This is how you perform CPR on a baby

A stock shot of a baby's feet.
Credit: PA
The Resuscitation Council UK has released a free book to guide caregivers through the basics of CPR. Credit: PA

A third of new parents would not feel confident performing CPR on their baby, a study has revealed.

Research conducted by the Resuscitation Council UK also found that less than a fifth of caregivers would be able to tell if their child was having a cardiac arrest.

The charity has now released a free book entitled Arron's Heart, which guides parents through the basics of performing CPR on a baby.

St John Ambulance has been raising awareness about this issue for years, saying a baby who stops breathing "is a parent's biggest fear".

Mark Jackson, who is a trainer with St John Ambulance, said: "It is vital that parents know, because time does matter. The more people learn first aid, they'll know who what to do and how to help."


  • A St John Ambulance trainer explains how to give CPR to a baby.


How do you perform CPR on a baby?

According to St John's Ambulance, this is what you should do if you need to resuscitate a baby under one year old:

1. Call 999 for help - if you're alone you need to give the baby five puffs followed by a minute of CPR before calling for help

2. Place them on a firm surface and open their airway. With one hand on their forehead tilt their head back to check their airways and pick out any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose

3. Take a breath and place your mouth around the baby's mouth and nose creating a seal and blow gently and steadily for one second

4. The chest should rise, watch the chest fall completely before doing the second puff - you should do this 5 times

5. Put two fingers on the baby's chest and push down a third of the depth of the chest. Release the pressure allowing the chest to come back up before pressing down again

6. Repeat this thirty times at a rate of 100-120 pumps per minute

7. After 30 pumps, open the airway and give a further two puffs

8. Continue to alternate between thirty chest pumps and two puffs until help arrives or they start breathing again

  • You can order the Resuscitation Council UK's free book on baby CPR here