Why Is My Newborn Always Fussy in the Evening? (The Truth About the “Witching Hour”)

Written By Allison Zweig, PMH-C, MSW

Every evening, like clockwork, your baby starts crying.

Feeding doesn’t fix it. Holding helps… until it doesn’t.

Welcome to the “witching hour.”

What is the witching hour?

A period in the late afternoon or evening where newborns:

  • Cry more

  • Seem harder to soothe

  • Want constant holding or feeding

Why it happens

1. Overtiredness
Newborns get overstimulated easily.

2. Nervous system overload
The day builds up for them.

3. Cluster feeding
They may want to feed more frequently.

What can help

  • Lower stimulation (dim lights, quiet space)

  • Skin-to-skin contact

  • Babywearing

  • Feeding more frequently if needed

What you need to hear

This is one of the hardest parts of early parenting.

It doesn’t mean:

  • You’re doing something wrong

  • Your baby is “difficult”

It means your baby is adjusting to the world.

And you matter too

If evenings feel overwhelming or emotional, that matters.

You deserve support through this phase, not just advice.

Allison Zweig, PMH-C, MSW

💛 You Were Never Meant to Do This Alone

Whether you're preparing to welcome a baby, adjusting to postpartum life, grieving a loss, or seeking emotional clarity in the midst of hormonal shifts, you deserve support.

I am so glad you are here. My name is Allison, and I am a Postpartum Doula, Postpartum Coach, and Maternal-Child Health therapist serving Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

My experience and training position me perfectly to assist you with pregnancy and parenting concerns.

I can be a valuable resource when you prepare to become a parent.

I can help you through the challenges and joys of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. As a Peripartum Mental Health (PMH-C) therapist, I can help you and your partner prepare for the arrival of a new baby.

Pregnancy is full of emotional and physical changes! Together, we will work to manage them.

I can help you plan the best “4th” trimester for your family.

In addition to my therapy practice, I have experience as a hospital social worker in a mother-baby unit. This job allowed me to help families get the very best postpartum support.

https://allisonzweig.com
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Newborn Wakes Up When Put Down? Here’s Why (and How to Help)