Parents guard their children against every small mishap and misstep in life. And when kids do get hurt, they ensure to protect and safeguard their child's interests.
That's just how parents are and those maternal and paternal instincts kick in when the child is in danger. So, you can imagine the plight of a mum when she realised that her baby stopped breathing.
While no parent would want to willingly be in a vulnerable position, preparation just might help save your child's life.
And that's the warning this mum has for all parents out there. She wants every parent to ensure they prepare themselves to deal with any untoward situation with their children.
The mum narrated her horrifying experience on Tiny Hearts Eduction Instagram Page when her seven-week-old baby Miran suddenly stopped breathing. Naturally, the moment "will haunt her forever." But she decided to open up about her traumatic experience to alert others so that they can save themselves from a similar mishap.
Mum Performs CPR On Baby After She Stops Breathing
It was a regular weekend at home for the mum with the baby Miran, his older sibling, and the dad. The mother was in the kitchen while the rest of her family were playing with the baby in the living room. Suddenly, she heard Miran scream and he started to cry.
She ran to her baby and her husband informed her that nothing happened."He just let out a scream," the dad said.
The panicked mum picked her baby in an attempt to comfort him but soon the crying turned into complete silence. The boy turned completely purple and he collapsed into her arms.
With little explanation of what went wrong, it was easy for the mum to lose sense in that moment. But even though she was in panic mode, she had the presence of mind to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her baby.
Life-Saving Training Course Came To Her Rescue
She said, "I put my baby on his back and yelled, "he is not breathing."" After breathing into his mouth a few times, he regained his consciousness but was still hazed. All this, while her husband was trying to call the ambulance.
The mum managed to save her child, thanks to a course she did during her first pregnancy. She had completed the Tiny Hearts Education Baby First Aid course.
She knew why performing CPR on a baby was important.
The mum explains, "If you have called 000 (paramedics) you know there are a few seconds to get through the line, then a few minutes before the paramedics arrive. All minutes and seconds are precious."
After the paramedics arrived that day, they took Miran to the hospital. Thankfully, the hospital cleared the little boy of any danger and he was back home after a detailed examination.
If you are wondering why the little one collapsed, the mum says, "He either choked on vomit or tried to pass wind and passed out crying in pain. This does happen to babies sometimes."
The mum says her intention behind sharing the story is to highlight the importance of completing a Baby First Aid Course, before bringing home a newborn.
What Other Parents Have To Say
The post served as a reminder to other parents to brush up on their CPR skills. One user agreed that all parents need to know first aid.
Another added, "I think every mum and dad need to go through CPR training." There was a user who had a similar experience as Miran's mum. She had performed CPR for eight minutes on her newborn.
Red Cross recommends all parents get trained in baby first aid. It says although as parents we hope to never use CPR for a child or an infant, it is important to know the steps. This can come in handy in the event of a cardiac or a breathing emergency.
How To Perform CPR On Baby?
Before performing CPR
- Make sure the child is safe. You can tap on the shoulder of the child and check if they need any help.
- You can always flick the bottom of the foot and wait for a response, in the case of an infant.
- Call the ambulance immediately.
- In the meantime, get the child to lie on their back. Tilt their head slightly and then lift the chin.
- Check for breathing. Remember: Infants usually have periodic breathing, so changes in breathing patterns are normal.
- Give two rescue breaths if the child or infant isn't breathing.
- If the child is unresponsive to the rescue breath, start with CPR.
CPR steps:
- You need to kneel beside the child or the baby.
- Place the heel of one hand right in the middle of the child's chest. Then use the heel of the other hand over the first hand. Lace your fingers together. Deliver 30 quick compressions and each of them should be about two inches deep.
- Then perform two rescue breaths.
- Continue these steps till you see signs of life.
If Miran's mum didn't have the knowledge to perform CPR on the baby or lacked the presence of mind, things could have taken a different turn that day.
She urges all parents, "For the priceless little humans, the baby first aid course is like a no brainer to buy. "Never say, I am not going to need it because you just never know when you might!"
And not just for your own child, learning it will only help you in case someone else needs help at some point. It is a life skill and you might be the reason to save someone's life.
Source: Instagram, Red Cross
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