CPR means cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Baby CPR is a method for saving the life of a baby showing no signs of life such as effective regular breathing or consciousness. CPR compresses chest and rescues breathing functions by stimulating lungs. This action helps in delivering oxygen rich blood to the periphery and especially to vital organs like brain until emergency medical aid is available. CPR helps in preventing brain damage. In fact in the absence of effective CPR efforts, death is inevitable.

When Do I Perform CPR on My Baby?

1. Check Whether the Baby Is Conscious or Not

Flick fingers of your hand against the baby’s feet. If baby shows no response then ask to call for emergency help and you move towards next step. However, if you are alone and no one is around to help you, then switch to following steps for giving instant first aid to your baby and call for emergency help.

2. If Your Baby Is Choking in Consciousness, Provide First Aid Before Giving Baby CPR

Baby’s breathing will let you know which action to take:

• If choking is accompanied with gagging or coughing, then let the baby gag and cough, because it is a good sign which means that the airways are fractionally blocked.
• If there is no coughing, then execute back blows or/and chest thrusts to dislodge the thing blocking airways.

3. Check the Pulse of the Baby

Again check the breathing and now place your middle and index fingers at the inner side arm of the baby between shoulder and elbow.

• If there is pulse and the baby is breathing, place the body in recovery pose.
• lf no pulse detected and there is no breathing, then perform CPR.

How to Perform CPR on a Child

1. Procedure of CPR

1) Before starting the procedure

• First check alertness. Tap or shake gently the infant and notice any movement or noise produced.
• Ask for emergency help. If an infant shows no response, then shout and ask someone to call immediately for emergency help. Avoid leaving the infant alone for calling emergency help until performed CPR for 2 minutes.
• Place the infant carefully on his back. If there are chances of any spinal injury then two people should carry the infant for avoiding twisting of neck and head.

2) Execute chest compression

• Put 2 fingers over breastbone just under nipples. Avoid pressing the very end of the baby’s breastbone.
• Place the other hand over the infant’s forehead by keeping the head back in a titled position.
• Press down the chest of infant to compress about 1/3 to ½ chest’s depth.
• Provide 30 compressions each time and allow the baby’s chest to rise completely. The compression applied should be hard and fast with no pausing. Count compressions loudly to avoid skipping any number.
• Now open the airway by lifting the chin up with your hand. Tilt the head with other hand by pushing down from forehead.
• Listen, look and feel for any breathing signs. Put your ears close to the nose and mouth of infant and observe any chest movement. Feel any breath over cheek.

3) If there is no breathing signs

• Offer the baby rescue breaths. Cover the nose and mouth from your hand tightly. You can also cover only nose and hold mouth shut. Keep the head in tilted position and chin lifted. Provide rescue breaths twice. Make sure both the breaths should take a second and let the chest rise.
• Continue doing CPR for 2 minutes–30 chest compressions accompanied with 2 rescue breaths. If after 2 minutes, the infant doesn’t show any breathing signs, movement or coughing then leave the child, in case you are alone, and call on emergency number. Repeat the breathing and compression steps until help arrives or the infant recovers.

2. DON’TS

• Stop doing compressions if the baby reacts. If you notice normal breathing, movement or coughing of infant, then completely avoid doing chest compressions as it may stops heart from beating.
• Don’t lift the baby’s chin. Avoid lifting the chin when the head is in tilted position, doing so may budge the tongue away from windpipe. If the baby is suffering spinal injury then drag forward the jaw without moving neck or head.

3. When to Contact a Professional

• Someone is with you. If a person is there to help you, ask him to call on emergency number and meanwhile you start doing CPR.
• No one is around you. lf you are alone in the situation, initially shout loudly to seek help and start the procedure of CPR , then call on emergency number.

Watch this video to learn professional instructions on baby CPR:

How to Prevent Babies from Accidents

1. Tips on Preventing Babies from Accidents

Most of the children require CPR as to prevent accidents. Following are some useful tips which can help in preventing accidents occur in children.

• Never underestimate the baby as he can do anything and can move fast more than your imagination.
• Avoid leaving the baby alone or unattended on table, bed or at any surface from which he can fall.
• Use safety straps when the child is on stroller or high chair. Avoid leaving baby in mesh playpen with its one side down. Always follow the guidelines mentioned for using baby’s car seat.
• Choose appropriate toys for your baby according to his age. Avoid giving babies heavy or fragile toys. Do not give toys to your baby with loose or small parts, loose batteries, sharp edges, points or other hazards.
• Create an environment which is safe for your baby. Keep special eye on children near furniture and water.
• Always store cleaning solutions and toxic chemicals safely in childproof cabinets.
• Avoid tying pacifiers, chains, jewelry, and bracelet around baby’s wrist or neck.
• Sit with your baby when he is eating.

2. Warning

CPR can save a life but it can optimally do by a trained person accredited by CPR courses. The method explained above is not an alternative method for CPR training. It is optimal for parents and for baby sitters to learn this method.