Poll Results: Witching Hour

 

 

If your baby had witching hour, then I am sure you remember wondering things like, “When will this end?” “WILL this end?” “What can I do to help my baby?” It can be a very disconcerting experience to have your baby essentially inconsolable and for no obvious reason. And so, I wanted a poll to help parents out.

 

This is a compilation of answers. You can find original answers here. Do you have comments on witching hour? Leave them in the comments below.

 

At what age did your baby start having witching hour?

  • 1 Month or younger: 8
  • 2 Months: 1

At what age did witching hour go away?

  • 2 Months: 1
  • 3 Months: 4
  • 4 Months: 1
  • 5 Months: 2
  • N/A: 1

What hour/hours of the day did baby have witching hour?

  • 3-bedtime: 1
  • 4-7 PM: 2
  • 5-10 PM: 1
  • 6:30-10:30: 1
  • 7 PM: 3
  • 7-9 PM : 1

Did anything help keep your baby content during witching hour? 

  • Swing: 4
  • Bounced: 3
  • Pacifier: 1
  • Cuddling/holding: 3
  • Nursing/cluster feeding: 4
  • Keeping upright: 1
  • Walking: 3
  • Wearing baby: 3
  • Cutting food (chocolate/dairy): 2
  • 5 S’s from Happiest Baby on Block: 1

Any advice for parents experiencing witching hour?

  • Jess said:I learned to just roll with it. For me, that meant almost constant nursing but my husband and I would put something on the tv and when I just accepted it for that part of the day, it got easier.
  • Christine said: You’re not doing anything wrong. Keep being gently consistent, and give yourself a break. Take the opportunity to get in lots of cuddles, and don’t be afraid to pass baby onto hubby for a break.
  • Julia said: breathe. the more stressed out you are, the longer it is
  • Annette said: Prep dinner earlier in the day or use a slowcooker. I wish someone had told me not to worry about the routine with witching hour…just make yourself comfortable. it sounds crazy but now that my daughter is nearly 6 months and goes down at 7pm for the night, I miss sitting in her room rocking her.
  • Titus 2 Student said: It helped me to remember it had to end eventually and I kept 4 months in sight a lot as a point to reach since I’d heard so often it resolved itself for many families then (which it sure enough did for us!). It helped to remember that other parents around the world were dealing with the same thing right then. I also enjoyed leaving the house with her sometimes during this time since she wasn’t sleeping anyway just to kind of change scenery (girls night out, grocery store, etc)…it seemed like she just wanted to be with people at that time. She was an amazing napper all day and slept through the night very early, and I almost wonder if she partly just really wanted some more social time? I know she was overtired during that time period, but I wondered if that might be a small factor.
  • me said: Hang in there. Don’t be afraid to try different things. If your baby does 2 naps a day in her bed then I feel like she’s still learning to sleep there and you can try different things if the last nap isn’t working. Seems to me like babies go through so many stages of sleep training. If you don’t do everything according to the book those first 3 months, it really doesn’t mean that you blew it for good. There will be lots of other chances. Don’t be so “strict” that you will regret it later. I don’t regret any of those times I snuggled my baby in my sling and she’s a great bed napper now. Don’t stress about it.
  • Stephanie said: Just remember like everything else with babies, things change fast! I barely remember the witching hour now but at the time it seemed like it would never end.
  • Acasper3 said: There is always something with kids. As parents, we need to stay vigilant and persistent. Constant love and patience. Don’t give up, ever, or try to clock out.
  • Jennifer said: Know that witching hour is normal and it will pass so quickly you won’t remember it a few months later! Also, don’t worry about “breaking the rules” during this time. Do what you need to for your baby.

For posts on witching hour, see:

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