If someone is in danger right now, call your emergency number. For everything else, here are the people who can help, country by country, from a nurse at 3 a.m. to someone to talk to when it all feels like too much.
Emergency numbers: United States 911 · United Kingdom 999 · Canada 911 · Australia 000 · New Zealand 111 · Ireland 112 or 999
United States
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
911 |
| Health advice |
Your pediatrician's or doctor's after-hours line |
Their usual number, after hours |
| Poison |
Poison Help |
1-800-222-1222 (24/7) |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline |
Call or text 1-833-852-6262 (1-833-TLC-MAMA), 24/7, English and Spanish |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Postpartum Support International HelpLine |
Call or text 1-800-944-4773 and leave a message; a volunteer gets back to you (8am to 11pm Eastern). Not a crisis line. |
| Crisis |
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline |
Call or text 988 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
National Domestic Violence Hotline |
1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788 (24/7) |
| Crying baby / at the end of your rope |
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (counselors talk with stressed parents too) |
Call or text 1-800-422-4453 (24/7) |
United Kingdom
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
999 |
| Health advice |
NHS 111 (England, Scotland, Wales). Northern Ireland: your GP's out-of-hours service |
111 (24/7) |
| Poison |
NHS 111 (999 if someone is very unwell) |
111 (24/7) |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Your GP, midwife or health visitor. Urgent help in England: NHS 111, mental health option |
111 |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
PANDAS Foundation |
Book a free callback at pandasfoundation.org.uk |
| Crisis |
Samaritans |
116 123 (24/7, free) |
| Crisis |
Shout |
Text SHOUT to 85258 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
National Domestic Abuse Helpline (England) |
0808 2000 247 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline |
0800 027 1234 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Live Fear Free (Wales) |
0808 80 10 800, or text 07860 077333 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline (Northern Ireland) |
0808 802 1414 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Men's Advice Line |
0808 801 0327 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm) |
| Crying baby |
Cry-sis |
0800 448 0737 (9am to 10pm, 7 days a week) |
Canada
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
911 (in Nunavut, use your community's local emergency numbers) |
| Health advice |
Nurse line in most provinces and territories |
811 (24/7) |
| Health advice |
Manitoba: Health Links-Info Santé |
1-888-315-9257, or 204-788-8200 in Winnipeg (24/7) |
| Poison |
Your local poison centre |
1-844-764-7669 (1-844-POISON-X), 24/7. Quebec: 1-800-463-5060 |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Your family doctor, midwife or public health nurse, or the 811 nurse line |
811 |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Postpartum Support International HelpLine (US and Canada) |
Call or text 1-800-944-4773 and leave a message; a volunteer gets back to you (8am to 11pm Eastern). Not a crisis line. |
| Crisis |
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline |
Call or text 988 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
ShelterSafe, to find a shelter or help line near you |
sheltersafe.ca (911 if you're in danger) |
| Crying baby / parenting support |
The 811 nurse line |
811 (24/7) |
Australia
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
000 |
| Health advice |
healthdirect (NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) |
1800 022 222 (24/7) |
| Poison |
Poisons Information Centre |
13 11 26 (24/7) |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
PANDA National Helpline |
1300 726 306 (Monday to Friday 9am to 7:30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm, AEST/AEDT). Not a crisis line. |
| Crisis |
Lifeline |
13 11 14 (24/7), or text 0477 13 11 14 |
| Domestic abuse |
1800RESPECT |
1800 737 732 (24/7), or text 0458 737 732 |
| Crying baby / parenting support |
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (maternal child health nurses) |
1800 882 436 (7am to midnight AET, 7 days a week) |
| Crying baby / parenting support |
Tresillian Parent's Help Line (NSW, ACT and Tasmania) |
1300 272 736 (7am to 11pm, 7 days a week) |
New Zealand
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
111 |
| Health advice |
Healthline |
0800 611 116 (24/7) |
| Health advice for babies and kids |
PlunketLine |
0800 933 922 (24/7) |
| Poison |
National Poisons Centre |
0800 764 766 (0800 POISON), 24/7 |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Your midwife, GP or Plunket nurse, or PlunketLine |
0800 933 922 (24/7) |
| Crisis |
Need to talk? |
Call or text 1737 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Women's Refuge Crisisline |
0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE), 24 hours |
| Domestic abuse |
Are You OK family violence helpline |
0800 456 450 (24/7) |
| Crying baby / parenting support |
PlunketLine |
0800 933 922 (24/7) |
Ireland
| For |
Who |
Number |
| Emergency |
Police, fire, ambulance |
112 or 999 |
| Health advice |
Your GP. Evenings, nights and weekends: your GP's out-of-hours service (call your GP and the message gives you the number) |
Your GP's number |
| Poison |
Public Poisons Information Line |
01 809 2166 (8am to 10pm). Outside those hours: your GP's out-of-hours service, or 112 or 999 if someone is very unwell |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
Your GP, midwife or public health nurse |
Your GP's number |
| After a birth / postpartum mood |
HSE mental health information line, to find support near you |
1800 111 888 (any time) |
| Crisis |
Samaritans |
116 123 (24/7, free) |
| Crisis |
Text About It |
Text HELLO to 50808 (24/7) |
| Crisis |
Pieta |
1800 247 247 (any time), or text HELP to 51444 |
| Domestic abuse |
Women's Aid |
1800 341 900 (24/7) |
| Domestic abuse |
Men's Aid |
01 554 3811 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) |
| Crying baby / parenting support |
Parentline |
01 873 3500 (Monday to Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday 10am to 7pm) |
Numbers checked October 2026. Spot an outdated one? Tell us.