What is purple crying?

Every child is different, but all infants cry. They may cry at various times of the day for different reasons, in large amounts or small, yet all parents would likely agree that the early months of a baby’s life are quite “loud” and should be endured. The most important things during this period are patience, understanding, and a willingness to help your child. If parents can establish a rhythm of sleep and wakefulness for the baby, the amount of "unexplained" crying usually decreases significantly. However, in many families, it seems that no improvements occur: the baby cries a lot, with peaks of distress at certain times of day. Experts refer to this as the period of purple crying. "Purple" doesn't mean the crying infant turns red or blue from effort. Rather, "purple" stands for an acronym describing the distinctive features of this type of crying.