CPR FOR BABY: Under 1 year
Keep yourself up to date with the basics of CPR for babies under one with this step-by-step guide
If your baby is unresponsive and has stopped breathing, every second counts. If there’s someone with you, get them to call emergency services for assistance while you start CPR on the baby. Try to keep calm and remember the letters
ABC: they stand for Awake, Breathing and Compressions.
A IS FOR AWAKE
Your first and most crucial task is to check if the patient is awake. Tap the baby and call out loudly to see if she responds to you.
B IS FOR BREATHING
Your next task is to check if the baby is breathing. Look at the baby’s chest for movement and listen for sounds of breathing. If there is no breathing, then start chest compressions. Make sure someone has phoned the emergency servi ces for help.
C IS FOR COMPRESSIONS
You now need to circulate the baby’s blood. Using two fingers, press down firmly in the middle of the baby’s chest (a finger’s width below an imaginary line drawn between the nipples). Press your fingers about 4cm down on the baby’s chest. Perform 30 chest compressions followed by two effective rescue breaths, with as short as possible a pause between each chest compression. Give the breaths by first tilting the infant’s head back. Blow just enough air into the infant’s mouth and nose to make the chest rise. Repeat the routine of 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths until trained help arrives in the form of the paramedics or your baby starts to move.
GET PROFESSIONAL HELP QUICKLY
If someone is with you, send them to call 082-911 for an ambulance immediately. If you are on your own, do one minute of CPR first, then go to the nearest telephone, taking the baby with you.