What is the normal respiratory rate for a newborn?

• A. 30-60 breaths per minute
• B. 12-20 breaths per minute
• C. 18-30 breaths per minute
• D. 22-34 breaths per minute

Answer: (A)

Newborns breathe much faster than adults because their bodies are rapidly adapting to life outside the womb. The normal respiratory rate for a newborn sits around 30 to 60 breaths per minute. You may also see brief, irregular pauses in breathing that can be normal in the first days or weeks.

When measuring, count breaths for an entire minute by watching the chest and abdomen rather than listening for a heartbeat alone. If breathing stays consistently faster than 60 or slows consistently to around 30 or lower, that could signal a problem and needs medical attention.

Other age groups have slower, more stable rates—for example, adults typically breathe about 12 to 20 times per minute—so those ranges do not fit newborn physiology.