Purple Crying
Today we’re going to discuss ‘purple crying’. Have you heard the term? I wanted to go over it to help parents have a better understanding of what purple crying is and what to expect when their baby is crying during this period.
What is purple crying?
Purple crying is a term that was coined by Dr. Ronald barre, an American pediatrician who created this very clever acronym to help parents better understand the crying that we know today as colic (read more about colic here). He described purple crying as a ‘crying period’ because this crying has a beginning and an end and it’s not permanent.
For decades, parents and even pediatricians have scratched their heads trying to come up with ways to explain and understand this crying period. Originally ‘colic’ was the name given because of the criteria it met (3 hours of crying, 3 days a week and 3 weeks or more) and you can read more about colic here, but that still didn’t explain the crying itself; what to expect, what the crying looked like, when to expect it, what to look for, why it happens, etc…That’s where the acronym comes into play.
The purple crying acronym
P: PEAK OF CRYING
Your baby may cry more each week; the most at two months, then less at three to four months.
U: UNEXPECETED CRYING
Crying can come and go with seemingly no reason at all and unexpectedly.
R: RESISTS SOOTHING
Your baby may not stop crying no matter what you try to do to try and soothe them.
P: PAIN LIKE FACE
A crying baby may look like they are in pain, even when they are not.
L: LONG LASTING
Crying can last a much as five hours a day, or more.
E: EVENING
Your baby may cry more in the late afternoon and/or evening.
Is purple crying normal?
Yes, this crying is a developmentally normal phase that many infants go through in the early months. But because of the intensity and duration of the crying, parents can easily become concerned, overwhelmed and scared because of the intensity and duration of the crying.
When do babies usually experience purple crying?
The Period of PURPLE Crying peaks at around 2 weeks of age and can continue until about 3-4 months of age. All babies go through this period. It is during this time that some babies can cry a lot and some far less, but they all go through it.
What causes purple crying?
Purple crying, the witching hour and colic all have similar causes and common denominators, which I will briefly list below.
Here are the 5 main things that can cause or exaggerate crying:
Overstimulation
Newborns get overstimulated very quickly and can only handle so much, so be mindful of how much noise and light your baby is exposed to, especially at times of day where you know he is much more likely to become overstimulated. They have much less tolerance for these things at the end of the day and can trigger crying very quickly.Over tiredness
It’s easy to miss a newborn’s sleep cues, especially if we are busy at the end of the day with other kids or household chores and whatnot. Pay close attention to your baby’s sleep cues throughout the day and adjust your bedtime and schedule earlier if you see your infant is getting increasingly fussy and frustrated toward the early evening. There is no use keeping an infant up late at night in the hopes of getting a long stretch later on if he is spending the entire evening screaming and crying. An earlier bedtime is often the answer to this crying period!Hunger
Infants often experience growth spurts, especially at around 6 weeks or so and it’s normal for them to also have a growing appetite. So for a bottle-fed baby, I would recommend adding in an extra ounce or 2 per feeding, make sure your infant is eating properly throughout the day, and for breastfed babies, make sure you are offering an extra feeding sometime in the early evening if you see that your infant is increasingly fussy. It’s normal for mom’s milk to take a dip in the evening hours, so be mindful of that as well.Gas
Newborns are prone to getting trapped gas. This is normal for so many reasons, but mostly because of their still maturing digestive system. They often have more difficulty digesting the food they ate, especially if they ate too quickly, overate and or swallowed too much air in the process. Following a 2-3 hour feeding schedule is a nice way to prevent overeating and the discomfort that that comes with. Try to pace the feeding and burp halfway if your infant has an especially sensitive tummy and you may consider some. gas drops like Mylicon or simethicone (of course with your pediatrician’s approval). Sometimes doing simple things like bicycle kicks, holding your baby in a football hold or putting extra pressure on their tummy is enough to relieve discomfort.Reflux
Reflux is so common in the newborn stage and can really affect your infant, especially come evening time when their reflux may be at its worst. Make sure you are doing everything you can to keep the reflux at bay and help alleviate the discomfort that comes with reflux. Speak to your pediatrician to explore all possible options of how to treat, prevent and keep reflux under control. For formula-fed babies, look into a formula specifically designed for reflux, make sure your baby isn’t overeating at any given time and also make sure they are eating enough. Use the tips provided above for gas.
How do I help my crying baby?
Reduce stimulation
Go outside for fresh air
Prevent over-tiredness and under tiredness by following an age-appropriate schedule
Offer a pre bed time feeding or cluster feed to prevent hunger if necessary.
Offer a warm bath
Distractions like a pacifier, a change of scenery, soft music, put them in a bouncy seat, change your baby’s position, etc…
Swaddle in a dark room for newborns
Skin to skin
Use motion
Ask for help.
That’s a wrap on purple crying, and I hope you found it helpful. If your baby is experiencing this, go through the checklist I’ve listed above to see what you can do to help your infant during this time and rule out any possible triggers or factors. I know it’s hard to see an end in sight when your infant is screaming for what seems like an eternity, but know that this is a phase and this too shall pass, so hang in there, moms and dads! You got this.
