A normal soft spot, also called fontanelle, on a baby's head feels soft, slightly firm but yielding, flat or slightly curved, and may pulsate gently in rhythm with heartbeat, which is normal due to blood flow. The anterior fontanelle on top of head is diamond-shaped, about 1 to 2 inches wide, and feels like a taut membrane with slight give when touched gently, not hard like skull but not deeply sunken or bulging. It should feel flat or slightly concave when baby is upright and calm. When baby cries, it may bulge slightly, which is normal, then return to flat when calm. It should not feel sunken, which could indicate dehydration, or bulging when baby is calm and upright, which could indicate increased pressure. It should not feel hard or closed too early. The skin over it is normal scalp skin with hair. It is not painful to touch gently, and you can touch it gently without harming baby, though you should be gentle. A normal soft spot is warm, slightly pulsatile, and level with skull. If soft spot feels very sunken, very bulging, or baby has fever and irritability, seek medical attention, but normal is soft, flat, slightly pulsating.
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