Understanding PURPLE Crying and the Witching Hour: What It Is and How We Got Through It

If you’ve ever found yourself bouncing, shushing, and pacing with a fussy baby in your arms around dinnertime, you’re not alone. Many new parents experience what’s known as PURPLE crying or the witching hour a period when your baby cries inconsolably, often in the early evening, for no clear reason.

This stage is completely normal and typically begins around 2 weeks of age, peaking at 6 to 8 weeks, and tapering off by 3 to 4 months. But just because it's common doesn’t make it easy.

What Is PURPLE Crying?

The term "PURPLE" is an acronym developed by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to explain the characteristics of this phase of crying:

• Peak of crying: Crying increases, peaking around 6–8 weeks.

• Unexpected: It can start and stop without warning.

• Resists soothing: Sometimes, no matter what you try, nothing helps.

• Pain-like face: Your baby may look like they’re in pain, even when they’re not.

• Long-lasting: It can last for hours at a time.

• Evening: It most often occurs in the late afternoon or evening.

The witching hour is another name for this difficult time when your baby is extra fussy, overstimulated, and hard to calm down.

How We Got Through It

Every baby is different, and every parent has to find what works for them. For us, it was a mix of routine, tuning in, and sheer perseverance. But it wasn’t easy.

There were so many nights I was crying right along with him, exhausted and heartbroken, feeling like I was doing something wrong. I remember holding him while he screamed and wondering if I was missing something if I wasn’t good enough, if he wasn’t okay. But knowing what I know now, this process is completely normal. Babies just have to work through it and so do we.

Here’s what helped us survive those evenings:

We started a routine early on, and our baby caught on to it, helping with going to bed easier (I’ll be writing another article on this later). Babies find comfort in predictability. A simple bedtime flow diaper change, soft lights, feeding, lullaby signaled to him that sleep was coming.

We also listened to our baby. If he got fussy, we would start the routine earlier. His cues mattered more than the clock. If he was tired or overstimulated, waiting only made things harder.

Rocking him to sleep, walking around the room, and going outside especially before bed made a big difference.Sometimes we’d sit on the porch; other times we’d take a slow walk. The fresh air and natural sounds helped soothe him in ways nothing else could.

We learned his different cries and could eventually tell when he was hungry, tired, or needed to burp. Sometimes he just had gas. We’d always check if he was gassy or needed to burp, especially after feeding. That little bit of relief could completely change the rest of the night.

We also let him sleep as much as he needed during the day, especially as a newborn. It honestly felt like he was asleep more than he was awake, and he probably was. But babies grow, heal, and adjust to the world through sleep. The more rested he was, the easier evenings seemed to go.

Looking Back

In the thick of it, it felt endless. But now I see it clearly: I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was doing everything right by just being there rocking him, holding him, loving him through it.

PURPLE crying and the witching hour are not reflections of bad parenting. They are just a hard, developmentally normal part of early life. Your baby isn’t broken. You aren’t failing. You’re both learning and adjusting to this new world, side by side.

If you’re there now exhausted, teary-eyed, questioning everything please hear me when I say this: it will pass. You are not alone. You are enough. And you’re doing a beautiful job