Shame is not a treatment plan, and asking for help is not failure.

Substance use, medication & recovery support

Postpartum pain, insomnia, anxiety, trauma, isolation, medication changes, alcohol or drug use, and fear of judgment can overlap. A woman deserves confidential, respectful help that looks at safety, mental health, prescriptions, substance use, and her real living conditions together.

WHAT YOU CAN TRY TODAY

Tell the whole medicine-and-substance picture

Give one clinician or pharmacist a complete list of prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, supplements, alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and other substances. The purpose is safer care—not punishment.

Ask before making a sudden change

Do not guess about abruptly stopping a prescribed medicine or a substance your body may depend on. Ask for prompt medical guidance about the safest next step.

Request care that fits postpartum life

Ask about telehealth, transportation, childcare barriers, trauma-informed care, medication treatment, peer support, and whether the program has experience with pregnant and postpartum women.

ASK WITHOUT SHAME

Prepare one direct treatment question.

Choose the kind of help you want. This tool does not assess withdrawal, overdose risk, or whether a medicine or substance should be stopped.

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What help are you looking for?

Who are you contacting?

YOUR TREATMENT QUESTION

A starting point for integrated care

I am postpartum and want confidential help with substance use, medication safety, and mental health together. I am contacting a clinician or treatment program because I do not want to guess or make a sudden change on my own. Do you have experience with postpartum women, accept my coverage, and offer trauma-informed care or telehealth?

Search SAMHSA treatment options ↗

Call 911 for suspected overdose, severe trouble breathing, seizure, collapse, inability to wake, or immediate danger.

Sources and next stepsSAMHSA: FindTreatment.gov ↗HRSA: maternal mental health and substance-use support ↗NIH: LactMed medication database ↗

Educational, not individualized care

This guide cannot assess your health, diagnose a condition, check your complete medicine list, or tell you whether a product or practice is right for you. Use it to ask better questions and make care easier to reach—not to delay needed help.

CDC urgent maternal warning signs ↗