Over 2,200 low-income pregnant women to get care packs and more under $6.5m initiative

Over the next three years, more than 2,200 pregnant women from low-income backgrounds will receive care packs, grocery vouchers and mental health support through a $6.5 million donation from DBS Foundation.

- Shabana Begum Correspondent

It has partnered early childhood initiative KidStart to roll out the Pregnant Mum and Baby Nutrition Programme to give infants from lower-income households a better start in life, even before they are born.

The programme, which will be launched on Sept 29, will support mothers from their pregnancy to their children’s first year.

The prenatal care pack will include items such as milk, chicken essence, a pregnancy pillow and a nursing shawl. The mothers will also receive $300 worth of supermarket vouchers.

After giving birth, they will receive confinement meals for 10 days. Mental wellness and financial literacy workshops will also be held for the mothers and their families.

To be eligible for the new programme, families must be registered under KidStart.

They must also have a monthly household income of no more than $2,500, and an expected delivery date on or after Sept 1.