Purple crying vs colic: what is the difference?
Have you ever noticed that your infant seems fussier in the evening, even to the point that nothing you do seems to console them? This can be frustrating, especially for new parents who seem to try “everything”, and yet their baby still won’t calm down. It may have even led you to believe your baby has colic. But what might actually be going on is that your baby is experiencing purple crying.
Sounds a bit odd, and sort of scary right? Essentially, purple crying is a phrase used to describe a period in an infant’s life when they become overly fussy and cry for a period of time, typically in the evening.
But don’t worry! Your baby isn’t actually turning purple. They are just going through a normal development phase that almost all babies experience.
The acronym purple stands for:
P- Peak of crying. Generally this fussy period peaks at about 2 months and greatly improves by 3-4 months.
U- Unexpected. Crying may come and go without a clear reason.
R- Resists Soothing. It seems like nothing you do is working!
P- Pain-like face. Baby’s face may appear in pain even if they aren not.
L- Long lasting. Up to 5 hours or more in a day!
E- Evening. Crying tends to happen more in the late afternoon or evening.
The good news about purple crying is that it is both temporary AND normal. There is nothing wrong with your baby if they cry frequently in the evening, even if they cry hard.
While it may seem like nothing you do is working, there are a few things you can try to calm baby down like a luke-warm bath, babywearing, nursing, going for a walk, and allowing the last nap of the day to happen on you.
What about Colic?
Colic is a term that is often vaguely used to describe crying that appears excessive or more intense than usual. You likely have heard a friend, parent, or grandparent describe a baby as being “colicky” when describing a difficult to soothe baby. Even though we know crying may occur in young babies without a specific reason, some theories suggest this behavior is due to digestive issues, such as sensitivity to formula or breastmilk or even anxious parenting behavior—which is just not true!
Today this term has become quite controversial and sometimes misunderstood since the way parents interpret an infant’s cries may vary from one parent to another, and as we know, it is normal for infants to experience long bouts of crying during the newborn stage. That said, colic is most commonly defined by the following signs:
Persistent crying for more than three hours per day, three days per week, for more than three weeks
Intense crying
A tightening of baby’s body
Predictable episodes of crying
Crying that appears without a clear reason
While long periods of crying are considered normal during this period, parents may want to consider bringing up any changes in typical behavior to their pediatrician to rule out a true medical issue. Some pediatricians will use the term colic as a diagnostic term, and for some parents this diagnosis can be a sort of comfort, validating the frustrations of trying to calm their baby. Meanwhile, other parents might find the label “colicky” makes them worry something is wrong with their baby, and may lead them to turn to giving their baby unnecessary medication to treat these symptoms.
But, because we know all babies are different and have different temperaments, we want to reassure you there is nothing developmentally wrong with a baby who experiences longer bouts of crying than others.
On the bright side, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. Just like purple crying, colic tends to get better with time! The most important thing is that during this phase parents feel they have the support they need, and have ways to try to soothe their baby. If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or check out our newborn and/or 4-12 month class!
Related articles:
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-your-crying-baby
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/five-ways-to-manage-the-witching-hour
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/the-truth-about-the-cry-it-out-method-and-sleep-training
https://www.mysweetsleeper.com/blog/five-ways-to-teach-your-baby-how-to-self-soothe
Sources:
http://purplecrying.info/sub-pages/crying/what-is-colic.php
https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/colic-symptoms
https://news.sanfordhealth.org/childrens/colic-or-normal-crying/
https://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/infant-crying-colic-and-the-period-of-purple-crying
