Witching Hour vs Colic

Originally published on May 22, 2014; Revised March 28, 2025

Author: Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC, FNC

Welcoming a new baby into your life is an incredible experience, but it can also come with challenges—especially when it comes to fussiness and crying. One of the most confusing and exhausting parts of early parenthood is dealing with periods of intense crying, sometimes called “colic” or the “witching hours.” While both involve periods of crying and discomfort, colic tends to be more prolonged and difficult to soothe compared to the witching hours. While it can be overwhelming, understanding these behaviors can make it easier to navigate and find ways to soothe your little one. 

ABOUT SDBFC

The San Diego Breastfeeding Center was established in 2009 by Robin Kaplan, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Functional Nutritionist, and parent.  Her vision was to create a judgment-free, inclusive support system for families navigating infant feeding challenges.  SDBFC offers a wide range of one-on-one breastfeeding, infant feeding, and nutrition consultations - as well as classes, support groups, online articles, and social media - making it your one-stop-shop for all things infant feeding!

What Are the Witching Hours?

The witching hours are a period of increased fussiness that almost all babies experience, usually occurring in the late afternoon and evening. It often begins around 2 to 3 weeks of age, peaks around 6 weeks, and typically fades by 3 months. During this time, your baby may want to cluster feed—feeding frequently for short periods and seeming fussier than usual. It might feel like your baby doesn’t know what they want: they may latch on to nurse for a few minutes, fall asleep, and then wake up shortly after, wanting to feed again. It’s also common for babies to give hunger cues but then pull off the breast and cry. 

Why Do the Witching Hours Happen?

While we can’t know for sure why babies have these fussy periods, there are a few theories that may explain it:

• Lower Milk Supply: Many parents notice that their milk supply naturally decreases a bit as the day goes on. This is completely normal and doesn’t mean you aren’t producing enough milk. However, a slower milk flow can make babies feel frustrated and want to nurse more frequently.

• Overstimulation: After a long day full of new sights, sounds, and experiences, your baby may feel overwhelmed and unable to settle. This can be especially true if your household gets busier in the evening, with partners coming home, older siblings returning from school, and dinner being prepared.

• Normal Developmental Phases: Babies are constantly growing and changing, and some developmental leaps may make them a bit fussier as they adjust.

What Can You Do to Help Your Baby During the Witching Hours?

While you may not be able to eliminate fussiness completely, there are plenty of strategies to make this period easier for both you and your baby:

• Feed Frequently: Offer the chest/breast often, even if it feels like they just ate. Cluster feeding is normal and sucking helps to calm your baby’s nervous system. 

• Babywearing: Learning to nurse in a carrier can be a game changer. Wearing your baby keeps them close and soothed while giving you the freedom to move around and get things done (ie feed yourself!)

• Prepare Ahead of Time: Consider making dinner earlier in the day or having easy meals ready to go, so you’re not stressed about cooking during your baby’s fussy period.

• Fresh Air and Movement: Taking a walk with your baby in a carrier or stroller can help both of you reset. The fresh air and gentle motion can be incredibly calming.

• Ask for Help: Don’t hesitate to let your partner or support person step in. Sometimes you need a break to recharge, and that’s okay!

What Is Colic?

Colic is different from the witching hours and is typically defined as crying that lasts off and on for more than three hours a day, at least three days a week, for three weeks or longer. Colicky crying is often more intense and harder to soothe, and babies may show signs of physical discomfort like arching their back, tensing their legs, or appearing gassy. Colic usually starts in the first few weeks and resolves once the root cause(s) has been identified.

What Causes Colic?

There’s no definitive answer to what causes colic, but some possible factors include:

• Oversupply or Forceful Letdown: An abundant milk supply or fast flow can cause a baby to gulp air, leading to gas and discomfort.

• Foremilk-Hindmilk Imbalance: Too much lower-calorie foremilk and not enough higher-calorie hindmilk can upset a baby’s stomach, causing gassiness.

• Oral Ties: Tongue-tie or lip-tie can make it difficult for a baby to latch well, leading to swallowing air during feedings and difficulties getting enough at each feeding session.

• Dietary Sensitivities: Sometimes, something in the parent’s diet (like dairy, soy, gluten, or egg) might affect the baby’s digestion.  

• Antibiotic Use and Gut Inflammation: If the baby or lactating parent has recently taken antibiotics, it may disrupt the baby’s gut microbiome, leading to digestive discomfort and increased fussiness.

How Can You Help a Colicky Baby?

• Adjust Chest/Breastfeeding Positions: Try laid-back chest/breastfeeding to slow down your milk flow and help your baby pace themselves more effectively while feeding.

• Keep a Food Journal: Track your diet and your baby’s symptoms to see if any specific foods seem to trigger fussiness. We can help identify trigger foods or root causes of gut inflammation and discomfort during a functional nutrition appointment. (Click here to find out more information about these functional nutrition appointments)

• Seek Support: An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can help identify potential issues like oversupply, oral ties, or feeding challenges. (Click here for more details on the types of lactation appointments we offer!)

Most importantly, remember that this phase will pass. The witching hour typically resolves by 3 months as babies become less sensitive to their environments. Colic can often be remedied as soon as the root cause(s) is identified and addressed. It’s completely normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Reach out for support from your partner, family, friends, and professionals who can help you navigate this challenging time.

If you’re feeling unsure about your baby’s feeding patterns, fussiness, or gut discomfort, know that you’re not alone—we’re here to help! Our team of experienced lactation consultants and functional nutrition experts is ready to support you. Whether you need guidance on soothing techniques, feeding adjustments, or identifying root causes of discomfort, we’re here to provide personalized care. Schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of our lactation consultants or functional nutrition counselors for expert advice tailored to your baby’s unique needs.

SDBFC is committed to providing high-quality lactation and functional nutrition consultations to parents in San Diego and beyond. Explore our postpartum, prenatal, and functional nutrition consultations, take a breastfeeding class or attend a workshop.

About the Author

Robin Kaplan has been an IBCLC since 2009, the same year that she opened up the San Diego Breastfeeding Center.  Robin was the founding host of the Boob Group podcast and published her first book, Latch: a Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage in 2018.  Melding her passions for supporting lactating parents and holistic health, Robin finished her Functional Nutrition Certification in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her two teenage boys, hiking, traveling, weaving, cooking, and searching for the best chai latte.

Breastfeeding Memoirs: Returning to Work in the Navy

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week 2015, we are sharing inspirational stories from breastfeeding/working -- moms.  

Today’s story was written by Cinda Brown.

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I’m an active duty Navy officer and mother of two girls. My journey to becoming a working, breastfeeding mother started almost 4 years ago with the birth of my first daughter. Breastfeeding was challenging in more ways than I could have imagined. I thought that it would just be easy and natural, not knowing that those two little words can mean so many different things.

My baby had a high palate combined with tongue and lip tie. I had no idea what this was. All I knew is that my nipple was damaged and cut from her very first latch and that it hurt each time there after. Soon I was scabbed and crying each time she latched. So much pain. I didn’t know where to get help and the nurses at the hospital told me it would get better with time. When my daughter was about 5 weeks old I finally met a nurse who promptly referred me to a pediatrician who was also an IBCLC. Her issues were diagnosed and we were then set up for a revision. I learned so much from this IBCLC. He taught my husband what to look for and we both were sent home with more knowledge that helped us on our road to success. My husband knew what looked wrong and was there to help me reposition. He supported me through all of the pain and sleepless nights. He did diaper changes and baths and allowed me to keep working on breastfeeding, instead of asking to bottle feed so he could bond. He found other ways to really bond with our baby girl while ensuring that our breastfeeding relationship would be preserved. Partners play such an important role and I can’t say this enough!

Once my daughter and I finally started to get the hang of breastfeeding, it was time for me to go back to work. I struggled with a very intense oversupply and was worried about how I was going to manage it when I was back at work. It had been difficult enough to manage it when I just had to take care of my baby at home, but now I was looking at adding in daycare, going back to work full time, and still trying to keep up with everything else that needed to be done at home. While many people I’ve encountered have told me how lucky I am to have oversupply, I also know that it’s very difficult to manage. It takes an extraordinary amount of time to pump, collect, freeze, and store the milk not to mention the washing of all of the pump parts. Adding this extra needed time into an already compressed day was overwhelming to think of, much less try to put into action.

We were very lucky to find a daycare teacher who was experienced with bottle-feeding breastfed babies. That was hurdle #1. She was an amazing communicator, which helped the process so much more. The day came to go back to work and I still remember it like it was yesterday because the experience is forever imprinted in my memory. Leaving my baby girl with someone new for the first time to go back to work was just devastating to me. And her. For me I felt like it absolutely went against my innate knowing to separate us. But yet I had no choice and my leave was over so it was time to go back. In that moment I would have given anything to stay home with her. Having a caring provider and making the most of the time that I did have with my baby while at home helped to ease the separation but it definitely took time before that ache started to subside. I really had no idea about the obstacles I was about to encounter and had no one to guide me along the way.

Day one back at work, I found myself in a land of cubicles, with no place to pump breastmilk. Over the next several months I improvised wherever I could to find a place to  pump when I needed to. I pumped in bathrooms, in my car in the parking lot, in my car on the way to and from meetings, basically anywhere I could find that would provide some sense of privacy and still allow me to complete work requirements. It was far from ideal and was super stressful, and mastitis and clogged ducts became more usual than unusual. I had to wake up super early before work so that I could pump since I would be so engorged. Wash parts. Try not to forget parts, bottles, or storage bags. Or the plug for the pump! So many things to remember!

My job had been so busy and intense before I had my baby and I knew that it was going to be no different when I returned. The biggest challenge was trying to coordinate pumping between meetings that for the most part I didn’t have a lot of control over scheduling. Many times meetings would come up at the last minute, or would be rescheduled right in the middle of when I’d need to pump. I had to figure out a way to talk to my supervisors about my need to pump, the importance of keeping a regular schedule, and at the same time keep my head held high.

In the military culture, it can be intimidating to ask your supervisor for permission to do things outside of the norm or what’s expected. I wanted to be able to show that I was able to handle it all: be a successful officer and a successful mother. But the reality is that each demands 100% or more of a person, and there’s only so much effort and time that can be allotted to each. Some compromises had to be made, and it was up to me to advocate for myself and my baby. I’m not going to say that the conversations were the most comfortable that I’ve ever had or the most easy, or that they were well received. They certainly were not. But I thought of all of the other more junior women going through the same journey and realized that if I couldn’t advocate and speak up for myself, then there’s no way that my example would set other women up for success.

I asked for what I needed and over time it became more normal for everyone I worked with. I did find out something very interesting in that most of the people I worked with were male, and that their wives/partners were full time stay at home parents. None of them were mothers who had breastfed and many of their wives had not breastfed. Education and communication with my male leadership helped them to realize the importance of breastfeeding and how it could in fact make the workplace better for everyone since breastfed babies tend to get sick less often. Mothers are able to get back into fitness standards more quickly since breastfeeding can help mothers lose weight. These are only a couple of examples amongst many. I know that the Navy is keenly interested in retaining females in order to have females rise in the ranks of leadership. Advocating for breastfeeding is one step in the right direction to retain mothers in the military. Mothers who are shamed or made to feel that they can’t fit in are not likely to want to stay as a part of an organization that can’t accept them for doing something that’s good for both their baby and themselves.

After several months of making do, a fellow military breastfeeding mother and I set out on a journey to have our commands come into compliance with current Navy breastfeeding instructions and guidance. This meant that our command was required to provide a room that wasn’t a bathroom space, with privacy, a locking door, a refrigerator/freezer, outlets, and furniture. It also allowed for time to pump milk that would accommodate what the mother would need to maintain her supply. It was a long process, but with diligence and help from many people, by the time I left my command there were 5 mother’s rooms set up for breastfeeding mothers to pump milk and an instruction that provided guidance so that mothers were protected in their ability to pump breastmilk.  Each room had a multi-user pump and pump kits donated by the San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition. The command won the SDCBC Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Award in 2014, which was such an amazing accomplishment given where it had started from. A monthly breastfeeding support group led by Sarah Lin, IBCLC, started in 2013 and continues to this day. She selflessly stepped up to donate her time to help countless mothers who have so benefitted from her expertise when there was a definite need.

I’m now a mother of two and I honestly thought that going back to work for the 2nd time with an infant would be easier since I had done it before, but it’s been just as challenging. I’m at a new command, so I have new people to interact with. Dynamics are different and the juggling act of timing pumping around work requirements is still as alive today, if not more than it was when I went back to work with my first daughter. Mastitis and clogged ducts continue to make their presence known, which was disappointing since I thought that I had them figured out. Goes to show that just because it worked last time doesn’t mean that it will work this time. Each baby is so very different, as is each pregnancy and postpartum period. I’ve been known to excuse myself from meetings with very senior personnel so I can go pump, which hasn’t been easy. I know that I need to take care of myself so that I’ll be at work tomorrow. Sacrificing today isn’t worth getting sick tomorrow and I keep telling myself that. Because there’s a part of me that still struggles to have a voice and speak up for what I need.

I pumped for 2 years for my first daughter. She will be 4 this fall and breastfeeds right along with my infant. I’m pumping for my infant at work and will continue to do so until it’s the right time to stop. I never thought that I’d make it this far in our breastfeeding journey, but now I can’t imagine it being any other way. There have been so many that I can attribute our success to in our San Diego community. The amazing support of IBCLCs and mothers has carried me when I needed to be lifted up too many times to count. I hope that through my efforts I can help other military mothers achieve the success that they envision for breastfeeding their children, whether it be for days or years.