If you need support right now

If you're not sure whether this counts as a crisis

You do not need to be at the worst possible point to reach out. These resources are for mothers who are struggling, not only for mothers who are in the most extreme distress.

If you are having thoughts that feel frightening, if you feel like you cannot keep going, if the weight of what you are carrying has become more than you can hold alone: that is enough. You do not have to wait until it gets worse.

What postpartum crisis can look like

Postpartum mental health crises do not always look the way people expect. They are not always tears or visible distress. Sometimes they look like:

• Thoughts of harming yourself that feel intrusive and frightening
• Thoughts of harming your baby that feel urgent rather than unwanted
• A feeling that your baby or your family would be better off without you
• Feeling completely disconnected from reality, or like things around you are not real
• An inability to sleep at all, for days
• Hearing or seeing things others do not
• A feeling that you need to do something immediately to make the pain stop

If any of these sound familiar, please reach out now. You deserve support. This is what these lines are for.

How Mave recognizes when something is serious

Mave monitors every conversation for language that may indicate immediate risk. This happens automatically — you don't have to flag anything or ask for help in a specific way.

When Mave detects language suggesting crisis:

• The conversation changes immediately
• Crisis resources are surfaced at the top of the screen
• Normal conversation is paused
• Support pathways become the priority

Mave is not perfect. It can miss signals. It can misread context. This is why human crisis resources are always available — and why Mave will always direct you to them when something feels serious.

Finding ongoing support

If you are not in immediate crisis but are struggling and want to find professional support:

A note about Mave

Mave is not a crisis service. It is not staffed by humans. It cannot call for help on your behalf.

If you are in crisis, please use the resources above rather than Mave. Mave will always surface crisis resources when a conversation moves into that territory, and it will not leave you without a path to help. But in a genuine crisis, a real human is what you need, and the lines above will connect you to one.

When you are ready to come back, Mave is here for everything that doesn't rise to the level of a crisis line but still deserves to be said out loud.