How to Give a Newborn Infant CPR

Newborn CPR is more accurately called neonatal resuscitation. It is the procedure that is followed when a baby is delivered and fails to breathe on its own. All personnel who work in hospital delivery rooms, neonatal intensive care units, first responders and those involved in out-of-hospital deliveries are required to learn and maintain certification in neonatal resuscitation.



The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association set the standards for neonatal resuscitation. These two organizations train instructors and issue the certification documents that verify compliance.

Things You'll Need

• Ambu bag
• Newborn size mask
• Bulb syringe
• Delee suction catheter
• Warmer bed or heating pad
• Warm blankets or towels
• Infant stethoscope
• Blow-by oxygen

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Instructions

Neonatal Resuscitation

• 1

  Assess the condition of the newborn. If the newborn is gasping or not breathing and does not respond to brisk rubbing and drying, neonatal resuscitation may be necessary. Place the infant on his back under a radiant warmer or on a towel-covered heating pad to prevent cold stress. Vigorously rub the baby with a towel to dry and cover with a warm blanket or towel.

• 2

  Establish an airway. Use a bulb syringe to suction the mouth and nose. Use a DeLee or wall suction to suction the trachea if necessary.

• 3

  Briskly rub the infant, thump the feet or soundly pat the back or buttocks to stimulate breathing. If the infant does not begin spontaneous respiration, position the baby on the warmer bed or heating pad and use the Ambu bag and mask to create positive pressure ventilation (PPV). Take care not to overinflate the infant's lungs. Provide PPV for 30 seconds.

• 4

  Listen to heart rate. If the heart rate is under 60 beats per minute, institute chest compressions. Using two fingers placed one finger's breadth below the nipples, depress the chest ½ to ¾ inch and release. Chest compression to breath ratio is 3:1 at 90 compressions per minute.

• 5

  Assess infant condition at 30-second intervals if the baby begins spontaneous breathing. If the heart rate is under 100 or if the infant shows signs of cyanosis, or turning blue, begin blow-by oxygen and continue to monitor closely. If the infant heart rate is 80 or more, you may move the infant into hers mother's arms.

  Place the infant skin-to-skin and cover mother and baby. Continue to monitor the baby closely and provide blow-by if the infant heart rate remains under 100 or he exhibits nasal flaring or appears cyanotic or limp.

• 6

  Restart resuscitation if the infant begins to gasp, grunt or stops breathing. Continue until the infant is stable. Move the baby to a neonatal intensive care unit, if necessary, for further monitoring and intervention.