Postpartum Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts: What to Do

Answered 12 September 2026 at 1:12 am PKT

If you have hurt yourself after giving birth or are thinking about dying, your safety matters now—even if you cannot bring yourself to call a helpline. This page explains immediate steps you can take, how to reach emergency help in Pakistan, and how to tell a trusted person what is happening.

A few weeks after giving birth, I've been having thoughts about dying and I hurt myself tonight. I can't bring myself to call a helpline, but I need to talk to someone about what's happening to me.

I’m here with you, and I’m really glad you told me. Thoughts of dying a few weeks after giving birth, together with hurting yourself tonight, need urgent help now. This does not make you a bad mother; postpartum mental health can become very serious, and it is treatable.

Keep yourself safe right now

Move away from anything you could use to hurt yourself, and go where another adult can stay with you.
If your baby is with you and you feel unsafe, put the baby in a safe cot and ask a trusted adult to come now.
If the wound is deep, bleeding will not stop with firm pressure, you feel faint, or you swallowed anything, go to the nearest emergency department now.
If you might hurt yourself again or cannot stay safe, contact your local emergency service now or ask someone to take you to hospital.

You do not have to call a helpline to talk with me. Reply with three short answers: are you bleeding now, are you alone, and is your baby safe with another adult? Then tell me what happened tonight; I’ll stay with you here.

Names and cities shown here are examples. Every question is published anonymously — we never ask for, store or show the name, city or contact details of the person who wrote it.

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Answered by the Depression.pk team
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Last updated
7 October 2026

postpartum self-harm after delivery thoughts of dying after childbirth new mother suicidal thoughts Pakistan postpartum crisis helpline Pakistan cannot call a suicide helpline what to do after hurting yourself

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Every question here is published anonymously. Names are always changed or removed, and nothing that could identify the person who asked — their name, contact details, location or history — is ever shown or stored with the question.