Singapore - A more helpful husband is the biggest wish among one in four working mothers struggling to balance domestic roles with careers, a survey said Tuesday.

Dads who play a hands-on role in parenting emerged as far more important than obtaining more childcare leave from employers, according to the findings of the Working Mothers' Forum, a support group.

The woes itemized in The Straits Times revealed that one in three Singaporean mums feel society is not understanding of the needs of working mothers.

Administrator Michelle Soh, among those surveyed, was quoted as saying that she feels squeezed by "so many roles - mother, employee wife and daughter" in a 24-hour period.

She wants her husband, Desmond, a product manager, to help tutor their 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter.

The results coincide with Singapore's struggle to convince couples to have more babies. The total fertility rate is 1.29 per woman in the city-state, well below the 2.1 needed for the population to replace itself.

Working mothers said that their major challenges were exhaustion and a lack of personal time.

Fifteen per cent said they would have more children if they could balance work and family demands.

The survey showed that working mothers "need extra support and understanding from their families, employers and the government that would make their lives more manageable, enjoyable and guilt-free," said forum chairman Daniel Goh. (dpa)