Knowing how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a newborn is a vital skill for parents and caregivers. The first step in performing CPR on a baby is recognizing the situation in which they need it. If you're lucky and your child has fallen ill at home, you'll have all of the tools you need close by—such as blankets, oxygen masks, and emergency contact numbers—to help them recover properly. However, if your child experiences an emergency situation while out in public or at work then things can get tricky very quickly. In these situations, it may be impossible for you to go through all of these steps before calling 911 or taking action immediately:
How to Perform CPR on a Newborn
If you don't know how to do CPR, call 911 immediately. If there is no one else around who can make the call for help, start CPR on your own. Make sure the baby is lying flat on his or her back with their head in line with shoulders and body.
- Check for breathing: Place your face close enough so that you can see if your chest rises and falls as you breathe (about 6 inches away). If not, proceed immediately by doing chest compressions while waiting for emergency responders to arrive at the scene
The first step in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a newborn is to know when to do it.
The first step in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a newborn is to know when to do it. CPR is not for every newborn, but it's important for parents and caregivers to understand when this life-saving technique should be used.
CPR should only be performed if:
- The baby isn't breathing and doesn't have a pulse; or
- You think that the baby needs CPR but aren't sure if he or she does--for example if you're unsure whether your infant has stopped breathing because he's sleeping deeply or because he has no pulse or heartbeat.
Position the baby's head in line with its shoulders and body.
- Position the baby on its back, with its head in line with its shoulders and body.
- Place your hands under the baby's head and neck to support it. If you don't have a firm hold on them, they may roll over while you're performing CPR. This can make it harder for you to reach their chest or get an effective rhythm going when pushing down on it.
- Use pillows or towels to prop up the baby's head if needed.
- Positioning is not easy but it's important because it will help make sure their airways stay open during CPR.
- You want to make sure you have a clear view of the baby's chest so don't put anything on top of them like blankets or clothes!
Lay the baby down flat on their back and open their airway by putting two fingers inside their mouth and then lifting up gently.
Lay the baby down flat on their back and open their airway by placing two fingers inside their mouth and then lifting up gently. If you have trouble opening the airway, use a suction device to remove any mucus or debris. Place two fingers on the center of the chest and compress down one-third to one-half the depth of the chest (about 1" to 2"). Keep chest compressions going until help arrives or you have to stop for another reason (such as exhaustion).
If the baby starts breathing or coughing
If the baby starts breathing or coughing, remove your fingers from their mouth and watch them closely for 15 minutes or so, ensuring they remain stable. If they don't start breathing on their own in this time, call 911 immediately and start CPR again until help arrives.
If you know how to perform CPR on a newborn (and know how important it is), then do so immediately by following these steps:
- Lay the baby on its back with its head tilted slightly downward (this will make it easier for air to get into its lungs). The best position for a newborn is flat on his/her back with arms at sides, palms up; knees bent; feet flat on the floor with legs spread apart about shoulder width apart; head tilted slightly downward so the airway is open. 2) Gently press down on the sternum using the heel of one hand while supporting the head with the other hand (do not put any pressure directly over the heart area). This helps push blood through heart chambers into lungs where it can then be oxygenated before being pumped back out into the body through arteries."
In some cases, especially if your child gets sick in public or during an emergency situation, you will not be able to go through all of these steps before calling for help.
In some cases, especially if your child gets sick in public or during an emergency situation, you will not be able to go through all of these steps before calling for help.
In this case, call 911 immediately and then start CPR. Do not stop until help arrives! If someone else is present who knows how to perform CPR, ask them to help you by taking over some of the tasks while you continue chest compressions. Do not give up! Even if it feels like there is no hope left and nothing else can be done apart from calling an ambulance--keep going! It's important not to let fear take over; instead, focus on saving the life of your baby with every single breath that goes into their lungs. And above all else: don't panic; stay calm so that both yourself and anyone around can focus on doing their job properly without getting distracted by emotions like fear or worry."
Conclusion
Hopefully, you will never have to perform CPR on your newborn. However, if it does happen, remember that it's important not to panic--you'll be able to do this if you follow the steps outlined above and stay calm in an emergency situation. If at any point during resuscitation efforts, it becomes clear that the baby isn't breathing on their own or has stopped altogether (which would indicate cardiac arrest), call 911 immediately and continue with chest compressions until help arrives at the scene