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Steps for Doing CPR on a Baby

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A child needs CPR when she is not breathing or responding by grasping, grunting or snorting. In terms of babies, CPR is comprised of delicate chest compressions and gentle breaths to assist the baby's body circulate oxygen via the baby's blood to her brain and other vital organs.
Though CPR is not hard to perform, it is important for parents and all other caretakers, such as grandparents and daycare providers, to take a course in CPR. The American Red Cross is a good resource for classes.

  1. How to Determine if CPR is Necessary

    • If the baby isn't responsive (she doesn't react when her foot is flicked with a finger, her shoulder is tapped or her name is called) or her lips or skin are blue, she probably needs CPR.
      If there is more than one person present, have someone call 911 while someone else performs CPR. If only one person is present, he needs to perform CPR for a full two minutes, call 911 and then resume CPR.

    Preparing to Perform CPR

    • Check to see if the baby is bleeding. If she is, stop the bleeding before performing CPR.
      Lie the baby down on a flat, hard surface on her back. Be careful when moving her neck. Open her airway by tilting her head back until her nose is in the air. It is possible the baby will begin breathing on her own after assuming this position. If not, look and gently feel her mouth with your fingers in case she has a foreign object or her tongue obstructing her airway.
      If the baby is still not breathing and does not have anything blocking her airway, it's time to perform CPR.

    Performing CPR on a Baby

    • Place one hand on her forehead and another hand on her chin, keeping her head tilted back. Take a deep breath, place your mouth over the baby's nose and mouth, forming a tight seal, and blow twice, gently, remembering her lungs are smaller and do not need as much air as an adult. Her chest should rise. (If it does not, check again for blockages with both eyes and fingers. Remove any objects and check to see if she breathes on her own.)
      When her chest rises, remove your mouth and allow her to exhale. Take another deep breath and breathe into her mouth every two to three seconds until she breathes on her own.
      After the first two breaths, begin chest compressions by placing the pads of two fingers on the breastbone just below her nipples. Press down about one inch, at a rate of 100 times per minute or about two times per second.
      Repeat by breathing two breaths then compressing the chest thirty times in a cycle until she breaths on her own or the ambulance arrives. If she vomits, turn her head to the side and clear her airways of vomit.

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