Just when you're tired from the day, your baby becomes inexplicably inconsolable — crying relentlessly for hours every evening. This pattern, called the witching hour, affects most newborns and peaks around 6 weeks.
What the Witching Hour Is
The witching hour (which often lasts 2–4 hours rather than just one) is a period of intense fussiness that typically occurs in the late afternoon or early evening — usually between 4 pm and 10 pm. It often starts around 2–3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks, and largely resolves by 3–4 months.
Why It Happens
| Theory | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Cortisol accumulation | Stress hormones build throughout the day in both mother and baby |
| Overstimulation | Sensory input has accumulated all day — baby cannot self-regulate |
| Melatonin transition | Evening light changes trigger circadian restlessness |
| Hunger cluster | Breastfed babies often cluster-feed in evenings as milk supply dips |
| Gas accumulation | Gut motility is highest in evenings — gas moving through system |
Witching Hour vs Colic
Colic is defined as crying for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks in an otherwise healthy baby. The witching hour fits this pattern — making many parents anxious. However, if the crying is predictable (same time every day), the baby gains weight normally, and settles eventually, it is almost certainly normal witching-hour behaviour.
Strategies That Help
- Babywearing during the witching hour — movement and warmth calm many babies
- The 5 S's: Swaddle, Side/Stomach position (when held), Shush, Swing, Suck
- Cluster feeding — let the baby feed frequently in the evening
- White noise at the right volume (shushing at the level of a shower)
- Walk outside — change of environment and fresh air often breaks the cycle
- Hand-off to a second caregiver — fresh arms help when parent's nerves are frayed
It peaks at 6 weeks and gets better
The witching hour is temporary. By 3 months, evening fussiness dramatically reduces as the nervous system matures and circadian rhythms develop.