Tag Archive for: babywearing

The Witching Hour: The Scariest Time of Day for New Parents

Nearly every parent can recall a moment during those early weeks of their baby’s life, when their sweet, innocent little bundle of joy seemed more like a terrifying little monster. This scary time is often referred to as the “Witching Hour”, derived from folklore to mean the time of day when the ghosts, monsters, and demons were said to have appeared. 

Like the term ‘morning sickness’ (which frequently happens far more often than just the morning), the phrase ‘witching hour’ is also a misnomer. Your newborn may spend well more than 60 minutes in this seemingly inconsolable state. Particularly during this time of year, when the sun sets earlier, it is not uncommon for the witching hour to include the hours leading up to and immediately following sunset. 

So what then IS the witching hour?  

The witching hour is a period of excessive fussiness, crying, irritability, and/or sleeplessness, sometimes spanning several hours, often occurring during the late afternoon into evening. It is extremely common for newborns, particularly in weeks 2-4 of their lives, to exhibit this behavior but can (unfortunately) extend for weeks. 

What causes the witching hour in newborns?

Overstimulation

It’s the end of another long and grueling day; you’ve been bombarded by noises, lights, sounds, textures, smells, and other external stimuli for hours on end. It’s enough to make adults want to retreat to their happy place! Now, consider a newborn, only weeks into this journey that is life, experiencing all of these same stimuli. This is why the number one cause of the ‘witching hour’ can be attributed simply to overstimulation. As humans, when we are overwhelmed by external stimuli, it is difficult for our mind and body to rest – overstimulation leads to being overtired too.

Gastrointestinal Discomforts

Your baby’s GI system is also brand new, working hard to learn how to suck, swallow, and digest milk, absorb nutrients, and pass gas and stool. It can be expected that this immaturity can contribute to increased gas (and the ensuing fussiness and discomfort), particularly after a full day of feedings. It’s also not unusual for excess gas and discomfort to compound throughout the day. 

Hunger

A baby’s nutritional needs change throughout the course of the day. It is not uncommon for babies to appear more hungry during the late afternoon and evening hours. This is partially a biological response for breastfed babies in that breastmilk production and supply tends to be at the lowest during this time of day. Babies who are bottle fed may exhibit hunger cues even after finishing their usual portion of milk. 

Tricks & Treats: What can we do to help our baby through the witching hour?

Reduce stimulus 

If you have taken DOB’s Baby 101 workshop, you have likely learned about Dr. Harvey Karp and his 5 S’s; Swaddle, Sway, Side-lying, Suck, and Shhh (or Sound). Combining these five activities can help to reduce external stimuli and, hopefully, encourage baby to close their eyes. A favorite trick for our postpartum doulas is taking baby, swaddled and with a pacifier, into the bathroom, turning off the lights and turning on the exhaust fan! And baby-wearing can be a treat for the whole family. Putting baby in an inward-facing wrap or carrier is a great tool to get through this time, too.

Encourage burps and toots

Encouraging baby to burp and pass gas frequently throughout the day can help alleviate fussiness and bloating in the evenings. Whether breast or bottle feeding, burping baby mid-feeding is always a good idea. Giving baby time to lay and move their limbs can also aid in teaching them how to release gas as well. Ultimately, time and maturity are the only true ‘fix’. 

Feed frequently

While we can’t eliminate baby’s desire to feed frequently in the evenings, sometimes preemptively increasing afternoon feedings can help. This may mean waking more frequently for shorter durations between feedings (2-2.5 hours maximum would be our recommendation). Or increasing the amount or duration at the last feeding session prior to the anticipated witching hour time frame. Cluster feeding, especially in the evenings, is very normal for breastfed babies in anticipation of a growth spurt. Again, this is an instance where time may be the only solution.

Is there a way to eliminate the witching hour?

While it can be difficult to accommodate for every family, one of the benefits of this time of year is the earlier sunsets.  If their witching hour is around 5 pm, ensuring they have a quality late afternoon nap may help. Take advantage of the darkness to push baby’s bedtime back a bit. If baby seems cranky, irritable or inconsolable by 7:30 pm every night, aiming to have them settled and to sleep by 7 pm could help (and mean you might get a few minutes of peace!).

While we can not guarantee that these tips and tricks will work every time with every baby, we can assure you that you are not alone, and ultimately, this time will pass. 

Holiday gifts every new parent needs (and a few they don’t!)

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Here come the winter holidays! So you observe a gift-giving tradition? Therefore, you’ve likely felt moments of confusion and panic over what to give your loved ones. And if you’re expecting, may not know how to answer the questions from those who love you about what you’d like this year. However, if you’ve recently had a baby shower, you might feel like presents are more than you need right now. And if you would like to give holiday gifts to the new parent on your loved ones list, you may think there’s nothing left that they need. But fear not! In the seasonal spirit of giving, Doulas of Baltimore is here to give you a list of perfect solutions to your dilemma.

Ideas to consider skipping

First, we will clear some potential ideas for holiday gifts for new parents off your list. New parents are frequently short on sleep and patience. As a result, they do not appreciate toys that make loud or repetitive noises, so avoid those! While newborn clothing is easy to shop for and seems downright irresistible, chances are good that parents of infants have an ample supply already of these tiny wardrobe builders. And newborns outgrow them in a matter of weeks. For practical purposes, you can also skip over infant snow suits. And while infant sleep positioners may look like a useful and valued gift, the evidence says that many of them are unsafe and as a result should be avoided.

What’s left, then? So much good stuff! We present to you some items and services that make great holiday gifts every new parent is likely to use and value.

Holiday gifts for new parents that do make the list!

Modern diaper bag

First off, parents know that diaper bags are essential, and good ones are worth their weight in holiday gold. This backpack from TwelveLittle is packed with features and comes in style-forward unisex colors, and even has a tech pocket for a laptop for multitasking parents.

Versatile baby carrier

A good baby carrier is a must for families! Because whether you’re on the go or getting things done around home, a carrier makes all the difference. This one from Baby Tula has an innovative design that allows parents to carry baby either front or back of the body. You’ll love the quick-adjusting straps for multiple wearers. And this carrier grows with your little one. Use it up to 45 pounds!

Infant sleep monitor

Anyone who’s ever heard anyone talk about life with newborns knows that good sleep is everything. The Owlet is an ingenius baby sleep monitor that parents have raved over. It is a far cry from anything parents of previous generations could have imagined. Check it out here: Owlet.

Simple white noise machine

Since good sleep is always a priority for new parents, white noise machines have been increasingly popular. Families love them for their sleep-assisting properties. And this one from HoMedics is a solid, affordable choice, perfect for families traveling over the holidays. 

Lasting, quality clothing

If, above all, you cannot resist the allure of buying clothing for that adorable baby, look for high-quality design and comfortable fabrics. Also buy in larger sizes that they can grow into. Therefore, check out Hanna Andersson which is a Swedish company that uses organic cotton in many of its products. They design their clothing in European sizing that allows for growth. If you buy a size 70 now would mean baby could wear the clothing next spring and summer. 

Toy subscription box

Since it takes some research off their plate, busy parents appreciate a subscription box arriving at the door with no planning or errand running involved. LovEvery provides kits packed with developmentally sound toys and products for growing babies, and the kits are backed by a line-up of impressive endorsements  

Best support money can buy

Another winning option for holiday gifts every new parent could use is a package of in-home postpartum doula services. A postpartum doula provides a range of services to help ease families into a happy and healthy new life together. Whether lending a hand to set up the nursery or sharing expertise for childbirth recovery, your doula is there for you! From infant feeding and sleep habits to assistance with older sibling care and light household tasks – our team of postpartum professionals and newborn care specialists from Doulas of Baltimore is here to help. To make it easy, we provide gift certificates for family and friends to purchase. Add it to your baby registry or holiday wishlist!

Happy shopping, and happy holidays!