Transitioning to life with a newborn can trigger a range of emotions and feelings for both partners.
About 80% of birthing people experience “baby blues” in the first two weeks postpartum. You may feel fluctuating feelings of excitement and sadness, which can be confusing — this is common and caused by rapid hormonal changes.
If these feelings last more than two weeks, you are not able to function because of them, or you have persistent or severe negative feelings, contact your doctor immediately. Don’t feel ashamed or alone, this is much more common than many people expect and can be treated.
Educate Yourself on Post-Partum Mood Disorders
Fact Sheet available in English, Urdu, Somali, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese
Video available in Urdu, Arabic, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish here.
Find Support Early
Specialists in prenatal and perinatal mental health can be found by zip code at Schatten & Licht e. V., as well as online seminars/events on peripartum mental illnesses, self-assessment questionnaires, support services, and an acute crisis hotline.
Die Initiative Frauen Gesundheit Familien Zukunft e. V. : Psychosocial counseling for pregnant people and mothers in distress
Emotionelle Erste Hilfe: Emotional First Aid trained counselors and baby-parent therapists
Afloat: offers many Pregnancy Support Groups, including for moms* of color and culture, 40+ moms*, neurodivergent moms*, spanish-speakers, and dads
PostPartum Support International: offers 14 different support groups for different communities and needs, including groups for BIPOC parents, trans parents, neurodivergent parents, military families, multiples, birth trauma, infant loss support, and fetal diagnosis support.
For dads*: All of the above! Additionally, a Cologne-based practice offers both an online and in-person support group for men following a traumatic birth or experiencing post-partum depression.
The Schatten und Licht e.V. telephone counselling service is anonymous, free of charge and available around the clock: 116 123 or 0800 111 0 111 / 0800 111 0 222 . The patient service hotline 116 117 provides 24/7 medical assistance for urgent, non-life-threatening medical issues. 116 117 also helps 
you find psychotherapeutic support and arranges appointments for psychotherapy consultations.
Call 112 for immediate emergencies.
Schreiambulanzen: for fussy babies
TelefonSeelsorge International Hotlines: available in many languages (primarily European languages)
NummergegenKummer Parents Hotline: 0800 / 111 0 550 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 – 17:00 and Tuesday, Thursday from 9 – 19:00
Deutsche Depressionshilfe : resources for managing depression, available in 19 languages; search function for crisis support services worldwide (in over 150 countries, contact via phone, chat, or WhatsApp)
Your doctor may be able to prescribe you post-partum help covered fully or partially by insurance. Ask your care provider about Haushaltshilfe, Mütterpflegerin, or a post-partum doula.
Psychosocial Support for Migrants and Refugees in Berlin
TransVer will work with you to find the right offer of help, such as psychiatric help, support in everyday life, employment and occupational therapy measures, places for social contacts, etc. On request they can contact these institutions, arrange an appointment and, in some cases, accompany you. The main goal is that you find suitable psychosocial support.
Staff speaks German, Polish, English, French, Romanian, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and has interpreters for all other languages.
This is a free service.