Purple crying is a normal developmental phase in infants characterized by extended periods of inconsolable crying, typically beginning at 2 weeks of age, peaking around 6-8 weeks, and ending by 3-5 months. The term was coined by Dr. Ronald Barr, a developmental pediatrician, to help parents understand that excessive crying is a normal part of infant development rather than a sign of poor parenting or illness. Many parents wonder about purple crying vs colic and whether there’s a meaningful difference between these two terms that describe similar experiences.
The confusion between colic and purple crying creates unnecessary anxiety for parents already struggling with sleep deprivation and the stress of a crying baby. Understanding what purple crying actually means, why it happens, and how it relates to colic can help you navigate this challenging phase with more confidence and less self-blame. This guide will break down everything you need to know about the period of purple crying, explain how it differs from (and resembles) colic, and provide practical strategies for surviving this temporary but intense phase.
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What Is Purple Crying
Purple crying describes a specific developmental period in a baby’s life when crying increases and intensifies, often seeming to happen for no apparent reason. Dr. Ronald Barr developed this terminology working with the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to reframe how we understand infant crying. He wanted to move away from the disease-based language of “colic” toward something that better described the normal, developmental nature of this crying pattern.
The name “purple crying” has nothing to do with your baby’s face turning purple, though their complexion might redden during intense crying episodes. Instead, PURPLE is an acronym that describes the specific characteristics of this developmental phase. The term helps parents recognize that prolonged crying is a normal part of infant development that peaks at a specific age and then gradually decreases.
Before the concept of purple crying gained recognition, parents and doctors often treated excessive infant crying as a medical problem requiring treatment. Dr. Barr’s research showed that crying follows a predictable pattern in healthy babies, increasing from birth to a peak around 6-8 weeks, then steadily declining. This universal crying curve appears across cultures and societies, suggesting it’s a biological developmental stage rather than a sign of something wrong with the baby or the parenting approach.
The PURPLE Acronym Explained
The PURPLE acronym breaks down into six specific characteristics that define this developmental crying phase. Understanding each letter helps parents recognize when they’re experiencing normal purple crying versus something that might require medical attention.
P – Peak of Crying
Your baby’s crying reaches its maximum intensity around 6-8 weeks of age. Before this peak, crying gradually increases from birth. After the peak, crying begins a steady decline that continues until about 3-5 months when normal crying patterns emerge. This predictable curve happens in virtually all babies, though the exact amount of crying varies from child to child.
U – Unexpected
The crying often comes and goes without any obvious trigger. Your baby might be completely content one moment and screaming inconsolably the next. This unpredictability frustrates parents who try to identify patterns or triggers. The randomness is actually a hallmark of purple crying rather than evidence that you’re missing something.
R – Resists Soothing
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of purple crying is that babies often resist all attempts at comfort. The techniques that worked yesterday or even an hour ago suddenly fail completely. Rocking, nursing, bouncing, walking, and even car rides that typically calm your baby might have no effect during a purple crying episode.
P – Pain-like Face
During purple crying, your baby may look like they’re in severe pain even when they aren’t. Their face scrunches up, they grimace, and they appear to be suffering intensely. This pain-like expression causes many parents to search for medical causes, but it’s simply how babies look when they’re crying hard during this developmental phase.
L – Long-lasting
Purple crying episodes can last for hours at a time. Your baby might cry for two hours, briefly settle, then start crying again for another extended period. These marathon crying sessions exhaust parents and make them feel like failures when nothing seems to help. The duration is normal for this phase, even though it feels unbearable in the moment.
E – Evening
The crying typically clusters in the late afternoon and evening hours, often called the “witching hour.” Your baby might be relatively calm during the morning and early afternoon, then become increasingly fussy as the day progresses. This evening timing connects to both purple crying and the related concept of the witching hour that many parents experience.
Timeline: When Purple Crying Starts and Ends
Understanding the timeline of purple crying helps parents set realistic expectations and recognize when they’re moving through different phases. While every baby is different, the general pattern follows a predictable curve.
Week 2: The Beginning
Purple crying typically begins around 2 weeks of age. Before this point, newborns often sleep extensively and have relatively calm periods between feedings. Around the two-week mark, many parents notice their baby becoming more alert and beginning to cry more frequently, especially in the evenings.
Weeks 3-6: The Build-Up
Crying gradually increases through weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6. Many parents describe this period as when their “easy” newborn becomes a fussy baby. The increase happens slowly enough that you might not notice the trend day-to-day, but looking back, you’ll see the progression toward the peak.
Weeks 6-8: The Peak
The peak of purple crying occurs between weeks 6 and 8 for most babies. This is typically the most challenging period for parents. Crying reaches its maximum duration and intensity during these weeks. Some babies cry for 3-5 hours daily during this peak, often in the evening hours.
Weeks 9-12: The Decline
After week 8, crying begins a steady decline. Parents often notice small improvements week by week. The evening fussiness might shorten from three hours to two, then to one. The inconsolable episodes become less frequent and less intense as your baby approaches the 3-month mark.
Months 3-5: The End
By 3-5 months, purple crying typically ends completely. Your baby develops more predictable crying patterns related to specific needs like hunger, tiredness, or discomfort. The witching hour fades, and you can finally implement consistent soothing routines that actually work.
Purple Crying vs Colic: Understanding the Difference
The question of purple crying vs colic creates significant confusion for parents trying to understand what their baby is experiencing. Here’s the clearest answer: purple crying and colic describe essentially the same phenomenon. They’re two different frameworks for understanding the same normal developmental crying phase.
Colic traditionally follows the “rule of threes” – crying for more than three hours per day, on more than three days per week, for longer than three weeks, in an otherwise healthy baby. Medical professionals have used this definition for decades to diagnose colic as a condition. Purple crying describes the same crying pattern but frames it as a normal developmental phase rather than a medical problem.
The key difference lies in perspective and language. Colic suggests something is wrong that needs fixing. Purple crying suggests this is a normal developmental stage that will pass on its own. Both describe healthy babies who cry extensively during the first months of life. The crying pattern, timing, duration, and characteristics are identical whether you call it colic or purple crying.
The Witching Hour Connection
The witching hour represents another related concept that overlaps with both purple crying and colic. This term describes the evening hours when babies become fussier and harder to soothe, typically between 5 PM and 11 PM. The witching hour often occurs within the broader period of purple crying, creating a perfect storm of fussiness during the late afternoon and evening.
Some babies experience witching hour fussiness without the full characteristics of purple crying. Others experience purple crying without a pronounced witching hour. Many parents find these concepts blend together in practice, with their baby crying intensely during evening hours throughout the first few months.
Soothing Strategies for Purple Crying
While purple crying resists soothing by definition, certain techniques help some babies during some episodes. The key is managing expectations – these strategies might help, but they won’t eliminate the crying phase. They can, however, provide some relief and give parents concrete actions to take during stressful episodes.
The 5 S’s Technique
Dr. Harvey Karp’s 5 S’s method offers a structured approach to soothing fussy babies. The five S’s are swaddling, side or stomach positioning while holding, shushing (white noise), swinging (gentle motion), and sucking (pacifier or nursing). These techniques work by triggering the calming reflex in babies.
Swaddling creates a womb-like environment that reduces startling. Holding your baby on their side or stomach (while supervised and awake) activates calming mechanisms. White noise mimics the sounds your baby heard in the womb. Gentle swinging or rocking provides motion that soothes the nervous system. Sucking releases calming hormones and provides comfort.
Skin-to-Skin Contact
Skin-to-skin contact provides powerful calming benefits for both babies and parents. Holding your baby against your bare chest regulates their temperature, heart rate, and breathing. The physical closeness releases oxytocin in both of you, promoting bonding and reducing stress hormones.
Even if skin-to-skin doesn’t stop the crying immediately, it provides comfort and security for your baby. The contact also helps you feel connected and purposeful during episodes when nothing seems to work. Many parents find that even when crying continues, the intensity decreases during skin-to-skin contact.
Movement and Motion
Babies often respond to gentle, rhythmic motion. Walking while holding your baby, bouncing on an exercise ball, or using a baby swing can provide the movement that soothes their nervous system. Some parents find that car rides work when nothing else does – the combination of motion, white noise from the engine, and vibration often calms fussy babies.
When using a baby swing or carrier, ensure your baby is properly secured and never leave them unattended. The movement should be gentle rather than vigorous. What feels like gentle bouncing to you might feel like rough shaking to a newborn, so keep movements small and controlled.
Environmental Changes
Sometimes a change of environment helps reset a fussy baby. Moving to a quieter room, stepping outside for fresh air, or simply changing the lighting can interrupt the crying cycle. Some babies respond to bath time even when they’re already upset – the warm water and skin contact provides multisensory soothing.
Reducing stimulation often helps babies who are overwhelmed. Turn off the TV, dim the lights, and minimize handling. Some babies need less interaction during purple crying episodes rather than more. Watch your baby’s cues – if they seem to tense up with more interaction, try providing a calm, low-stimulation environment instead.
Coping as a Parent: When Nothing Works
The hardest truth about purple crying is that sometimes nothing works. Your baby will cry despite your best efforts, your most creative soothing attempts, and your complete dedication. This reality devastates parents who believe good parenting means a content baby. Understanding that purple crying happens independent of your parenting skills is crucial for getting through this phase.
Your baby’s purple crying is not your fault. You didn’t cause it through something you ate, something you did, or something you failed to do. The crying results from normal neurological development, not parenting failures. Repeating this truth to yourself during difficult episodes helps counter the guilt and inadequacy that purple crying triggers.
Taking breaks isn’t just recommended during purple crying – it’s essential. When you’ve tried everything and your baby continues crying, stepping away protects both of you. Put your baby in a safe place like their crib or bassinet and take 10-15 minutes to regroup. Take deep breaths, get a drink of water, step outside for fresh air, or call someone for support. Your baby is safer alone in their crib for a few minutes than with a parent who is becoming overwhelmed and frustrated.
Partners and caregivers play a critical role during this phase. Trade off responsibilities so no single person bears the entire burden. When one parent reaches their limit, the other takes over. If you’re parenting alone, enlist help from friends, family, or hired support during the most challenging hours. Having someone else hold the baby, even if the crying continues, gives you a necessary break.
Distinguishing Purple Crying from Medical Issues
While purple crying is normal, some crying signals medical problems requiring attention. Knowing how to distinguish normal purple crying from concerning symptoms helps parents make informed decisions about when to seek help. Trust your instincts – if something feels wrong beyond normal fussiness, contact your pediatrician.
Reflux often masquerades as purple crying or colic. Babies with reflux cry from pain and discomfort, especially after feeding. Unlike purple crying, reflux-related crying often improves when the baby is held upright and worsens when lying flat. Projectile vomiting, frequent spit-up with discomfort, and arching the back during crying suggest reflux rather than normal developmental crying.
Food allergies, particularly cow’s milk protein allergy, can cause excessive crying in some babies. Unlike purple crying, allergy-related crying might accompany other symptoms like blood in stool, eczema, wheezing, or poor weight gain. If you suspect allergies, consult your pediatrician before making dietary changes.
Illness indicators that warrant medical attention include fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in babies under 3 months, lethargy, difficulty breathing, poor feeding, or significant changes in behavior. Purple crying babies typically feed well between episodes, maintain normal body temperature, and appear healthy when not crying. Any deviation from these patterns deserves evaluation.
When to Call Your Pediatrician
Certain symptoms alongside crying require immediate medical attention. Contact your pediatrician promptly if your baby develops a fever, seems unusually lethargic, refuses multiple feedings, or shows signs of dehydration like fewer wet diapers. Breathing difficulties, persistent vomiting, or diarrhea accompanying crying also warrant evaluation.
Trust your parental instincts even when symptoms don’t fit clear patterns. You know your baby better than anyone else. If the crying feels different than typical purple crying – if the pitch changes, the intensity seems extreme even for this phase, or your baby behaves differently between crying episodes – call your doctor. Medical professionals prefer evaluating a healthy baby over missing a problem because parents hesitated to call.
Regular pediatrician visits during the purple crying phase provide reassurance and monitoring. Your doctor can confirm that your baby’s growth and development remain on track despite the crying. These appointments offer opportunities to discuss coping strategies and rule out medical causes if you’re concerned about your baby’s crying pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does purple crying differ from colic?
Purple crying and colic describe essentially the same phenomenon – extended crying in healthy babies during the first months of life. Colic follows the rule of threes: crying more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days per week, for more than 3 weeks. Purple crying describes the same pattern but frames it as a normal developmental phase using the PURPLE acronym. The key difference is perspective: colic suggests a medical condition, while purple crying emphasizes normal development.
What are the 5 S’s for purple crying?
The 5 S’s are a soothing technique developed by Dr. Harvey Karp: 1) Swaddling – wrapping baby snugly in a blanket, 2) Side or stomach position – holding baby on their side or stomach while supervised, 3) Shushing – using white noise or making shushing sounds, 4) Swinging – gentle rhythmic motion like rocking or bouncing, 5) Sucking – offering a pacifier or nursing. These techniques trigger the calming reflex in babies and may help during purple crying episodes.
What are the 5 types of baby crying?
The 5 basic types of baby cries are: 1) Hunger cry – rhythmic and repetitive, often accompanied by rooting, 2) Tired cry – whiny and fussy with eye rubbing, 3) Pain cry – sudden, high-pitched, and intense, 4) Boredom or lonely cry – cooing sounds that escalate to fussing, 5) Overstimulated cry – fussy and jerky movements with turning away. Understanding these patterns helps parents respond appropriately to their baby’s needs.
How long does the purple crying stage last?
Purple crying typically begins around 2 weeks of age, peaks at 6-8 weeks, and ends by 3-5 months. The entire phase lasts approximately 3-4 months for most babies. While the crying is most intense during the 6-8 week peak, parents usually notice gradual improvement after week 8, with crying steadily decreasing until it resolves completely by month 3-5.
Do all babies go through purple crying?
While not all babies cry intensely enough to meet the technical definition of purple crying or colic, research shows that all healthy infants follow a similar crying curve. Crying increases from birth to a peak around 6-8 weeks, then gradually decreases. Some babies cry more than others, but the developmental pattern appears universal across cultures and populations.
Is purple crying the same as the witching hour?
The witching hour and purple crying are related but distinct concepts. Purple crying refers to a developmental phase lasting weeks or months, while the witching hour describes fussiness that occurs during evening hours. Many babies experience both simultaneously – crying more overall during the purple crying phase, with the crying clustering in the evening witching hours. Some babies have witching hour fussiness without full purple crying characteristics.
Conclusion
The question of purple crying vs colic ultimately comes down to terminology rather than substance. Both describe the same normal developmental phase that healthy babies experience during their first months of life. Whether you call it colic, purple crying, or simply “the tough weeks,” the experience is temporary, normal, and not your fault as a parent.
Remember that this phase will end. The crying that feels endless and unbearable today will fade into memory by month 3-5. Your baby will develop more predictable patterns, respond more consistently to soothing, and spend more time content and engaged with the world. The parent who feels helpless and exhausted today will feel capable and connected tomorrow.
Until then, be gentle with yourself. Take breaks when you need them. Accept help when it’s offered. Trust that your baby is healthy even when they’re crying. The period of purple crying tests every parent’s endurance, but it also builds resilience and deepens the bond you’ll share with your child for years to come.