Baby Talk - Infant CPR

If your infant (under one year of age) is not breathing, performing CPR could save your child’s life.
Follow these steps:

• Tap and Shout – Check to see if the infant is responsive by calling her/his name and tapping on the heel of the foot. If baby does not respond, have someone call 911 immediately. If you are alone, call 911 on your cell phone, put it on speaker, and start CPR.

• Check Breathing – Lay baby on her/his back on a firm surface. It is usually easier to administer CPR if baby is above ground level. Look for five seconds to see if baby’s chest is rising. If not begin CPR.

• Pushes – Remove clothes from baby’s chest and place two fingers along the breastbone. You can draw an imaginary line between the nipples or come straight across from baby’s armpit.

• Push deep and fast – straight down into baby’s chest at a depth of about 1.5 inches and at a pace of 100 pushes per minute. Let the chest come back to its normal position after each compression. Push on the chest 30 times.

• Give Breaths – After 30 pushes, open baby’s airway by placing one hand on the forehead and the other under the chin. Gently tilt the head back so baby’s nose is pointing toward the ceiling. Give two breaths by placing your mouth over baby’s mouth and nose. Watch for baby’s chest to rise as you give breaths. If baby is not breathing, push on the chest again for 30 times, followed by two breaths. Repeat this for five times. If you did not call 911 yet, now is the time to do so.

• Continue with CPR – If baby is not breathing after a set of five pushes and breaths, continue with CPR until the infant starts to breathe or someone with more advanced training takes over.

Have you administered infant CPR? Please, share.