The Witching Hour: What It Is and How to Help Your Baby Through It
If the late afternoon or early evening in your home feels like a daily meltdown—crying, fussiness, short naps, and nothing seeming to work—you’re not imagining it. Many babies experience something parents often call “the witching hour.”
It can be exhausting, confusing, and discouraging—especially when it happens like clockwork. The good news? The witching hour is very common, very normal, and there are ways to make it easier.
Let’s break down what the witching hour is, why it happens, and how you can help your baby (and yourself) get through it.
What Is the Witching Hour?
The witching hour refers to a predictable window—usually between 5:00–10:00 pm—when babies become extra fussy, difficult to soothe, and more sensitive to stimulation.
During this time, your baby may:
Cry or fuss more than usual
Seem impossible to put down
Want to feed frequently (cluster feeding)
Fight naps or take very short ones
Be easily overstimulated
This phase is most common in newborns and young infants, often peaking around 6–8 weeks and gradually improving by 3–4 months.
Why Does the Witching Hour Happen?
There isn’t just one cause—it’s usually a combination of factors. Let’s look at some!
1. Overtiredness
By the end of the day, sleep pressure is high. Short naps or long wake windows earlier in the day can leave your baby running on empty. Make sure you are focusing on getting baby some good naps throughout the day and not pushing them to stay awake too long. For more guidance, check out my Ultimate Schedule Guide
2. Stimulation Overload
The world outside the womb is a lot for a newborn to take in—especially by the end of the day. By late afternoon or evening, your baby has already processed hours of sights, sounds, and activity. Add in parents arriving home, siblings buzzing around, dinner being made, and general household noise, and it can quickly become overwhelming for a baby’s still-developing nervous system. When things feel like “too much,” the witching hour often makes its appearance. To help ease the overload, try intentionally slowing things down. Lower the lights, reduce background noise, turn off the TV, and put your phone away. Even stepping into a quieter room for a few minutes with your baby can make a big difference in helping them reset and calm.
4. Hunger or Cluster Feeding
Many babies naturally want to feed more frequently in the evenings, which can look like fussiness or constant wanting to eat. Often, our milk supply is lower in the evenings, which may cause baby to want to feed more. This is normal and okay!
5. Developmental Normalcy
Sometimes, there isn’t a particular reason—it’s just a normal developmental phase that will pass.
How Can You Help During the Witching Hour?
While you can’t always eliminate the witching hour completely, you can make it more manageable.
1. Protect Daytime Sleep
Consistent naps and age-appropriate wake windows are key. An overtired baby is far more likely to struggle in the evening.
2. Aim for an Earlier Bedtime
Many babies do better with an earlier bedtime during this phase—sometimes as early as 6:00–7:00 pm. This often reduces evening meltdowns rather than causing early wake-ups.
3. Keep Evenings Calm and Predictable
Lower the lights, reduce noise, and avoid overstimulation. Think quiet play, cuddles, and simple routines.
4. Use Soothing Tools
Babywearing, white noise, gentle bouncing, warm baths, or stroller walks can all help calm a fussy baby.
5. Allow Cluster Feeding (If Applicable)
If your baby wants to feed more frequently in the evening, that can be normal. Full feedings during the day help prevent excessive overnight wakings.
6. Don’t Fear Motion or Contact
This is not the time to worry about “bad habits.” If your baby needs extra help in the evenings, it’s okay to offer it.
7. Adjust Expectations
Some evenings will be harder than others. Progress doesn’t mean zero fussing—it means shorter, more manageable periods over time.
When Does the Witching Hour End?
For most babies, the witching hour begins to improve as:
Daytime naps become more predictable
Bedtime moves earlier
The nervous system matures
By 3–4 months, many families notice significant improvement. And good news is that many of those things are issues you can work on from and early age with baby to help improve the witching hour! If fussiness continues beyond that or feels extreme, it’s always okay to check in with your pediatrician.
If you’re in the thick of the witching hour, please know this: you are not failing, and your baby is not broken. This phase is hard—but temporary.
With supportive routines, realistic expectations, and a little grace, evenings do get easier. And if you need help navigating sleep, naps, or bedtime transitions, you don’t have to figure it out alone. We are here to help! Email me today!