PURPLE crying: understanding the hardest weeks, and getting through them

Every baby goes through a stretch of weeks when crying increases for no clear reason. Naming it changes how it feels, and a plan keeps everyone safe.

Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026

In short

The Period of PURPLE Crying describes the normal increase in crying in healthy babies: Peak of crying, Unexpected, Resists soothing, Pain-like face, Long-lasting, Evening. It usually starts around 2 weeks, peaks in the second month and ends around 3 to 5 months. If you reach your limit, put your baby on their back in a safe crib, step away for 10 to 15 minutes, and never shake.

The six letters

The Period of PURPLE Crying is a parent education program from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, built on decades of research on normal infant crying by pediatrician Ronald Barr. The letters, as Cleveland Clinic describes them:

Letter	Stands for	What it looks like
P	Peak of crying	crying increases week by week, often peaking in the second month
U	Unexpected	crying comes and goes for no apparent reason
R	Resists soothing	your baby may keep crying whatever you try
P	Pain-like face	your baby can look in pain even when they are not
L	Long-lasting	crying can last several hours a day
E	Evening	more crying in the late afternoon and evening

The word "period" matters: it has a beginning and an end. Cleveland Clinic places the start around 2 weeks and the end around 3 to 5 months.

How much crying is normal

Reference point	Figure	Source
Average fussing and crying, first 6 weeks	117 to 133 minutes per 24 hours	Wolke 2017, 28 studies, 8,690 babies
Average at 10 to 12 weeks	68 minutes per 24 hours	Wolke 2017
Healthy, well cared-for babies	may cry 1 to 2 hours every day, some longer	AAP
When it rises and eases	increases around 2 weeks, gradually reduces around 3 months	NHS

A baby who cries a lot in these weeks is not a sign that you are doing something wrong. When crying meets the "3 hours a day, 3 days a week" threshold, it is called colic; our colic guide covers it in detail.

Check first, then soothe

The NHS lists the most common reasons for crying. Run through them calmly:

Then try one soothing idea at a time, for a few minutes each (NHS and Cleveland Clinic):

Skin-to-skin contact, or holding your baby close in a sling.
Gentle movement: swaying, walking, a pram ride.
Your voice: talking, humming, singing.
Gentle background noise.
Stroking the back while your baby lies against you or face down on your lap.
A warm bath (it calms some babies and upsets others).
Sometimes less is more: too much rocking can keep a baby awake.

If your baby falls asleep in the car or on you, move them onto their back on a firm, flat surface to sleep, as the NHS advises. Safe sleep basics are in our safe sleep guide.

Your plan for when you reach your limit

Write it down now, while you are calm, and stick it on the fridge for every caregiver.

Stop and breathe. Take a deep breath and count to 10 (AAP).
Put your baby down safely: on their back, in a crib or play yard with no blankets or toys (AAP).
Leave the room and close the door. Give yourself about 10 to 15 minutes (AAP); the NHS suggests setting a time limit such as 10 minutes.
Do something that calms you: music, a call to a friend or family member, a simple chore (AAP).
Check on your baby, but only pick them up once you feel calm (AAP).
Try soothing again, and call your baby's doctor if the crying worries you.

The UK program ICON sums it up in four lines: Infant crying is normal; Comforting methods can help; it's OK to walk away; Never, ever shake a baby.

In the UK, the Cry-sis helpline (0800 448 0737, 9am to 10pm, 7 days a week) supports parents of crying babies, according to the NHS.

Never shake a baby

No matter how frustrated you feel, never shake, throw, hit or jerk a baby. The AAP explains that babies cannot yet support their heavy heads, and violent shaking injures the brain. Abusive head trauma can cause death, brain damage, bleeding around the brain, blindness, hearing loss, seizures, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.

Share this with everyone who looks after your baby: partner, grandparents, babysitters, older siblings. A randomized trial with 1,279 mothers found that those given the PURPLE materials scored higher on knowledge about infant crying and were more likely to walk away during inconsolable crying and to share the message about the dangers of shaking (Barr, CMAJ 2009).

Call 911 or 999 if a baby who may have been shaken shows irritability, unusual sleepiness, vomiting, trouble breathing, seizures or decreased alertness: these are the warning signs the AAP lists.

When crying is a sign of illness

The NHS says crying that you cannot console, or a cry that does not sound like your baby's normal cry, can be a sign of illness. Contact your doctor or NHS 111 if your baby has a high temperature or is not interested in feeding.

Call 911 or 999 if your baby:

has a seizure;
has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue;
is unresponsive, floppy or not waking as usual;
has difficulty breathing, grunting or very fast breathing;
is vomiting forcefully and repeatedly;
has a rash that does not fade when you press it;
has not had a wet diaper in 8 hours.

For babies under 3 months, any temperature of 38 °C (100.4 °F) or more means calling the doctor: see newborn care.

Questions parents ask

What does PURPLE stand for?

Peak of crying, Unexpected, Resists soothing, Pain-like face, Long-lasting and Evening. Each letter describes a normal feature of crying in healthy young babies, not an illness.

When does PURPLE crying end?

Cleveland Clinic describes a period that usually starts around 2 weeks of age, often peaks in the second month and ends around 3 to 5 months.

Is it OK to leave my baby to cry for a few minutes?

Yes, when you are at your limit. The AAP advises placing your baby on their back in a crib with no blankets or toys, leaving the room for about 10 to 15 minutes to calm down, then checking on them.

Is PURPLE crying the same as colic?

They overlap. Colic is a definition based on hours of crying (more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week). PURPLE describes the normal crying curve that all babies go through, with or without colic.

Sources

Cleveland Clinic — Purple Crying checked October 13, 2026
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome — The Period of PURPLE Crying program checked October 13, 2026
AAP HealthyChildren — Abusive Head Trauma, How to Protect Your Baby checked October 13, 2026
NHS — Soothing a crying baby checked October 13, 2026
ICON — Babies cry, you can cope checked October 13, 2026
Barr RG et al. Do educational materials change knowledge and behaviour about crying and shaken baby syndrome? A randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 2009 (PMID 19255065) checked October 13, 2026
Wolke D, Bilgin A, Samara M. Fussing and Crying Durations and Prevalence of Colic in Infants. J Pediatr 2017 (PMID 28385295) checked October 13, 2026

Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.