How to Perform Neonatal Resuscitation

Neonatal resuscitation is very much like adult or child resuscitation. There are a few different techniques to account for an infant's underdeveloped anatomy. Performing CPR on an infant can be additionally stressful to the rescuer because of the age and size of the patient. However, if you remember your ABCs and these simple techniques, you will master an important, life-saving skill.

Instructions

• 1

  Assess the ABCs. Check to see if the baby has an airway, if he is breathing and if he has a pulse.

• 2

  Open the airway. Visually check the airway for foreign objects. Tilt the head gently by lifting at the chin. Only do this if the baby did not suffer any trauma. If the baby fell or has otherwise compromised his neck or spine, you should open the airway with a jaw thrust.

• 3

  Determine if the infant is breathing. Look for chest rise. Listen for air movement. Feel for exhalations by placing your cheek near his mouth.

• 4

  Perform two rescue breaths if the infant is not breathing. Cover both the nose and mouth of the infant and breathe into the airway. Do not cover any part of the infant's eyes.

• 5

  Check for rise and fall of the chest to ensure that air went into the lungs. Readjust the airway if there was no chest movement. If air still does not enter the lungs, visually check for an airway obstruction or perform abdominal thrusts. Never do a blind finger sweep in the infant's mouth as this might push an object further into the airway.

• 6

  Check circulation by feeling for a pulse. A newborn's pulse should be checked at the brachial artery. The brachial artery can be found in the upper arm by feeling with your index and middle finger for the indentation between the biceps and triceps muscles. If the infant has no pulse, continue with compressions. Compressions should only be performed on pulse-less individuals.

• 7

  Start compressions. Imagine a line drawn across the infant's chest between the two nipples.

• 8

  Encircle your hands around the infant's chest, placing your fingers on his back. The correct grip resembles what you would do when picking up a large sandwich with both hands.

• 9

  Place both thumbs in the center of the chest just beneath the imaginary line from Step 7.

• 10

  Compress the chest using both thumbs only. Compressions should be about one-third to one-half the depth of the baby's body.

• 11

  Compress the chest 100 times per minute. Do 30 compressions before giving two breaths if you are alone. Perform 15 compressions before two breaths are delivered if you are working with a partner.

• 12

  Reassess the baby for breathing and pulse between compressions and artificial breaths.

• 13

  Activate EMS. Call 911 after five cycles, or two minutes, of resuscitation if you are alone. EMS should be called immediately if another person is available to help.