Parenting helplines for newborn parents around the world
Early parenthood often brings a unique set of challenges: sleep deprivation, mood swings, learning a whole new skillset, change in financial circumstances, and relationship pressures.
Ideally, new parents would have a postnatal doula and supportive friends and family to help them through the transition. For those times when face-to-face support isn’t available, help is often just a phone call away.
Parents don’t have to be in crisis to reach out to a parenting helpline. Perhaps they need advice on how to bathe a newborn for the first time, or are unsure if their little one has allergies or a cold. New mums or dads might be feeling a bit lonely and just want to chat. Most people on the other end of a helpline are reassuring, sympathetic, and will never tell parents that it was a waste of time to call. In fact, they will probably encourage parents to call anytime they’re unsure or just need a boost.
Are you a new parent and unsure if what you’re experiencing is a “normal” part of new parenthood, or if your mental health needs support? Find more mental health resources in this article: Mental health helplines for newborn parents around the world
What’s the difference between a helpline and a hotline? While the terms are often used interchangeably, hotlines are for immediate crisis intervention, while helplines usually offer ongoing support and guidance.
Find a parenting helpline in your country
We’ve put together a directory of some of the most popular parenting helplines around the world. Whether you’re an overwhelmed new parent, a postpartum doula in search of links to share with clients, or a supportive friend or family member, we hope this is useful.
Some of the helplines are for general use while others are geared towards specific demographics or situations. Some even have text support for days when you just can’t manage to actually talk.
It’s worth picking one or two of these phone numbers that you think may be relevant, and saving them in your phone BEFORE you need them, if possible. It’s much harder to reach out for help when you are already in the thick of things and don’t know where to turn. If you’re a professional who supports postpartum parents, share these numbers with your clients. If they feel shy or anxious about calling, you can even sit with them while they call. Or you can call on their behalf if you would like a second opinion (for example, on a breastfeeding or sleep issue that might have more than one possible solution).
Australia
Canada
India
Ireland
New Zealand
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States
Don’t see your country listed above?
Not all countries have helplines for parents. Google your country’s name + “parenting helpline” or the name of the particular topic. For example, you could search for “German baby sleep helpline” or “medical advice helpline for parents in Namibia” and see what comes up.
Create your own local resource list
Are you a postpartum professional? If so, it's a good idea to create a list of local parenting resources tailored to the types of families you support. This empowers your clients and also builds trust and confidence in your care. In the Postpartum Education and Care Professional Training, we guide you step-by-step in creating personalised resource lists as part of your postpartum professional toolkit.
While not all of your clients will need to access every parenting resource available, just knowing that help is available can give new parents a lot of reassurance.
