Decoding the Crying: Colic, PURPLE Crying, and the Witching Hour

The books tell you babies cry to communicate. They cry when they are hungry, wet, or tired. But what about when they cry for three hours straight, red-faced and screaming, and nothing you do helps?

Welcome to the hardest part of the fourth trimester. Whether you call it Colic, PURPLE Crying, or the Witching Hour, it is exhausting.

What is Normal?

All babies cry. But specifically around 2 weeks of age, crying starts to increase. It peaks around 6-8 weeks and usually subsides by 3-4 months.

The Rule of Threes (Colic)

Doctors traditionally diagnosed colic using the Rule of Threes:

• Crying for more than 3 hours a day.
• For more than 3 days a week.
• For more than 3 weeks.

However, we are moving away from the term "colic" (which implies a stomach issue) because for most babies, there is nothing medically wrong. It is developmental.

PURPLE Crying

The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome uses the acronym PURPLE to describe this period. It helps parents understand that this is a phase, not a failure.

• P: Peak of Crying: Crying increases each week, peaking at 2 months.
• U: Unexpected: Crying can come and go without explanation.
• R: Resists Soothing: Your usual tricks (feeding, rocking) might not stop it.
• P: Pain-like Face: They look like they are in agony, even if they aren't.
• L: Long Lasting: Can last 5 hours or more.
• E: Evening: Leading to the term "Witching Hour."

The Witching Hour Survival Guide

This usually hits between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM. Here is how to cope.

1. The 5 S's (Dr. Harvey Karp)

Activate the "Calming Reflex."

1. Swaddle: Tight, arms down.
2. Side/Stomach: Hold them on their side (never sleep on stomach).
3. Shush: Loud white noise (louder than the crying).
4. Swing: Aggressive jiggling (support the head!). Not gentle rocking.
5. Suck: Pacifier or finger.

2. Change the Sensory Input

• Go Outside: Fresh air often resets a baby instantly.
• Water: The sound of running water or a warm bath.
• Darkness: Sometimes they are just overstimulated. Go into a pitch-black room.

3. Tag Team

If you are doing this with a partner, trade off every 30 minutes. Wearing noise-canceling headphones is NOT bad parenting if it helps you stay calm while holding a screaming baby.

When to Call the Doctor

While PURPLE crying is normal, you want to rule out medical issues.

• Fever: Any fever (100.4°F+) in a newborn needs ER attention.
• Vomiting: not just spit-up, but projectile vomiting (Pyloric Stenosis).
• Stool Changes: Blood or mucus in the diaper.
• Hair Tourniquet: Check fingers, toes, and penis for a hair wrapped tightly around them.

A Note on Shaken Baby Syndrome

This crying is the #1 trigger for Shaken Baby Syndrome. If you feel like you are going to snap:

1. Put the baby safely in the crib.
2. Walk out of the room.
3. Close the door.
4. Go drink a glass of water, call a friend, or scream into a pillow for 10 minutes. The baby is safer crying alone in a crib than being held by a parent who has lost control.

Conclusion

This will end. You are not doing anything wrong. Your baby does not hate you. They are just having a hard time being a human. Hang in there.