Instead of Jan 1 next year, the benefits will be given from Aug 17, the day Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the changes at his National Day Rally.

The change comes a day after the Jan 1 date was announced.

The speedy reversal allows possibly 10,000 more women whose babies will be born between now and Dec 31 to enjoy an extra month of maternity leave, a bigger Baby Bonus and fatter tax benefits, among other goodies in the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood package.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, in announcing the revised date, said the move was in response to appeals by expectant mothers and fathers whose babies are due before Jan 1.

Mr Wong, who chairs the National Population Committee, said in a statement: 'While the expectant parents understand that the relevant Government agencies need time to put in place the necessary legislative and administrative changes to implement the new measures and policies, they have requested for the Government to make special provisions for them so that they can also benefit from the enhanced M&P Package.'

Earlier, some mothers-to-be had penned a petition and addressed it to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and DPM Wong asking them to start the perks sooner.

The letter from the Singapore Motherhood Forum said: 'Based on the 37,000 babies born last year, it is likely that over 10,000 babies will be born from now till Dec 08.'

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.