SINGAPORE: Two migrant domestic helpers were jailed last year for abusing babies, and behind those cases sits a quieter problem: chronic exhaustion. A CNA report shows how nighttime baby care has become routine for many helpers, and the cost is often sleep, health, and mental strain.
Ms Marie, for example, is an Indonesian helper with nearly 20 years of working experience in Singapore, knows this all too well. She once slept with twin babies and worked through the day without rest. Her weight fell from 52kg to 46kg in just ten months.
With another employer, she woke up two to four times each night. She fed and changed the baby’s diaper, then tried to sleep again. “I felt so, so, so tired and sleepy,” she said. But she did not quit because she had her own children to support and loans to repay, so she rushed through chores and asked to nap during the baby’s sleep. Her employer refused at first, then changed her mind after seeing her nod off at lunch.
Earlier in 2025, similar exhaustion ended far worse. Two helpers, allegedly deprived of sleep, abused babies in frustration. Both were jailed. Non-profit groups said this pattern is not rare. Many helpers are hired to manage night care in dual-income households. Clear talks help, but groups say rules and enforcement also matter.
At the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), over half its shelter residents reported overwork last year. 30% were caring for babies or young children. “Many migrant domestic workers tell us they feel constantly tired and anxious,” said deputy director Prashant Somosundram. He warned that this raises the risk of mistakes and accidents.
The Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) echoed this concern. Poor sleep links to stress, weaker mental health, and lower alertness. Similarly, employers face pressures too. One single mother, Ms Emily, hired a helper for night feeds from birth because she works full-time and found it “too tiring to care for both boys”.
Agencies also report rising demand for round-the-clock childcare. Raymond Maids Employment Agency said requests have increased over the past five years. Return-to-office rules have added strain. “Parents might not have the capacity to attend to the night feeds,” said managing director Matthew Lee.
Agencies say they brief helpers and note night duties in contracts. Yet problems still surface. Some helpers decline night care before they are hired by an employer. However, after starting work, they are told to do it anyway. Mr Somosundram said refusing extra tasks is hard. Helpers fear being labelled uncooperative or sent home. Experts stress communication, but also admit limits.
International labour researcher Dr Kurt Kuehne called it a unique setup. “The home is a worksite, and the worksite is a home,” he said. Many employers are untrained managers. They juggle jobs and parenting and take advice from online forums, which can be a mix of good and bad advice.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) told CNA that employers must set reasonable work terms.
If helpers do overnight care, they should get enough rest during the day. This protects safety and well-being. Helpers must get at least one rest day a month. First-time workers attend a settling-in programme. MOM and partner groups also conduct check-ins during the first year.
Still, there is no cap on daily hours or rest gaps for live-in helpers. HOME has urged clearer standards and stronger action for repeat abuse. The deeper issue runs beyond rules. Families rely heavily on helpers to plug care gaps. That often shifts the burden to one vulnerable worker.
Affordable childcare and flexible work could ease this load. So could sharing care within families. Dr Kuehne noted many helpers still see net gains. Pay is higher than back home.
Housing and food are covered. Yet even at its best, the trade-off hurts. Leaving your own child to care for another’s is never easy. “No parent wishes to make this trade,” he said.
Ms Vani, 32, another Indonesian helper, felt that strain after her employer’s second child. She cared for a newborn and a toddler, day and night. Her sleep was always interrupted. She then spoke up, and her employer reduced her chores and allowed her to rest during naps.
“I felt very stressed at that time,” she said. She considered quitting, but felt guilty about leaving the children. Her story shows what works. Honest talks, shared care, and rest are not luxuries. They are safeguards.
For Singapore, the issue matters now. As families work longer hours, the demands of childcare rise. Without balance, the risks fall on those with the least power.
