Why Every Parent Should Know Infant CPR and How You can Learn

April 11, 2017

 

Why Every Parent Should Know Infant CPR and How You can Learn

There are few things as scary in the world as driving away from the hospital with your newborn.  How did you go from a couple to someone’s mom and dad so quickly?  And now they’re going to just let you leave and care for this little life with zero supervision!  It’s a daunting prospect, caring for another human being who is totally dependent upon you.  You’ll go through a lot in your effort to keep them safe.  You’ll learn how to secure them properly in the car seat, purchase outlet covers and cabinet locks, and hover over them with worry and excitement as they take their first wobbly steps.  Now, it’s time to add another safety item to your list – infant CPR classes.

When Will You Need Infant CPR?

The list of scenarios that could lead to the use of infant CPR is frighteningly long, only reinforcing the necessity of knowing how to perform such life-saving measures.  Among the more common reasons that CPR is needed are:

  • Choking
  • Suffocation
  • Electrical Shock
  • Near Drowning
  • Smoke Inhalation
  • Poisoning
  • Asthma

Why is Infant CPR Training Important?

When done properly, CPR can restore the flow of oxygen-rich blood to vital organs.  In the crucial moments following a life-threatening event, these measures can quickly be the difference between life and death or between return to normalcy and long-term health complications.  However, despite the benefit, many adults are unaware of how to perform CPR on a baby, and in some instances, this uncertainty has had disastrous consequences.

Infant CPR training courses provide caregivers with the knowledge, technique, and confidence needed to perform life-saving resuscitation in the most crucial moments.  During a class, parents, grandparents, and child care providers will learn the specifics of proper Infant CPR, including:

  • How to position the baby
  • How to perform compressions
  • Compression to breaths ratio
  • When to call 911

As a parent or loved one of a small child, we understand that keeping them safe is your top priority.  There are few skills that are as easily obtained and as widely useful as CPR.  And while we all hope that it will never be needed, knowing how to perform it properly is invaluable. 

Join Lane Regional Medical Center each month for a FREE infant CPR training course to learn this life-saving technique.  Click here to find our upcoming class dates.