CPR for infants under 12 months old

Check for danger to yourself, the infant and anyone else in the area.

If it is safe to do so:

• move the danger out of the way
• move your infant and yourself away.

For example, if your infant becomes unconscious in water, you will take them out of the water to remove the danger.

Use “talk and touch” to check for a response.

1. place one hand on your infant's forehead
2. place your other hand on your infant's shoulder and squeeze gently
3. speak to your infant in a loud, gentle voice.

Do not shake your infant. This can cause serious injury and death.

Your infant may respond by:

• opening their eyes
• making a noise
• moving their body.

If your infant responds, place them on their side. Keep them comfortable while you watch to see how they respond.

If you are worried, see your local doctor or go to your nearest emergency department.

If your infant is not responding, call an ambulance on:

• Triple Zero (000) 
• The international emergency number (112) from digital mobile phones only.

Ask someone nearby to call the ambulance and wait with you if possible.

Put the phone on speaker and follow any instructions.

Remember to stay calm, answer any questions and do not hang up the phone.

Check that your infant’s airways are open by:

1. laying them on a firm surface, on their back
2. using your fingers to lift their chin bone upwards, towards you.

Look inside their nose and mouth to see if anything is blocking the airways. 

If you see:

1. fluid:  turn the infant onto their side to help drain the fluid out
2. an object:  turn the infant onto their side and use your thumb and index finger in a pincer grip to remove the object. 
   Only do this if the object is easy to access and be careful not to push it further into the throat.

Check whether the infant is breathing normally by keeping the airways open, placing your ear close to their face and:

• LOOKING to see whether their chest and stomach are moving
• LISTENING for the sound of breathing
• FEELING whether there is air coming out of their nose or mouse.

Do this for ten seconds.

If your infant starts to breathe normally, roll them onto their side and stay with them until the ambulance arrives.

If the infant is not breathing normally, they will need CPR.

If your infant is still not responding or breathing properly, you will need to start CPR.

To perform CPR:

1. find the centre of your infant's chest, around the lower half of their breastbone
2. place two fingers or one hand, depending on the size of your infant's chest and your strength
3. push your infant's chest down by about 1/3 of its depth, at a fast pace of around 100-120 compressions per minute
4. repeat this 30 times 
5. after 30 compressions, open the infants mouth by tilting their chin up towards you
6. take a big breath in
7. put your mouth over the infants mouth and nose
8. blow air out gently 
9. watch to see the infants chest rise and fall.

Continue the cycle of 30 pushes and 2 breathes until:

• your infant starts to respond – they move, start to breathe normally, cry or cough
• the ambulance arrives and a paramedic takes over from you.

If your infant starts to respond, roll them onto their side and stay with them until the ambulance arrives.

If you become tired and cannot continue safely, ask another adult close by to take over for a few cycles. 

If you are unable to or prefer not to give breaths, continue to give chest compressions without stopping until the ambulance arrives.

In most cases, it is unlikely that you will need to use a defibrillator or Automated defibrillator on an infant.

Follow instructions over the phone from Triple Zero (000) and continue CPR while you wait for the ambulance to arrive.