Infant CPR

Today Shannon and I attended a very informative class called Infant CPR. We had a baby doll specifically made to demonstrate the American Heart Assoc. processes and steps for CPR on infants. There are lots of You Tube videos on the subject but I couldn't find one that is just what they taught us. You can also go to the American Heart Association website and read more on it. We are highly encouraging family to take a course if at all possible. You can call your local hospitals or area OB doctors to try and find a class in the area. Shannon and I both agree this is an essential element when having an infant in the house. Here are the steps we learned for CPR.

1. Check the area to be sure it is safe. Place baby on a HARD surface like a table.
2. Tap babies foot to check for responsiveness. If not responsive continue steps. Tell a specific person to call 911 if possible.
3. Place ear to mouth to listen for breathing. It not breathing and there is nothing visible in the mouth, cover the infants mouth and nose with your mouth and breath in twice...only breathe in hard enough to see the chest rise. You don't want to breathe in too hard...just until the chest rises.
4. After the two breaths, you will do 30 somewhat quick compressions on the chest. To find the spot, draw an imaginary line between the two nipples and then go slightly down. You don't want to go too far....you want to stay on the sternum bone and not the little bone below the sternum. Using two fingers, give 30 compressions. The compressions should be just quick enough to count...no pausing in between.
5. If no one was there to call 911, continue the 2 breaths and 30 compressions for 5 cycles before leaving to go call 911 yourself. Take baby with you. Once 911 has been called, resume 2 breaths and 30 compression cycles.

For choking:
1. Look in mouth for object. If baby is responsive but showing signs of choking turn baby on arm so that head is lowered. Give 5 somewhat hard blows to the upper back with palm of hand. Flip baby over and then do 5 chest compressions like those done above. Compressions should be just lower than the imaginary nipple line. Continue this process until the object is free or baby becomes unresponsive. You would then do Infant CPR.

Let us know if you have ANY questions. Again- if you can take a class we do recommend it....highly!

Here are some You Tube videos....they do vary slightly. Also ...I am attaching the American Heart Association Website. They even have an Infant CPR kit you can order with baby and DVD.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3045955

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgVB2C5H28k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njWG2AQHSAg


Choking and CPR series of videos: 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5FFBSh366E
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHOpwlFWU8Q&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFT-BWDEYWM&feature=related