Importance of knowing Infant CPR

by Rebecca L. Wylesky-Durst MSN, MHA, RN – Director of Nursing at Southwest Health

As new parents, we have a mental checklist we go through to make sure our home and lives are ready for our new addition. We make sure the car seat is in place, the nursery has all the right touches and even that we schedule a childbirth prep class, so we’re prepared for anything. We want the very best for our newborns from the very moment they arrive. But, one step that so many of us miss is that class on how to administer infant CPR. You probably never consider that something could happen to your baby; after all, you’ve made everything so perfect thus far for the little bundle.

Parents and grandparents or anyone watching an infant needs to know how to intervene quickly if a child has stopped breathing. Ask yourself if you would know what to do if your child has stopped breathing. If the answer is no then don’t delay learning infant CPR. We all think that it will “never happen to us,” but if the day should come, knowing how to perform CPR may save your child’s life. Infants are considered children who are older than 30 days of age and up to 1 year of age.

The best way to learn CPR is to be taught the correct way by a certified instructor. Taking a class with an instructor will help a person gain insight on how to prevent, recognize, and respond to respiratory and cardiac emergencies in infants. Most classes provide instruction on how to “baby safe” your home. They also offer information about the poison control center as well as info on local resources to assist you in properly installing a car seat in your vehicle.

The American Heart Association wants families to live healthier, longer lives, so they can experience more of life’s precious moments. That’s why they have made heart and brain health their mission. We at Southwest Health are committed to you and your family, and it is our mission to make it personal. But we can’t do it without you. Take the time to learn infant CPR because Life is why. For more information on classes available at Southwest Health visit southwesthealth.org/class or call (608) 342-5043.