PURPLE Crying
“PURPLE CRYING” All babies cry, it’s how they communicate their needs for comfort and food (milk), how they express physical discomforts like being too hot or cold, digestive and teething pain, or simply needing reassurance of their safety by being held close to a parent or caregiver. Some babies cry more than others, and periods of prolonged crying (more than an hour) are common indicators of adjustment to growth and development periods. Prolonged crying episodes are described as PURPLE crying – not because the baby turns purple in the process, rather it stands for:
PEAK – the crying episodes usually peak between 6-8 weeks of age.
UNEXPECTED – crying seems to happen randomly with no obvious cause.
RESISTS SOOTHING – strategies to comfort baby seem ineffective, even when they worked previously.
PAIN – Baby appears to be in pain, may pass gas or even vomit as their distress signals escalate.
LONG-LASTING – baby may cry for hours at a time.
EVENING – periods of “purple” crying are more common in the evening, but can occur at any time.
The good news is – it passes.
Strategies to help during purple crying periods include:
HOLDING – close and still, avoiding jiggling baby. Instead provide a stabilising position, with baby either facing you or away. Avoid putting baby down and then picking up again. Talking and singing to baby can be calming. Undressing to enable skin to skin contact maximises the comforting sensation, even if baby seems to pull away from contact initially. Contact napping can aid baby’s sense of security.
MOVING – Slow rhythmic movements such as rocking and patting can help “dial baby down”. A correctly adjusted baby carrier can be a game changer – leave the house and walk… even your back yard is change of environment. A short time in a SAFE baby swing, rocker or bouncer might help calm baby, as can a ride in the pram or car.
SUCKING – Sucking has a calming effect on babies. Often babies who are in the midst of a crying period resist latching to suckle and breastfeed, even though it’s what the actually need. Offering a clean finger to suck, or a dummy/pacifier may interrupt the crying cycle, even momentarily, enabling baby to respond more positively to the breast or bottle teat. Non-nutritive sucking aids the release of gastric juices which assist digestion.
BATHING & MASSAGE Immersion in warm water is calming so a bath can help, even if baby resists it initially. Easier still, taking baby into a warm shower can have a calming effect on everyone! Allowing the water to run over baby’s back while held closely for as long as it takes. It is a strategy that rarely fails to work. Be ready with a towel and warm wraps and ideally feed baby to sleep. A nappy is all that’s needed if dressing baby is likely to arouse him from his comforted state – you can dress baby properly later.
ENVIRONMENT – Check and adjust room temperatures according to the season and time or day/night. Soft music, lullabies sung or recorded, or “white noise” may help baby sleep. Contact naps with either parent or caregivers can also extend periods of sleep to help recovery – for everyone!
Remember, periods of PURPLE CRYING are temporary. Enlist help from family or friends if possible, especially when parents feel exhausted and overwhelmed. If baby’s crying periods are not reducing after a few weeks reach out to health professionals – GP, Child Health Nurse, or IBCLC Lactation Consultant for assessment and support. Well-meaning friends may suggest herbal remedies or old-school strategies which are ineffective or unsafe, as can advisers on Facebook Groups. Source: https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/settling-crying-baby-factsheet#
Baby Sleep, new parents