All about the dreaded witching hour
Jane Barry
Witching hour – or arsenic hour – is one of those parenting experiences we can’t fully comprehend until we’re in the thick of it. And all at once, the descriptions of it being just so difficult make perfect sense.
All about the dreaded witching hour
What is witching hour?
This is a great term to describe the period between late afternoon and late evening – anytime from around 4pm until 10pm. Between these hours is the classic time when young babies tend to be unsettled and difficult to please. All the usual calming strategies don’t make any difference and crying tends to peak as the baby becomes more tired and unhappy.
Other names for witching hour are “colic”, or arsenic hour. All mean the same thing. It’s generally not limited to just one hour either. Just like morning sickness, the title is misleading.
Witching hour can last for what seems like an eternity but in most homes, is limited to a maximum of around six hours.
