How To Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation On A Baby

Having to perform a cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a baby who is about to suffocate is one of the most traumatic experiences we can come across as mothers. It is an event we hope to never face. Yet, as with so many other things, it is something that can happen all of a sudden.

We want to believe that we can cope with all the challenges of motherhood: Nine months of pregnancy, birth pains and pains, breastfeeding, raising a child… But nothing prepares us for the terrible moment when our baby’s life is in danger.

But still, we are women. And as women, we are able to lift ourselves above all situations to save the little one’s life.

The best thing you can do when faced with an emergency is to be prepared. Learn all you can now about performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a baby.

And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to spend it on your child, hold back the tears and trust your training in saving his life.

Take precautions to avoid accidents

Babies are some incredibly teasing and curious little creatures. They are constantly on the lookout for new adventures. Their universe is huge and full of impressions.

But babies are unable to recognize danger. Even if a wild and ferocious beast came running towards them, they would just sit still and observe the animal as it hurriedly approached.

A baby’s innocence and urge to explore and experiment is cute. But when these things are combined with the dangers that can be found in your home, it can turn into a recipe for disaster.

So the first thing you need to do is provide your child with a risk-free environment. Create a safe space where your child can crawl, move around and explore the world around him.

Your child’s play area should accommodate toys that are appropriate for his age. There should be no miniature toy soldiers, marble balls or small parts from games etc. that he can put in his mouth.

If a stuffed animal gets injured, you should remove it. The filling inside can catch the little one’s attention; he might put it in his mouth to feel how it tastes and feels.

Be sure to get these precautions in place before letting him move around and explore freely. Toddlers are always looking for something to put in their mouths.

Learn what leads to suffocation and what the consequences are

You should know that suffocation occurs when the lungs do not receive enough oxygen to be able to breathe.

Our respiratory airways are the ones that normally provide ongoing access for oxygen to our lungs. These airways can become blocked by a foreign body, among other reasons. When this happens, the result is suffocation.

When breathing is prevented, it results in a cardiac arrest, and whoever may now be nearby to help the victim has only a few seconds to revive him and re-establish breathing.

If a cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not performed in time, the result will be a permanent brain injury. But in the worst cases, suffocation can lead to death. Therefore, it is important to know about cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a baby.

A crucial detail that you must never forget

You may be surprised to read that your first response to seeing your child have breathing problems is not to rush straight to take care of your baby.

Of course, a few pats on the back can be enough to free the foreign body that is blocking the little one’s breathing. If so, the event goes down in the history books as just a scare.

But the crux of the matter is that at first glance you can not judge how serious the problem is. If you see that your child is not breathing and you are alone with him, call alarm 112 quickly. 

As soon as help is on the way, you can continue to do what is necessary to save your child.

Choking through getting something wrong in the throat

Parents, if you find that your baby has difficulty breathing and you suspect that he may have stuffed an object into his mouth or up his nose, do not try to remove the object.

In most cases, your attempts will make things worse and force the object even deeper into your child’s airways.

If your child coughs, let him continue to do so for a few seconds, but do not wait too long. Place your baby’s face down on your forearms and kneel down so that your baby’s head is placed slightly lower than his body.

Support your baby’s head and neck with the same arm. Beat with your other hand on the baby’s back just between the shoulder blades.

Pat your child firmly, but not too hard. And let a moment pass between each stroke.

Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a baby

If the previous technique does not give the desired result, your child may have cardiac arrest. You need to be prepared to revive.

In this case, use cardiopulmonary resuscitation, also known as artificial respiration and cardiac massage. The technique of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a baby is similar to that of an adult, but with certain differences.

We recommend that you start by laying your child face up on a hard surface.

Then place the middle finger and ring finger from one hand in the middle of your baby’s chest. Feel for the sternum, just below his nipples.

With your two fingers, now press down on your baby’s chest, up and down, approx. 30 times in a row.

Each time you press down, release the pressure again and let the little one’s chest return to its normal position – but maintain contact between your fingers and the sternum at all times. Then press down again and continue the process afterwards.

Once you have come through 30 repetitions, start on artificial respiration. First, place your mouth over your child’s face so that you can cover both his mouth and nose with your own mouth. Then gently inhale air into your baby’s lungs. You will see how your baby’s chest and abdomen increase as you inhale.

Wait a few seconds for the air to come out and then repeat the breathing technique one more time.

At this point, go back and perform cardiac massage as you did before, followed by two new puffs into your baby’s mouth and nose.

Repeat the process as many times as necessary. If your child does not respond, continue. Remember that the emergency response is on its way.