A newborn's soft spots

There are two soft areas at the top of your baby's head where the skull bones haven't yet grown together. These spots, called fontanels, allow for the skull to reshape as needed to pass through the birth canal. Later, these areas provide the space needed by a baby's rapidly growing brain. These areas can look like bumps or dents in the baby's scalp. You might notice these spots pulsing when your baby cries or strains.

Fontanels are covered by a thick fibrous layer. The larger soft spot is a diamond shape about the size of a quarter coin. This is about an inch in diameter (about 2.5 centimeters). The smaller soft spot is at the back of the head. That area is about the size of a dime. This is just over half an inch (1.79 centimeters).

Fontanels are safe to touch and typically close when the skull bones fuse together by age 2 years old.