Resuscitation for a baby under 1 year old

If you are unsure, it is better to perform the adult sequence of Resuscitation for a baby under 1 year old (who is unresponsive and not breathing) than to do nothing at all. Call 999 in any first aid emergency. 

Baby resuscitation

D – Danger

• Check that it is safe for you to help.
• Do not put yourself at risk.

R – Response

• Gently tap the shoulders and shout to try and wake the baby.
• If there is no response, shout for help, but don’t leave the baby just yet.

A – Airway

• Carefully open the airway by using ‘head tilt’ and ‘chin lift’.
• Place your hand on the forehead and gently tilt the head back. Do not over-extend the neck.
• With your fingertips under the point of the chin, gently lift the chin to open the airway.

B – Breathing

• Keeping the airway open, look, listen and feel to see if the breathing is normal. Take no more than 10 seconds to do this.
• If the baby is breathing normally, consider injuries and place them in the recovery position.

If the baby is not breathing normally

• Ask someone to dial 999 for an ambulance immediately. but if you are on your own, and you have to leave the baby to dial 999, carry out resuscitation for about 1 minute first.
• Keep the airway open by tilting the head and lifting the chin (do not over-extend the neck).
• Seal your mouth around the baby’s mouth and nose.
• Give 5 initial rescue breaths (blow in just enough air to make the chest visibly rise). Take care not to over inflate the lungs.

Combine rescue breaths with chest compressions

• Use 2 fingers to depress the chest a third of its depth.
• Give 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute.
• Open the airway again by tilting the head and lifting the chin, then give 2 more rescue breaths.
• Continue repeating cycles of 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths.
• Only stop to re-check the child if they start breathing normally – otherwise don’t interrupt resuscitation.

If your rescue breaths don’t make the chest rise effectively

• Give another 30 chest compressions, then before your next attempt:
• Check inside the mouth and remove any visible obstruction (but don’t reach blindly into the back of the throat).
• Recheck there is adequate head tilt and chin lift.
• Do not attempt more than 2 breaths each time before returning to chest compressions.

When to stop CPR

Continue with resuscitation for a baby under 1 year old until one of these 3 things happen:

• They show positive signs of recovery.
• A health professional arrives and takes over.
• You are physically exhausted and can’t carry on (take a moment to regain yourself and continue as soon as possible).