The witching hour: What it is, why it happens, and how to manage

The day is drawing to a close. Your beautiful, snuggly newborn baby starts to fuss, then starts to moan, then starts to cry, possibly even scream — woah, what’s this?! I’m afraid the witching hour has hit, my friend. 

IN THIS ARTICLE:

What is the witching hour for babies?

The witching hour is an intense period of fussiness or crying in the evenings, usually around 5 PM and lasting up to three hours. You’ll usually start seeing this when your baby hits 2 weeks of age, but the worst may pass by 12 weeks. 

When witching hour starts and when it ends

Witching hour typically occurs in the late afternoon, or early evening. Usually around the 5 PM mark. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just last an hour, as the name suggests. 

You may notice your newborn begin to have “fussy periods” where they’re hard to calm and console and your usual techniques of rocking or baby-wearing to calm may not help. 

These regular fussy periods typically start when they reach 2 - 3 weeks of age. It hits its worst period at 6 weeks and tends to resolve in most cases by 12 weeks [].

Why does the witching hour happen?

It’s challenging to nail down one particular culprit for your baby. Some things may either be responsible or at least may make the newborn witching hour worse, like:

• Overtiredness

• Cluster feeding

• Stomach issues

• Overstimulation

Are they gassy? 

Young babies are particularly vulnerable to . Their digestive systems are immature and if gas builds up it can cause discomfort and sometimes pain. 

Is your baby overtired?

It’s pretty much impossible to fit very young babies into a by-the-clock schedule as they’re so unpredictable! Instead, we recommend throughout the day. Typically, at 1 - 2 months of age, they will stay awake for 45 - 90 minutes at a time. It’s very usual for babies to catnap at this age, so if they’ve had long periods awake in the day, or just catnapped all day, then they may be overtired by 5 PM and super cranky!

How’s their day been? 

How many visitors have you had? How many baby classes have you attended? For newborns everything is new. Sights, sounds, people, touch, and even their own hands! It’s easy for them to become overwhelmed and overstimulated. This stimulation requires energy, and as we all know (particularly parents of newborns) our ability to just keep going is limited. 

Are they hungry?

It’s not uncommon for newborns to cluster feed in the evenings, topping up their tanks for the night. Even if you’ve only just fed them, they may be signaling to you that they’d like some more milk.

What are the differences between colic and witching hour? 

The difference between the witching hour and colic is that colic is more defined. Babies with colic cry for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days a week, and more than 3 weeks in a row. If a baby has a witching hour, they will typically have periods of fussiness, often during a specific time of day (usually late afternoon or evening). It may be intense and seem like it will never end. 

Yes, they’re similar and both are incredibly stressful for parents. If you’re unsure or feel there may be more going on than general evening fussiness, please, discuss this with your pediatrician.

10 tips on how to manage the witching hour

Here are some ways to help manage the witching hour, with further explanation below:

• Swaddle!

• Use white noise

• Babywear or hold your little one

• Try a change of environment

• Quiet the environment

• Prioritize those naps

• Baby massage

• Try a pacifier

• Rule out gas pains

• Tick off the obvious stuff, too! 

Tip #1: Swaddle!

For many babies, swaddling can induce a womb-like environment which is reassuring and can bring a sense of calm. The swaddle can also bring a sense of security. Remember if they start to show signs of rolling then you need to .

Tip #2: Use white noise 

Again, when the baby was in the womb they were used to a constant background hum. also helps mask any background noises that may be too much.

Tip #3: Babywear or hold your little one

Walk, sway - just cuddle them! No, you’re not setting up any bad habits, making a rod for your back, or anything else we regularly hear parents say. Your warmth and presence can be a huge comfort for your little one.

Tip #4: Try a change of environment 

Some babies will also calm down if taken outside for a walk in the fresh air. Which, if you’ve been subjected to intense, inconsolable crying for a while, will also be good for you too. 

Tip #5: Quiet the environment

Other babies may respond to quieting the environment, dimming the lights, and getting away from the background noises that can add pressure to an already overstimulated baby. 

Tip #6: Prioritize those naps

Some babies are more thrown than others when they go off schedule. If this is your baby and missing a nap leads to intense witching hour evenings then you may want to try hard to stick to a schedule. We’re all so different. Some babies are super portable and others need more structure and routine to their day.

Tip #7: Baby massage

Try a gentle baby massage in a quiet, warm environment; they may respond to the touch, gentle movements, and calm. It also may help with growth spurt aches.

Tip #8: Try a pacifier 

For some babies, the rhythmic sucking can bring a sense of calm and peace.

Tip #9: Rule out gas pains 

Gas pains can cause intense discomfort and pain. Check out our article advice for .

Tip #10: Tick off the obvious stuff, too! 

Double-check their diaper, temperature, and offer a feed. These are all reasons for excessive crying and easy to forget.

When to talk to your pediatrician

If your kiddo's crying seems to be linked to pain or sickness, check with your pediatrician. Keep track of other signs of sickness that may include:

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea (loose or bloody stools as well)

• Not eating

• Not alert as usual

Takeaway

• The witching hour is an intense period of crying or fussiness in the evenings, lasting up to around 3 hours. It usually starts when babies are about 2 weeks old and usually subsides around 12 weeks.

• Contributing factors to the witching hour include: overtiredness, cluster feeding, stomach issues, and overstimulation.

• Colic and the witching hour are often used interchangeably, however colic is more defined. Babies with colic tend to cry for more than 3 hours per day, for more than 3 days a week, and more than 3 weeks in a row. If a baby has a witching hour, they will typically have periods of intense fussiness at a specific time of day (usually late afternoon or evening).

• Some ways to cope with the witching hour include swaddling, using white noise for sleep, babywearing, quieting or changing the environment, baby massage, and using pacifiers.