Witching Hour, Purple Crying, Colic
Witching Hour, Purple Crying, Colic? The clock strikes 5 p.m. and your otherwise happy and content baby seems to suddenly turn fussy and inconsolable like clockwork!
Sound familiar? If you’re a parent of a newborn you may have googled “fussy newborn” and found terms like witching hour, purple crying, and colic wondering if this phase is normal and if it will ever pass!
Healthy babies cry…A LOT! And it doesn’t always mean something is wrong. You may have a baby that has all their needs met with a full belly, fresh diaper, held closely, and they still cry.
The good news is that colic, purple crying, and the witching hour all pass after the firth few months of life. So what is the difference between them all and should I be concerned?
Almost all newborn babies go through a fussy period. It tends to happen around the same time every day with evening being most common.
These fussy periods start to emerge around the second or third week of life, peak at 6-8 weeks, and fade around 3-4 months.
What is the difference between colic, purple crying, and the witching hour?
Purple Crying
The Period of PURPLE Crying is a concept developed by Dr. Ronald Barr, as a new way to explain colic by educating parents about normal crying behavior and the dangers of shaking babies.
During this period there are many characteristics that are better explained through the PURPLE acronym. All babies go through this period – some babies cry a lot and some far less, but they all go through it. Fun fact: All mammals that drink their mother’s milk have been found to have a similar fussy period in the early days of life!
P: Peak of Crying-Your baby may cry more each week; the most at two months, then less at three to four months.
U: Unexpected – Crying can come and go and you don’t know why.
R: Resists soothing – Your baby may not stop crying no matter what you try to do.
P: Pain-like face – A crying baby may look like they are in pain, even when they are not.
L: Long lasting – Crying can last a much as five hours a day, or more.
E: Evening – Your baby may cry more in the late afternoon and/or evening.
Colic
If you have an extremely fussy baby you may be familiar with the term colic and generally goes off the rule of 3’s. Healthy babies have colic. It may seem like your baby is in pain because nothing soothes them. The good news is that this will pass and is only temporary.
Colic is defined as a baby that:
- Cries more than 3 hours a day
- More than 3 days a week
- Lasts more than 3 weeks
Witching Hour
The witching hour is a term many parents use in the early evening hours when an otherwise content baby seems to become fussy.
You may have difficulty soothing their baby during this time period even when using methods that otherwise work well. Your baby may want to cluster feed and fight sleep. This can start around week 2-3, peak around week 6, and fade away between 3-4 months.
Why does all of this happen?
Researchers have spent many hours looking into this stage of infant development to try to find the root cause behind this phase. A few theories include:
- Overstimulation in the evening: Your baby has not developed self-soothing skills in the newborn period and can easily become overstimulated thus causing fussy behavior
- Overtired: Newborns can become overtired VERY easily. A tired baby is a fussy baby and also makes it harder to fall asleep, despite popular belief that a tired baby should fall asleep easily.
- Immature Digestive System: Your baby’s tummy is going through ALOT of changes in the first few months. Lots of gas on top of not being able to move yet can cause some babies to be fussy.
- Lower Breastmilk Supply in the Evening: This is Normal and does not mean you aren’t making enough for your baby, but is part of the normal hormonal shifts and breastmilk production. Your baby want to cluster feed frequently and this is OK!
- Growth Spurt: Babies go through many growth spurts in the first few months of life. One around 2-4 weeks and again at 6-8 weeks.
What can you do to try to soothe your baby during periods of colic, purple crying, and the witching hour?
- Skin to skin: Increases oxytocin–The Love hormone and helps to calm
- Cluster Feed: Feeding and sucking is very calming
- Swaddle: Helps to dampen the startle reflex
- Motion: Go for a walk in the stroller or a drive!
- Baby Wear: Brings baby close to your heartbeat and allows you to have both hands free!
- Bath: Water can be very soothing to babies
- Go Outside: Fresh air can make a world of difference for a fussy baby
Although this time period can be very trying and exhausting, it will pass! Please seek out care with your primary care provider if you have any concerns with your baby’s health and long periods of crying. Long periods of crying is emotionally wearing. Always call and ask for help if you have any thoughts about harming your baby. Never shake a baby. Put your baby in the crib which is a safe place and step outside.
Sleep resources to help your family
My newborn sleep and feeding guide is full of education on normal newborn sleep patterns and tips to help you thrive during the first 3 months with your new baby.
If you’re facing multiple wake ups, short naps, and sleep resistance after the newborn period, I have a class for you. The 4-24 Month Well Rested Collection will walk you step-by-step through a completely customizable sleep training experience. In just a few weeks, your baby will be getting 11-12 hours of independent night sleep, AND you’ll have a plan to navigate any future regressions or bumps in your journey. I’ll also help you set up a daytime routine and nap schedule that fits your family’s lifestyle and values. And you’ll get age-specific guidance to meet your baby right where he or she is developmentally at every stage from now until your baby turns 2.
Want daily personalized support? We have 1:1 sleep coaching programs to help! We work with your family for 2 weeks to help your baby with both overnight sleep and nap challenges. You don’t have to navigate your sleep journey alone with our Ultimate Sleep Plan.
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