Learning how to perform infant CPR is key to keeping your baby safe in various emergency situations. It’s amazing how a choking incident can happen in just a matter of seconds, with little reaction time allowed.
Even though it’s not a requirement to learn Infant CPR, it’s an important skill to have. You can easily take a course and become certified in a short amount of time.
If you’re not able to get certified, you can still educate yourself with the basics to be able to help your child at the first signs of distress.
This is not professional medical advice. The descriptions below are short descriptions of infant CPR. Make sure to talk to a medical professional and do your own research to get certified to perform CPR on an infant.
What is the CPR ratio for infants?
If you know adult CPR, the ratio for infants is the same. It’s 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.
How do I perform chest compressions for infant cpr?
You have to be more gentle with your infant. Instead of using hands for the compressions, you only use two fingers just below their nipples, in the very center of their chest. Compressions should be about an inch and 1/2 deep. More detailed instructions are here.
How do I perform rescue breaths on an infant?
Giving baby rescue breaths is different than what you would do to an adult. You will be covering their entire nose and mouth and breathing to give them air.
There are also important details about the angle of the head when performing infant cpr. According to infantcpr.com, most recommend slightly tilting the baby’s head back, so it looks like the baby is “sniffing” the air, and not as far back as you might tilt an adult’s head.
Another big difference is the power of the breath. A full adult breath would be too much for an infant, so instead of using your lungs to administer the breath, it’s recommended to just fill your cheeks with air and use that breath as the rescue breath.
Becoming certified in CPR is not a hard process to do at all, and it can literally save the life of your infant in certain situations.
There are even online courses for certification that will teach you how to help your baby if they’re in need.
If you’re worried about not knowing CPR, talk to your doctor and voice your concern. There may even be a class for moms or parents in your area you can attend before your baby is born.
Some health departments offer courses, so it’s worth a call to find out what is available in your area. The sooner you can take the class and get certified, the better you’re going to feel!
Educating yourself for your child’s safety is key to being there for them when the time comes. Learning how to give CPR to an infant is an excellent tool to help keep your baby safe!