Becoming a parent is an exciting new chapter in life – filled with joy and anticipation, it also comes with challenges. Suddenly, you have this tiny human to care for, someone who relies on you for everything and of course, you want the best for them.

Beyond the basics like buying diapers and baby formula, there’s actually more you can do to set your child up for success from day one. Here’s a checklist of four simple things to help ensure your little one’s journey begins on the right foot.

Set up your baby’s Child Development Account (CDA)

Setting up a Child Development Account (CDA) is one of the most important steps you can take to support your child’s health and development. This government initiative helps parents save for their child’s educational and healthcare needs. Beyond just a savings account, the CDA can be used for a wide range of healthcare expenses, such as vaccinations and check-ups, giving you peace of mind when it comes to your child’s wellbeing.

With the CDA enhancements introduced in Budget 2025, parents of larger families can look forward to even greater support. The government now provides a S$10,000 CDA First Step Grant for every third and subsequent child, doubling the support available. This is definitely a welcome change to support the development of the next generation especially when the medical inflation rate is expected to remain high at 12% in 2025¹.

Setting up the CDA is really easy too. When your baby is born, the government will automatically open a CDA once you child’s birth has been registered. To activate the account, simply apply online with any participating bank, with your identification documents and your child’s birth certificate. Once the account is set up, you can contribute to it regularly, and the government will match your contributions up to a cap, giving your child’s savings a significant boost.

Get medical insurance as early as possible

When it comes to your child’s health, early protection is key. In Singapore, babies are automatically covered under MediShield Life, which provides essential medical coverage, including for congenital and neonatal conditions, ensuring your child’s critical health needs are taken care of from day one. To further support families, starting 1 April 2025, the government has increased the MediShield Life grant from S$4,000 to S$5,000, ensuring that a Singapore citizen newborn’s premiums are fully covered up to age 21².

Beyond the basic coverage, you should also consider adding extra protection. Singlife Shield Plan 2 is one such option that provides coverage for any standard ward (A) of a public hospital without the need for any health declaration* during enrolment. This simplifies the application process and ensures your child doesn’t go uncovered while waiting for their policy to be approved. It also means that your child is covered during the crucial early weeks and months of their life, a time when common health issues like jaundice can emerge, and congenital conditions like heart defects are often first diagnosed. Singlife Shield Plan 2 ensures complete coverage for these conditions, offering up to additional S$60,000 for congenital illnesses, all with no health declaration required. This exclusive benefit^ is available to Singlife Maternity Care customers for a limited time only who opt for the plan. When combined with Singlife Health Plus Public Prime/Lite, your out-of-pocket expenses for hospital bills drop to just 5%.

Looking ahead, you can also explore additional insurance options such as personal accident (PA) and endowment plans. Children tend to be accident prone, so a PA plan ensures your little one is covered even if the unexpected happens. Endowment plans, on the other hand, help you save for their future, whether it’s for their education or other big milestones like a wedding, especially since costs for both are on the rise. By taking these steps now, you’re setting your child up for a future where both their health and finances are well looked after.

Track your child’s vaccinations and milestones with a health booklet

Kids grow up so fast, and while every child in Singapore receives a Health Booklet at birth, many parents might not realise how useful this document can be. It’s an invaluable tool for tracking your child’s health journey, from vaccinations to growth milestones, all neatly documented in one place.

One of the core things it records is your child’s vaccinations. In Singapore, babies receive several essential vaccinations under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule to protect them from infectious diseases. The Child Health Booklet helps ensure your child never misses a vaccination.

The Child Health Booklet also tracks important developmental milestones that help you monitor your child’s progress. Key milestones that are documented include:
 

• Personal-Social: e.g., smiling, playing with others
• Fine Motor-Adaptive: e.g., grasping objects, stacking blocks
• Language: e.g., saying simple words, following commands
• Gross Motor: e.g., rolling over, sitting up, walking

Regular check-ins at intervals like 6, 9, 12, and 18 months will ensure your baby is on track and help you address any concerns early on.

Functionality aside, the Child Health Booklet is also a wonderful keepsake. It offers space for you to record precious memories like your child’s first smile, their first word and even their footprint when they first came into the world. You can access a digital version of the booklet from the HealthHub app, making it even easier to track milestones, vaccinations and growth data from your phone.

Conclusion: Parenthood is a lifelong journey

Becoming a parent is deeply rewarding, although it’s never easy. Preparing for your child’s future is an ongoing journey, and there’s always more to consider as they grow. But amidst all your focus on their needs, remember that your health and wellbeing as a parent are just as important. By securing your own protection with a term plan and disability insurance like Singlife CareShield Standard/Plus, you’ll not only safeguard your future but also ensure that you can continue providing for your family. For more ways to support your growing family and give them a strong financial foundation, consider our Starter Pack, offering a wide range of coverage from just S$9.02 a day.

Read more about how much it costs to raise a child in Singapore and why I think it’s a great time to become a parent. If you’re already a mum or dad, remember that you’re doing great, and that wherever parenthood takes you, Singlife will be right there with you.

^Notes:

^{1. Source: Asia Insurance Review, “Singapore: 2025 medical inflation rate projected to be 12%, as high as in 2024”, accessed on 28 April 2025.} 

^{2. Source: Ministry of Health Singapore, “Government accepts MediShield Life Council's recommendations to enhance MediShield Life scheme, Government support more than offsets premium increases”, accessed on 28 April 2025.}

^{* Singlife Shield Plan 2 and Health Plus Public Prime/Lite no health declaration promotion is applicable till 31 Dec 2025. Within 180 days from the birth of an insured child, selected Singlife Maternity Care policyholders have the option to buy a Singlife Shield Plan 2 or Singlife Shield Plan 2 and Health Plus Public Prime/Lite policy under this benefit for the insured child, without any medical underwriting. Newborns must be at least 15 days old and discharged from hospital, but not older than 180 days old.}
 

^{To qualify, selected Singlife Maternity Care policyholders must meet both of the following criteria:}

^{a. The Singlife Maternity Care policy must be incepted in 2025 without any substandard loading}

^{b. No claims have been made under the Singlife Maternity Care policy}

^{^ Inpatient congenital conditions benefit cover up to S$20,000 per policy year for 3 policy years, and pre-existing conditions will not be covered}

^{Singlife Shield and Health Plus}

^{As this product has no savings or investment feature, there is no cash value if the policy ends or if the policy is terminated prematurely. Buying health insurance products that are not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future healthcare needs.}