How to Do CPR on a Baby
Check if the baby is conscious., If the baby is conscious but choking, administer first aid before attempting CPR., Check the baby's pulse.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check if the baby is conscious.
It's best to flick your fingers against the feet.
If the baby doesn't respond, ask someone to call for emergency help while you go on to the next step.
If you are alone with the baby, follow the steps below for 2 minutes (to provide immediate first aid) before calling emergency services., Whether the baby is breathing should determine your course of action:
If the baby is coughing or gagging while choking, let her continue to cough and gag on her own.
Coughing and gagging — a good sign — means that her airways are only partially blocked.If the baby is not coughing, you'll need to be prepared to perform back blows and/or chest thrusts in order to dislodge whatever is blocking her airways. , Check for breathing again, and this time place your index and middle fingers on the inside of the baby's arm, between the elbow and the shoulder.
If the baby has a pulse and is breathing, put the body in recovery position.
See How to Put Someone in Recovery Position for more detailed information.
If there is no pulse and no breathing, continue with the next steps to perform CPR, which is a combination of compressions and breaths. -
Step 2: If the baby is conscious but choking
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Step 3: administer first aid before attempting CPR.
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Step 4: Check the baby's pulse.
Detailed Guide
It's best to flick your fingers against the feet.
If the baby doesn't respond, ask someone to call for emergency help while you go on to the next step.
If you are alone with the baby, follow the steps below for 2 minutes (to provide immediate first aid) before calling emergency services., Whether the baby is breathing should determine your course of action:
If the baby is coughing or gagging while choking, let her continue to cough and gag on her own.
Coughing and gagging — a good sign — means that her airways are only partially blocked.If the baby is not coughing, you'll need to be prepared to perform back blows and/or chest thrusts in order to dislodge whatever is blocking her airways. , Check for breathing again, and this time place your index and middle fingers on the inside of the baby's arm, between the elbow and the shoulder.
If the baby has a pulse and is breathing, put the body in recovery position.
See How to Put Someone in Recovery Position for more detailed information.
If there is no pulse and no breathing, continue with the next steps to perform CPR, which is a combination of compressions and breaths.
About the Author
Heather Patel
Committed to making practical skills accessible and understandable for everyone.
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