About 356,000 people suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) each year. About 10% of these people survive after receiving CPR.

This shouldn’t discourage you from performing the lifesaving skill. The more you learn, the more confidence you’ll feel once you’re in an emergency. We know 356,000 sounds like a lot, but you can save a life by ensuring you’re prepared.

Keep reading to learn how to do CPR on a baby.

Call 911

The first thing to do when faced with a situation where you need to do CPR on a baby is to dial 911. This is essential as it will get the appropriate care for the baby as soon as possible. It’s important to remember to act and stay calm when faced with performing CPR on a baby.

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Lay the Baby on a Hard Surface

Laying the baby on a hard surface is very important to begin administering CPR. Before lying the baby down, check the baby’s mouth and nose for foreign objects and remove any that you may find. Place one hand on the baby’s forehead and the other hand on their chin, then tilt their head back.

Start compressions after the infant is on their back with their chin raised.

Chest Compressions

Doing CPR on a baby requires special instructions and requires more care and attention than CPR on an adult. It is critical to take care not to press too hard or cause harm to the baby’s delicate body. To begin, place two fingers in the middle of the baby’s chest and press to a depth of 1/3 to ½ the depth of the chest.

Make sure to press the correct depth and be careful not to press too hard, causing serious damage. Keep the rate steady, at approximately 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Last but not least, check the baby’s pulse rate.

A normal pulse rate for a baby should be between 100 to 180 beats per minute (BPM).

Rescue Breaths

Performing CPR on a baby is important during an emergency. To do so, you must assess the situation and check the baby’s breathing. If the baby has trouble breathing, call 911 and begin chest compressions.

Using a short and quick motion, perform 30 chest compressions. After doing compressions, give two rescue breaths. Make sure the baby’s head is tilted back, and seal your mouth around the baby’s mouth and nose.

Blow into the mouth for about one second, making sure you can see the chest rise. Release the baby’s mouth and watch for the chest to fall. Repeat breathing twice, then resume chest compressions.

Continue this process until the baby is responsive or emergency medical services (EMS) arrive.

Know How to Do CPR on a Baby

CPR can be intimidating, but it can save a life in an emergency. Everyone should educate themselves on the basics of CPR while they wait for help to arrive. Knowing the steps, such as chest compressions and rescue breaths, is essential.

Also, remember to call 911 and lay the baby on a hard surface before performing CPR. Be a difference and save a life by learning how to do CPR on a baby. 

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