Parents and Pediatricians on How to Deal With Baby’s Witching Hour

I thought I’d hit the jackpot with my son, who was a chill, sleepy baby for the first two weeks of his life. Then, the newborn witching hour hit. Starting at around 6 p.m. every night, he’d scream and howl, loudly and endlessly. Nothing seemed to work, and I felt like a failure.

Finally, we realized that popping our son in the baby carrier and walking around our neighborhood calmed him down. Even better, we learned from some fellow parents that a newborn crying all night—aka the baby witching hour—is actually super common and normal. (And it really does end!) In the meantime, if you’re in the throes of the newborn witching hour, here’s what to know about it—and how to get through it.

Key Takeaways

• What is the witching hour for babies? The witching hour is a time in the late afternoon and evening when newborns get super fussy, seemingly without explanation.
• When does the witching hour start and end? The witching hour usually starts around 2 to 3 weeks old, and typically eases up by 3 to 5 months.
• What time is baby’s witching hour? The newborn witching hour usually happens in the evening, between around 5 and 11 p.m.
• What causes the witching hour in babies? Overtiredness, overstimulation, hunger, gas or simply being a newborn with an immature nervous system can all contribute to those tough late-day meltdowns.
• Tips for coping with the witching hour: Sometimes soothing a witching-hour baby takes a lot of trial and error. Experiment with bouncing or rocking, walking, nursing, white noise and sticking with a predictable bedtime routine.

What Is the Witching Hour for Babies?

The witching hour is a period in the late afternoon and evening when young babies are notoriously fussy for seemingly no reason. The phase often hits when baby’s 2 to 3 weeks old and fades away by 3 to 5 months. “The episodes may last for several hours and can be tiring for caregivers,” says Dr. Tiffany Kimbrough, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician with Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCA in Richmond, Virginia.

During the witching hour, baby may be difficult to calm or soothe, cry more and have trouble sleeping. And while it can be incredibly frustrating for you, infant witching hours are developmentally normal, says Rachel Mitchell, a maternity and pediatric sleep consultant, founder of My Sweet Sleeper and mom of seven. “It’s a stage that most babies will experience in the first few months of life.”

If you’re wondering about the name, the term has its roots in European folklore. Shakespeare even wrote about “witching time” in Hamlet. In those days, the witching hour was said to take place around midnight or between 3 and 4 a.m., when the Catholic church didn’t have any prayers or services going on—an optimal time for witches, sorcerers and fairies to come out. (If you’re wondering what supernatural activity has to do with crying babies, we’re not exactly sure—except that both can be chaotic and unpredictable!)

When Is Baby’s Witching Hour?

Typically, baby’s witching hour occurs in the evening, some time between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. (Right when parents just want to relax and get some rest!)

That said, different babies can have pretty different “schedules.” While my son would always get going during dinnertime and continue crying until about 8 or 8:30 p.m., Jeanine B., a mom of two in Indianapolis, says her first son’s two-hour crying spells usually started around 9:45 or 10 p.m.

What Causes the Witching Hour in Babies?

Unfortunately, experts don’t have a clear answer as to what causes the witching hour in newborns. “Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason for babies being fussy, and they reject soothing, which can be frustrating for parents,” Mitchell explains. “Parents should know that this isn’t their fault, and while they can do things that may help, they can’t necessarily prevent it.” In truth, the newborn witching hour could be caused by a multitude of things. Below, experts share some of the factors that could play a role if you have a fussy baby at night.

• Overstimulation. The evening hours can actually quite stimulating for young infants. During these hours parents may be coming home from work, the family may be getting dinner ready and siblings may be playing or preparing for bed. Once baby’s overstimulated, they don’t know how to calm down and self-soothe, “so they need to scream and let it go,” explains Dr. Andrew Bernstein, MD, a pediatrician in private practice in Illinois. Remember that infants are hypersensitive to all the new sounds and activities going on around them—the crying is sometimes a sign that they just want to be wrapped up and held close.

• Overtiredness. Babies naturally become “more tired as the day goes on,” sleep consultant Mitchell says—and if they haven’t napped enough during the day, they may be overtired by the time bedtime rolls around. Or maybe you’re unintentionally keeping baby up to spend time together as a family. “Part of the witching hour is recognizing that sometimes babies just need to go to sleep around 6 or 8 at night,” Dr. Bernstein advises.

• Discomfort. Newborns can’t verbalize what’s bothering them. The best way newborns can communicate discomfort is through crying. Perhaps they have indigestion or are gassy.

• Hunger. Another possible cause for the newborn witching hour could be hunger. Many newborn babies often want to cluster feed in the evenings. However, at this time, “Your prolactin levels drop, [so] you’re making less milk,” explains Meigan Alexander, CLC, a certified lactation counselor in Charlotte, North Carolina. When babies want more milk but it’s not coming fast enough, they can get frustrated as the milk release slows down.

Signs It’s the Witching Hour

Frequent crying or fussing is the main thing you’ll notice during baby’s witching hour. Unlike crying that might happen at other times of the day, witching hour crying often feels like a mystery—it’s not in response to things like hunger, having a dirty diaper or being too warm or too cold.

What’s more, your normal tricks for soothing your baby—like snuggling or offering skin-to-skin-contact—might not make much of a difference. You might also notice that your baby’s grimacing or looks uncomfortable.

Witching hour vs. colic: Which is it?

The witching hour and colic are both terms for periods of intense, inconsolable crying in newborns that can’t be explained otherwise. But while the witching hour is a temporary cluster of nighttime fussiness, colic is a clinical definition based on crying for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week.

In recent years, experts have also started using the term PURPLE crying, says pediatrician Dr. Kimbrough. It’s an acronym that essentially describes baby crying frequently no matter what soothing methods are attempted.

When Will Baby Outgrow the Witching Hour?

Most experts say baby’s witching hour behavior slowly starts to improve around 3 to 4 months. That said, every baby’s a little different, so it’s hard to predict with certainty when yours will get past this stage.

“My daughter started struggling with this phase when she was about 6 weeks old and then it ramped up and probably lasted through when she was 3 months old or so,” recalls Jennie A., a mom of one in Los Angeles.

Dr. Bernstein says that after about 2 to 4 months of age, you may have an easier time preventing baby from getting overtired, which, in turn, would ward off the witching hour. At this point, “you can do some sort of sleep training; that’s when babies can start recognizing patterns and start to learn self-soothing,” he suggests.

Plus, by around 6 months old, “most babies are happy getting 12 hours of sleep at night without needing a feeding,” he adds, which may also help.

Coping with Baby’s Witching Hour: Strategies and Tips

While baby’s witching hour is developmentally normal, it’s never easy to watch your little one fuss or cry. Wondering how to calm a fussy baby at night? It’s all about trying different soothing strategies—and knowing this will look different for everyone. To help you and baby get through this difficult stage, check out the following baby witching hour tips from experts:

Make sure baby gets enough sleep

Babies, particularly newborns, need a lot of sleep—in fact, they’ll spend more time asleep than awake for those first couple of months. Help them get in plenty of shut-eye during the day, since an overtired baby has a harder time falling asleep at night.

Take baby to a quiet, dark room

By limiting stimulation when they’re upset, baby will have an easier time calming down. A white noise machine or app may help too.

Try a swaddle

Swaddling is comforting to newborns because it reminds them of the womb. You can also shush, sway and rock a swaddled baby, as well as offer them a pacifier.

Take baby out for a walk

Experts say that movement reminds baby of the rocking motions they felt in the womb, which can be really soothing. I can personally attest that this works: Strolling around outside with our son in the carrier was the only thing that would calm him down. (It was calming for us too.)

Give them lots of snuggles

Skin-to-skin contact lets baby smell you, which can help calm them. Experts’ favorite recommendation for keeping baby close while still being able to tackle your endless to-do list? Babywearing. (Again, it worked for us!)

Nurse baby as much as they want

Not only will this help baby feel satisfied, but the sucking motion also helps baby relax.

Pay attention to the timing

If baby experiences increased fussiness after a feeding, it could be stemming from a sensitivity to the formula they’re eating, Mitchell explains. Or, baby may be reacting to something they’re not tolerating well in your breast milk. If you think baby’s witching hour may be related to their feedings, consult with your pediatrician.

Establish a bedtime routine

Healthy sleep habits start at an early age—earlier than you might think. Bedtime routines can actually start in the newborn stage—and they don’t have to be elaborate. You can start with a bath and end with a book or lullaby. “We always tried to create calming routines—warm baths, soft music, dim lighting, bedtime stories, extra cuddles—anything that could help signal comfort and relaxation,” says Jeanine B. Eventually, baby will come to expect the routine and feel soothed by it.

Try to prepare for baby’s witching hour

This may not always be possible, but if parents notice any patterns for when or why baby goes through a witching hour, then they can try to get ahead of it by making sure baby’s needs are met. That said, know that witching hours can happen even when you do everything just right. “It didn’t matter how calm the day had been—this part of the day would instantaneously bring on loud, incessant crying,” says Vummy K., a mom of one in Tanzania, East Africa.

Ask for help

Be gracious to yourself—and baby—and ask for support. “To survive, my husband and I split every witching hour shift down the middle. We handed her off halfway through each night just to keep ourselves sane,” shares Judith-Chandler Q., a mom of two in Atlanta. You can also reach out to other loved ones for support.

Step away when you need to

Sometimes the best thing you can do when dealing with a fussy or inconsolable newborn is take a short break. “These episodes can be quite triggering. It’s okay to place baby down in a safe space like a crib or bassinet and step away to reset yourself,” Dr. Kimbrough advises. You’re probably a lot better at calming baby when you’re calm yourself. And, of course, show yourself grace too.

When to See a Pediatrician About Baby’s Witching Hour

While frequent crying or fussing is totally normal in young babies, it can sometimes signal an underlying medical problem. You should let your pediatrician know if baby’s crying is accompanied by other symptoms like:

• Fever of 100.4 Fahrenheit or higher
• Crying more when you touch or hold them
• Vomiting
• Refusing to eat or drink for eight or more hours
• Belly swelling
• Poor weight gain
• Changes in their poop (green, mucus, streaked with blood, etc.)

Even without any other signs, you should trust your instincts if you have a gut feeling something else might be going on. There’s never any harm in checking with the doctor.

Real Parents on the Dreaded Witching Hour

Is your newborn fussy at night—like all the time? You’re far from alone. Here, real parents recount their witching-hour experiences, and what worked (and didn’t work) for them.

Judith-Chandler Q., mom of two in Atlanta

“My second daughter arrived with a witching hour that lasted from 8 to 11:30 p.m. every single night. For three to four months, she cried inconsolably no matter what we tried. The only thing that offered even a sliver of relief was standing and bouncing her. We’d walk and bounce with her while making dinner or stand and bounce while watching TV. To have a quick rest, we’d sit on the edge of the sofa and bounce as if we were on an exercise ball. The moment my husband or I sat down or stopped moving, the chaos ramped right back up. My legs would be so worn out by the end of it!”

Jennie A., mom of one in Los Angeles

“My daughter was born in early 2021 in Los Angeles, right in the thick of the pandemic isolation. She started out as an incredibly chill baby, but then the witching-hour phase hit us hard and fast out of nowhere. Suddenly, our great eater and sleeper turned into a fussy, inconsolable and very loud baby every single evening. Because of the pandemic lockdown, we couldn’t just go out for a walk or escape the house very often… I remember really dreading that time of day as the sun would start to set. We’d feel like the worst new parents because we didn’t have many solutions to help her through it. But, like most things with newborns, it really was just a phase.”

Jeanine B., mom of two in Indianapolis

“The newborn witching hour was brutal for my husband and I with our first baby. Just when we thought the hours were winding down and maybe we could get sleep, our son would quickly shift to being the most awake baby on the entire planet for at least a two-hour run… It was obviously tough for my husband and I because by then we’re wiped out from a full day of parenting, working and just overall being ‘on’!”

To Sum It Up

Unfortunately, there’s no magic way to speed up the newborn witching-hour period. But this is a developmentally normal phase that will pass. For us, it went away around the three-month mark, and I remember feeling incredibly grateful to be able to sit and eat dinner in relative peace and quiet (only for like five minutes— but still!).

It’s important to remember that you’re doing a great job and baby’s fussing isn’t a reflection of you as a parent. Make sure to be kind to yourself. Above all else, remember this: the witching-hour phase will pass.

How We Developed This Article

The newborn witching hour can be a super frustrating and tiring time for new parents. We spoke with two pediatricians, a certified lactation counselor and a maternity and pediatric sleep consultant to learn about how to deal with this period, what’s normal and what’s not. We also picked the brains of four real moms to learn about their witching hour experiences and what worked for them to calm their fussy babies.

After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our pediatrician medical adviser. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

About the author: Marygrace Taylor is a mom of one who lives in Philadelphia and writes about health, wellness and parenting. When her son was a newborn, the only thing that helped with his witching hour spell was putting him in a baby carrier and walking around the neighborhood—so she did that, faithfully, until he grew out of this fussy phase.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.