guidance (practical positioning, latch support, pumping rhythm, and comfort tips)
- Laundry for mum and baby (especially baby clothes, towels, and linens)
If you are weighing day versus full-time nanny options, use this scope as your checklist and then decide which option best covers the most challenging moments.
Daytime Confinement Nanny: When It Fits Best
A daytime arrangement works well when nights are manageable for you and your partner, or when you have reliable night support from family. It also suits mums who recover steadily and mainly want guidance, reassurance, and hands-on help during the day.
Daytime support often helps most with:
- Establishing feeding routines and baby settling techniques
- Learning baby hygiene routines confidently (baths, cord care guidance, safe handling)
- Keeping mum nourished with confinement food and herbal soups
- Preventing “daytime overwhelm” when baby cluster feeds or naps unpredictably
If you are researching a daytime confinement nanny in Singapore, consider how you will manage the evening stretch, particularly in the early weeks when the baby’s sleep patterns remain irregular. For guidance and support, explore our confinement nanny services.
Full-Time Confinement Nanny: When It Is the Safer Choice
Full-time support suits families who expect tougher nights, slower recovery, limited partner leave, or minimal nearby help. Many first-time parents choose full-time because they want consistent guidance through the steepest learning curve.
Full-time care can be invaluable when:
- You are recovering from a C-section or a more physically demanding birth
- You plan to breastfeed and want structured support during night feeds
- Your partner returns to work quickly or works long hours
- You have a toddler at home and need steadier coverage
- You want a more structured company during recovery time
Full-time does not mean the nanny works without rest. A professional confinement plan incorporates proper breaks, allowing the nanny to provide safe and consistent care throughout the assignment.
Side-by-Side Comparison (Postpartum Reality Check)
| What are you comparing | Daytime confinement nanny | Full-time confinement nanny |
| Night support | You and your partner manage nights | Nanny supports day and night baby care with planned rest |
| Best for | Families with night help or confident night coverage | Families who need steadier support across the whole day |
| Breastfeeding support | Strong daytime guidance, nights depend on you | More continuity for positioning, pumping rhythm, and night comfort |
| Recovery support | Meals, baths prep, daytime rest | More protected rest blocks for mum, including night recovery |
| Budget approach | Lower total hours | Higher total hours, often more predictable coverage |
When deciding between a daytime and full-time confinement nanny, focus on your most demanding hours, not just your best hours.
The Cost Question: Think in Hours, but Also in Hidden Load
Many parents start by comparing hourly coverage. International cost surveys indicate that the cost of part-time nannies increases with the number of hours worked. At the same time, full-time care yields a higher weekly total and may involve additional considerations, such as payroll administration and overtime rules, in specific markets.
Use the cost conversation to clarify two practical points:
- If you choose daytime only, do you have a realistic night plan for at least the first 2 to 3 weeks?
- If you choose full-time, do you have a clear schedule that protects mum’s sleep and keeps the nanny’s duties focused on postpartum needs?
Disclaimer: Any cost figures found in overseas surveys are for general reference only and may not reflect Singapore pricing, packages, or applicable employment requirements. Always request a formal quotation tailored to your specific home needs, dates, and service scope.
Common Concerns Mums Share (and How to Decide With Confidence)
“I am worried I will not cope at night.” If night anxiety is already present during pregnancy, full-time support often reduces stress because you know someone experienced will guide the routine. You can still stay closely involved while protecting rest.
“I want privacy at home.” If you value quieter evenings, a daytime arrangement may feel more comfortable. You can also set clear boundaries upfront on which areas the nanny uses for meal prep, baby care, and laundry.
“I am planning to breastfeed, so do I even need help?” Yes, because breastfeeding includes more than feeding. Positioning, burping, soothing, and managing fatigue matter. A trained nanny supports you with practical breastfeeding guidance while keeping the baby’s routine steady.
“I have family help, but I want professional structure.” Daytime support works well here. Your family can cover social support, while the nanny focuses on baby care routines, confinement food, and recovery-friendly scheduling.
How PEM Supports You, Whichever Option You Choose
PEM nannies support mums with a clear, postpartum-specific scope. PEM has over 30 years of experience in the industry, with 550+ nannies and serving 50,000+ mothers, so our care approach reflects what families genuinely need at home.
Training matters during confinement because small choices affect your rest and confidence. PEM nannies undergo 150 hours of comprehensive training based on modules reviewed by a leading mum and baby expert.
When plans change near delivery, reliability becomes a significant concern. PEM also guarantees the nanny’s arrival so that you can plan your postpartum support with more certainty.
Herbal Support: What to Ask for (and What PEM Can Do)
Many Singapore mums include herbal tonic and a herbal bath routine as part of confinement. If you’re interested, ask specifically what the nanny can prepare and how it fits into your daily schedule.
PEM nannies are trained to prepare herbal packages. If you would like the convenience of a complete herbal package, mothers can add it on at a special rate, allowing you to align meals and herbal bath preparation with your recovery plan without extra sourcing stress.
A Simple Way to Choose Your Best-Fit Option
If you feel torn, use this quick decision guide:
Choose daytime if:
- You have dependable night support
- You recover well with daytime rest
- You want professional guidance mainly for routines, meals, and daytime baby care
Choose full-time if:
- You expect challenging nights or limited support
- You want stronger continuity for day and night baby care
- You prefer a steadier structure while you heal and learn your baby’s cues
Both options can work well when the scope stays focused, and the plan protects mum’s rest.
Your confinement period is short, but your recovery and confidence matter long after it ends. PEM nannies support you with structured, 1-to-1 personalized postpartum care, so you can rest, learn, and bond with the baby at a pace that feels safe. Enquire Now.
