Where do you check for a pulse in an adult?

Some places you can check a pulse on a newborn # Apical: Gently place two fingers over the center of the sternum (breast bone) and then move them about 1 inch to the left of the breast bone, at or above the nipple line. Without compressing, you should be able to feel the baby's heart beat beneath.

# Brachial: In either upper arm, the brachial artery runs between the to major muscles, on the underside of the arm. Gently press two fingers into the groove between the muscles and you should feel the baby's pulse there.

# Femoral: The femoral artery in the groin where the hip articulates with the pelvis, can be felt with gentle pressure.

# Temporal: For some newborns, you can take a pulse by pressing the tips of your fingers very gently against the temple, just above and behind the eye, but this is not a reliable means of taking a pulse as the baby is likely to move.

# Carotid: Taking a carotid (neck) pulse in a baby is difficult due to the shortened anatomy and because baby necks are somewhat pudgier. It is not considered a reliable method of manual pulse-taking. The normal heart for newborns (neonates) and infants is between 130-150 beats per minute. Since it is a rapid heart rate, it is best to try to count beats for at least 30 seconds and then double it for an accurate beat-per-minute reading. If the child is fussy or won't sit still that long, count for 15 seconds and then multiply the result by 4.