PURPLE crying

I have heard about The Period of PURPLE Crying and in the hospital we were given a DVD about it that I honestly didn't think we needed because hey I'm a professional child care provider I can handle this.

Ummmm no.  

About 3-4 weeks ago Child Unit #2 started crying on a Sunday evening around 5.  He had recently been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia so I of course freaked out that it had become strangulated and we needed to rush to the hospital so I changed his diaper to check.  That wasn't the issue, and even the clean tush didn't seem to help.  

So I made him a small bottle because he had just eaten an hour or so before and shouldn't be that hungry.  That didn't work.

I gave him his pacifier.  That didn't work.

I tried skin to skin.  That didn't work.

I tried rocking him.  That didn't work.

The spousal unit tried holding him and doing skin to skin.  That didn't work.

I tried the pacifier again with rocking.  Still nothing.

An hour and a half later I tried rocking, pacifier, and swaddling him, IT WORKED!

We were both at our wits end and if it hadn't stopped I don't know what we would have done.  I was in tears too!  Thankfully child unit #1 was happy and content this entire time!  When it was over I just sat there holding him tight rocking him and loving him praying that we wouldn't have to deal with it anymore ever again.  

I didn't get what I asked for, every night around 5 I hold my breath to see what is going to happen and he has gotten to the point where he waits until the spousal unit is home before letting loose.  Thankfully I now know what works and I break out the trifecta at the first minute as long as I know it isn't hunger or diaper related.  Once he calms down I can even lay him in the bouncer still swaddled and with his pacifier with me in the kitchen so I can cook dinner.  It isn't every night but it is there every so often!

Needless to say, after that first night of an hour and a half we watched the DVD and were reassured that this is normal and there isn't anything wrong with him!

The word PURPLE is an acronym and stands for:

P: peak of crying

U: unexpected (you can say that again)

R: resists soothing

P: pain like expression

L: long lasting

E: evening

The DVD said that between months 2-3 it's at the worst and then gets better by month 5.  As we approach 3 months this weekend I hope we are coming to the light at the end of the tunnel!

Until next time!