The Period of PURPLE Crying is a name for the normal phase in the first months of life when babies cry more, often peaking around 2 months and easing by 3 to 5 months. It was developed by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to help parents understand and cope with crying.
What does PURPLE stand for?
Each letter describes a feature of this normal crying:
- Peak of crying, around 2 months
- Unexpected: crying comes and goes without reason
- Resists soothing
- Pain-like face, even when not in pain
- Long lasting: crying can go on for hours
- Evening: crying is often worse in the late afternoon and evening
What you can do
- Try soothing: holding, rocking, walking, white noise or a warm bath.
- If crying overwhelms you, put your baby down safely on their back in their cot, leave the room and take a few minutes to calm down.
- Never shake a baby.
When to talk to your doctor
See your doctor if your baby's crying seems different from usual, if they have a fever, are feeding poorly or seem unwell.
