CPR on babies

When it comes to babies, we can all feel nervous, terrified of being too forceful and harming such small bodies. But in an emergency, it’s no time to hesitate.

Here is the recommended procedure for carrying out CPR on a baby.

Just as for adults, the patient should ideally be lying on their back (in the supine position) on a hard surface. Place both hands around the baby’s chest with both thumbs on the sternum. Push down repeatedly with both thumbs to a depth of around two to three centimetres. You should aim to push down around 120 times a minute.

Alternatively, and depending on the baby’s size, you can also use two or three fingers to press down. The best way to learn these procedures and be confident you can do them correctly if you ever need to is to take a training course. The advice given above can’t replace a real CPR course!