It's 5 PM. Your baby was fine all day, and suddenly they're screaming. You've tried everything…feeding, changing, rocking, walking around the house. Nothing works for more than a minute or two.
Sound familiar? You're dealing with the witching hour. Yes, babies cry for lots of reasons, from gas, hunger, a dirty diaper, to being too hot or cold. But there's one thing people often overlook: pent-up energy that's been building all day with nowhere to go.
What is a Baby’s Witching Hour?
Witching hour happens between 5 PM and 11 PM. Your baby goes from perfectly content to inconsolably fussy, usually right when you're trying to make dinner or wind down for the day.
The usual suspects are overstimulation, gas, or digestive issues. And sure, those can contribute. But think about your baby's day: lying down, being held, maybe some tummy time. That's it. By evening, they've got a full day's worth of physical energy with nowhere to put it.
Why Babies Store Energy (Yes, Even Newborns)
Your baby can't crawl or walk yet, but their muscles are still building energy all day long. Toddlers run it off. Your baby? They're just stuck with it.
What's building up:
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Physical energy in their muscles
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An under-stimulated nervous system
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Tension from lying in the same positions
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Restlessness with no outlet
By 5 PM, it all boils over. Their body needs movement.
Why Your Usual Tricks Aren't Working
You've tried nursing again. Rocking. White noise. Tighter swaddle. Maybe it helps for a few minutes, then the crying starts again.
Here's why: you're treating the symptoms (crying) instead of the cause (stored energy). Holding your baby still and keeping things quiet might seem calming, but for a baby who's been still all day, more stillness is the last thing they need.
The Solution: Gentle Movement
This sounds backwards, but gentle movement can help stop the fussiness by preventing the buildup before it starts, or by helping calm them down once it's already happening.
No incessant bouncing or overstimulating play. Just natural movement that lets their muscles work and their nervous system settle down.
What this does:
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Lets them burn off physical energy naturally
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Gives their nervous system the input it's been missing
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Creates the "good tired" that actually helps them sleep
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Can prevent or reduce the intensity of evening fussiness
The key word is gentle. You're not trying to exhaust them. You're giving their body what it needs to stay regulated.
The Power of Regular Movement
Here's what works: giving your baby gentle movement opportunities throughout the day, especially when you notice they're getting restless.
When to do it: Ideally, movement before typical fussy periods (like late afternoon) can prevent the buildup. But no fret if you miss that window; gentle water movement can still help calm your baby during witching hour itself. The key is making it part of your daily routine.
Why Water Works Better Than Anything Else
Water gives babies something they can't get on land: the ability to move their arms and legs freely with gentle resistance all around them.
What makes it special:
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Every movement takes a little effort (good for muscles)
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Buoyancy means they can move longer without getting tired
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It's naturally calming, not overstimulating
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15-20 minutes is plenty
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The warm water itself helps them relax
Using Otteroo for Movement and Calm
Otteroo works from 2 weeks old (once the umbilical cord is healed). The neck float supports the baby’s head, leaving their arms and legs to move completely freely in the water.
Why parents love it for witching hour:
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Can be done before fussiness starts or during to help calm them
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They move and soothe on their own - you just supervise
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15-20 minutes is the sweet spot
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Most babies visibly calm down during the session
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Works as prevention or intervention
What parents notice: Some use it in late afternoon to prevent evening fussiness. Others use it during witching hour to help calm their baby. Either way, regular water movement helps, whether you're preventing the meltdown or managing it.
What Changes When You Start This
Parents usually see improvement within days of making movement a regular part of the routine:
During evening hours:
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Less intense crying and fussiness
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Baby can be put down more easily
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More pleasant during dinner time
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Easier to get through the evening routine
Sleep changes too:
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Bedtime becomes smoother
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They settle faster
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Better stretches at night
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Improved naps during the day
Timeline:
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First few days: You'll notice some improvement
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Week 2-3: More consistent calm in evenings
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After a month: Significant reduction in witching hour intensity
Every baby is different, but regular gentle movement helps most babies manage their energy better.
How to Actually Do This
The water session:
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Warm bath, 98-100°F
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15-20 minutes of Otteroo time
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Let them move however they want
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You stay close but let them do their thing
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Can be done before typical fussy time or during
After the water:
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Quick dry and dress
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Calm transition time
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Then into your normal evening routine
If you can't do water every day:
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Extra tummy time when they seem restless
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Wear them while you do stuff around the house
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Bicycle their legs during diaper changes
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Floor time where they can move freely
Water works better though, because it provides that full-body movement and resistance that land activities just can't match, especially for young babies who still struggle with intentional movement.
Reading Your Baby
It's working when:
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They calm down during the session
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Their arms and legs move naturally
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They're more content afterward
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Evening is noticeably easier over time
Stop if:
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They're crying or upset
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Getting more wound up instead of calmer
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Showing any discomfort
Most babies take to water naturally, but if yours seems uncomfortable at first, start with shorter sessions (5-10 minutes) and work up.
When to Talk to Your Pediatrician
While movement helps many babies with evening fussiness, persistent inconsolable crying can sometimes indicate other issues.
Consult your pediatrician if:
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Witching hour behavior persists despite trying different approaches
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Your baby seems to be in pain rather than just fussy
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Crying is accompanied by other concerning symptoms (fever, vomiting, lethargy)
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You feel something else might be going on
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Evening fussiness is affecting your baby's feeding or growth
Sometimes what looks like witching hour can be reflux, food sensitivities, or other issues that need medical attention. Trust your instincts because you know your baby best.
Your Plan for This Week
Start today:
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Pick a time for water movement; either before typical fussy time or during
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Draw a warm bath
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Do 15-20 minutes of gentle water movement with Otteroo
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Notice what happens that evening
This week:
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Make it part of your daily routine
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Keep the duration consistent
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Watch for patterns in evening behavior
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Adjust timing based on what works for your baby
Keep going:
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Consistency matters more than perfect timing
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Even 5 days a week makes a difference
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Adjust as your baby's needs change
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Enjoy the calmer evenings
The Bottom Line
Witching hour usually isn't just about gas, hunger, or overstimulation. It's often about a baby who's been still all day and needs to move.
Water movement – especially with Otteroo – gives them that outlet. Whether you do it before the fussiness starts (ideal) or during witching hour to help calm them (also effective), regular gentle movement helps babies manage their energy better.
It sounds simple. But when you understand that your baby's evening meltdown might be their body asking for movement they couldn't get during the day, the solution becomes clear.
You're not just surviving witching hour anymore. You're giving your baby what their body actually needs.