Infant CPR: The Basics

It's every parent's worst nightmare: finding your baby lifeless, not breathing. The only thing that could make the nightmare worse is not knowing how to save your infant's life. The best way to be prepared is to take an infant CPR class. In the meantime, we've provided the following infant CPR steps as a basic reference.

Step 1

Make sure the scene is safe and that there are no hazards that can injure you or anyone else as you try to help. Then flick the bottom of the baby's foot to check for responsiveness.

Step 2

Call 911 if the baby does not respond or direct someone specific to call 911.

Step 3

Using two fingers give 30 compressions to the center of the chest just below the nipples. Compress to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches at a rate of 100 - 120 per minute (about 2 compressions per second).

Tilt the head back to open the airway. Don't extend the head too far back, keep it in a neutral position.

Step 4

Give 2 gentle breaths. Cover the infant's mouth and nose with your mouth. Each breath should be delivered over 1 second. Breathe just enough to see the baby's chest rise.

Step 5

Step 6

Repeat cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths until professional medical help arrives or until the baby starts moving and breathing normally. Be prepared to begin CPR again if necessary.