If you notice that the baby is not breathing and your heart is not beating, what you should do is try to stay calm and call the SAMU by calling the number 192 of any phone or cell phone. In addition, you must:
- Lay the baby on his belly up;
- Tilt baby's head back to facilitate air passage and
- Observe if there is something in the baby's throat, and if there is withdraw with your fingers or forceps.
If the baby is not actually breathing, it will be necessary to make a mouth-to-mouth breath. Therefore you should:
- Lay the baby on his or her belly up on a safe, stable surface, such as a bed, floor, or table;
- You should normally inhale and hold the breath;
- Position the mouth covering the mouth and nose of the baby at the same time, releasing a small amount of air.
- If it is already possible to position your mouth only in the child's mouth, cover the child's nose with the thumb and forefinger;
- Observe if the baby's or child's chest moves, as this indicates the air's arrival into the baby's lungs.
If the baby's chest has risen, your mouth-to-mouth breathing is working and you should do it twice in a row and pause for air to come out. If the baby's chest has not risen, the baby may be choking.
The baby's lungs are small, so it is very important not to blow a large amount of air at one time, ideally only blowing the amount of air that is present inside your mouth.
What to do if your baby's heart is not beating
If the baby's heart is not beating, to begin cardiac massage you must:
- Position the index and middle fingers over the baby's heart, on the left side of the breast, as shown in the following image and
- Push the baby's chest with your fingers, counting 2 jerks a second until the heart beat itself again.
The heart massage should be done with some pressure and quickly, without losing the rhythm. After approximately 30 compressions, throw all the air out of your mouth into the baby's mouth if he is not yet breathing alone while waiting for the help.
See too:
- What to do if your baby chokes
- First aid for unconscious baby
