2 hours of crying - question

[martyw]

Hi,

We have a 5weeks + 2days old baby. She is typically very calm. She may cry for a minute here and then but if you attend to her she calms down and soon is either a) eating (if she wants that and it is her time), b) happy + awake, or c) calm and sleeping/going to sleep.

However, yesterday we had 2h+ of crying. Not strictly continuous but crying. She would relax for 5min and we would hope she would go in her "calm" mode but then she would cry again.

We had to go for her basic measurements etc in the morning so my assumption is that the baby was tired. Also in her early evening slot she stayed awake instead of going back to sleep as typically.

Any good ideas as to the core reasoning behind this intense crying? "Just" that she was tired or can be something different aligned with the growth period?

I know other reasons may also apply (e.g., gas) but those didn't seem to be the reason.

Thank you.

 

[alf]

@martyw Google the term 'purple crying'

Babies get fussy at this age, - weeks is actually the peak! Unfortunately sometimes they cry for no reason. It's tough but it will pass

 

[dartmanii]

@alf This. Sometimes outside time or a bath can help. It’s normal but it will get better.

 

[martyw]

@alf

purple crying

Thank you. Aware in general. But beyond the mental model that "it happens" and of course we take care of the baby I would like to know if there is any particular behavior that triggers such crying more. I know the answer is complex. My question was specifically for the switch between the typical "calm" response throughout the day to a day with 2h+ of crying.

 

[alf]

@martyw There's no known trigger for purple crying as far as I know, unfortunately. It's a strange developmental step that we just have to push through

 

[katrina2017]

@martyw Yes it's with a huge development growth actually. It usually starts at 6 weeks it's called the 6-8 week leap which I found isn't often talked about. It happened to my son. It lasted longer than week 6-8 it was more like ages 6 weeks to 10 weeks but it got better.

It's apparently bc their sleep partners start changing, they start becoming more aware of their surroundings and care takers. They may even eat more or less. They might fight sleep, maybe sleep more. It depends on the baby but it does end! It just feels like forever.

All I did during this time was pay extra close attention to things like stimuli, too much or too little, followed his cues and payed extra attention to wake windows.

Its hard but it gets better.

 

[gigis]

@katrina2017

cues and paid extra attention

FTFY.

Although payed exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:

• Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. The deck is yet to be payed.
• Payed out when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. The rope is payed out! You can pull now.

Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.

Beep, boop, I'm a bot

 

[servantofchrist27]

@martyw My girl hit peak witching hour around this time; the only thing that saved us was baby wearing and walking outside. Hang in there, it will pass soon!