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The newborn witching hour, calmly explained

Somewhere in the first weeks, a lot of babies pick the same terrible time of day, late afternoon into evening, to fall apart. It has a name, the witching hour, and if you are living it right now: you are not doing anything wrong, and it does not last forever. Here is what is actually happening and what helps.

1. The witching hour is normal

Evening fussiness is one of the most common things young babies do. It often overlaps with cluster feeding, those close-together evening feeds. It usually is not hunger you failed to meet or pain you missed. A newborn's nervous system is still new, and by the end of a day of lights, sounds, and faces, they are simply maxed out.

2. Crying has a curve, and it points down

This is the part that helps most at 7pm. Newborn crying follows a predictable shape: it tends to climb in the second week, peak around 6 weeks (up to two or three hours a day at its worst), and then ease to about one to two hours a day by three to four months. For most babies the hardest stretch is a phase with an end, not the rest of your life. Logging the fussy windows can show you the pattern, and the moment it starts to shrink.

3. Colic is a description, not a diagnosis you caused

If the crying is a lot, colic is often described by the “rule of threes”: more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks, in a baby who is otherwise healthy and growing. Around one in five babies fit it, usually starting in weeks two to four. Nothing you did caused it, and it almost always fades by three to four months. If it feels different from ordinary fussiness, tell your pediatrician so they can rule out other causes.

4. Soothing: rotate, don't force

There is no magic button, but there is a menu. Try motion (rocking, a walk, a stroller or car ride), steady sound (shushing, white noise), a snug swaddle, sucking (a clean finger or pacifier), skin-to-skin, or just a change of room. What calms your baby can change week to week, and some evenings nothing works. That is not you failing, that is the phase. One rule that never bends: for any sleep, your baby goes down on their back, on a firm flat surface, with nothing else in the space.

5. The one rule that matters most

It is always okay to put your baby down. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, place your baby safely on their back in the crib, walk out, close the door, and take a few minutes to breathe or phone someone. A few minutes of crying in a safe spot will not hurt your baby. Never shake a baby. Even a few seconds can cause permanent brain injury. Feeling desperate at a crying that will not stop is normal and human, the plan is simply to step away, not to push through. Tell everyone who cares for your baby the same thing.

When to call the doctor

Any fever in a baby under 3 months (a rectal temperature of 100.4°F / 38°C or higher) is an emergency, call right away.
Inconsolable crying lasting more than about two hours.
A cry that suddenly sounds different: high-pitched, weak, or pained.
Crying plus poor feeding, vomiting, a swollen or hard belly, fewer wet diapers, or floppiness.
Any time your gut says something is wrong. Checking is always allowed.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my newborn cry so much in the evening?

The "witching hour" is real and extremely common. Many young babies bunch their fussiness into the late afternoon and evening, often alongside cluster feeding. It usually is not hunger, pain, or anything you did. Newborn nervous systems are still catching up, and by evening a day of stimulation has piled up. It tends to ease on its own over the first few months.

When does newborn crying peak?

There is a well-documented curve. Crying tends to ramp up in the second week, peak around 6 weeks (roughly two to three hours a day at its height), and then settle to about one to two hours a day by three to four months. Knowing the shape helps: for most babies, the worst of it is a phase with an end in sight, not a new normal.

Does my baby have colic?

Colic is usually described with the "rule of threes": crying for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks, in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby. About one in five babies fit it, typically starting between two and four weeks. Colic is not caused by anything you did, and it almost always resolves by three to four months. If the crying seems different from usual fussiness, mention it to your pediatrician to rule out other causes.

What actually helps calm the crying?

Rotate a few soothers and see what your baby responds to: motion (rocking, a walk, a stroller ride), steady sound (shushing, white noise), gentle swaddling, sucking (a clean finger or pacifier), skin-to-skin, or a change of scene. What works can change week to week, and sometimes nothing works, which does not mean you are failing. For sleep, always put your baby down on their back on a firm, flat surface.

What if I feel like I cannot take the crying anymore?

This is the most important thing on this page: it is always okay to put your baby down. If you feel overwhelmed, place your baby safely on their back in the crib or bassinet, close the door, and step away for a few minutes to breathe or call someone. A few minutes of crying alone in a safe spot will not harm your baby. Never, ever shake a baby, even a few seconds can cause serious brain injury. Frustration at inconsolable crying is normal and human; have a plan for it before you are in it, and tell anyone who cares for your baby the same.

When should I call the doctor?

Call your pediatrician for a fever (a rectal temperature of 100.4°F / 38°C or higher in a baby under 3 months is an emergency), crying that is inconsolable for more than about two hours, a cry that suddenly sounds different (high-pitched, weak, or pained), or crying alongside poor feeding, vomiting, a swollen belly, fewer wet diapers, or floppiness. Trust your gut, if something feels wrong, it is always okay to check.

Sources

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Last updated July 2026. Next review January 2027. How we write these: grounded in widely published pediatric guidance (the AAP, WHO, the NIAID 2017 allergen guidelines, and the LEAP study), and pending independent review by a pediatric professional. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these.

This is general information, not medical advice, and has not been individually reviewed for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

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