Who among us parents hasn’t dealt with a newborn’s witching hour? And, let’s face it, it’s not usually just an hour… it’s HOURS!
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The witching hour is a fussy period that almost all babies go through, and tends to occur around the same time each day, from about 5-11pm. It peaks at around week 6, and then declines at around the 3-month mark. During this time, baby is also fussier than usual, and difficult to soothe.
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Here are a couple of key ways to manage this period:
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1 – Avoiding overtiredness – Most newborns can’t handle more than about an hour of awake time without being overtired. So, we want to avoid hours and hours of awake time before bedtime if we can. If this means an “on the go” nap in a wrap or carrier, that’s ok! Get that evening nap in to avoid the overtiredness and overstimulation that make that witching hours tougher. If your baby has an evening nap while you stroll with him around the neighbourhood from about 6:30-7:30, for example, he could then go down for the night around 8:30pm without being overtired.
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2 – Get outside! This goes hand in hand with the note above! Firstly, babies feed off the emotions of their parents. So, if we are stressed and frustrated, they feel it and feed off of it, and if we are calm, they often relax as well. When the evening arrives and baby is fussier, sometimes just getting outside in the fresh air can make a big difference to our mood and level of stress. This can also be a time to allow baby to get some Zs while you take some deep breaths and take a break for yourself and your babe.
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Remember, Mamas and Papas, much like everything else when it comes to your newborn baby, this phase too shall pass. But, while you’re in it, know that you’re not alone – solidarity, parents! The witching hour can be tough! But we’ve got this.