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Why Expecting Moms Need CPR Training?

First aid training including Best CPR training is a must-do for every individual. This training gains more importance for people who work around kids or elderly people. Many individuals do not take first aid training seriously however it forms an integral part of the education system. This is training that can help you save several lives when needed. The first aid training we receive in schools forms the basis of the refresh courses or specialized training that we might undertake in the future.  It might be at our workplace or as a specialized course from some institution imparting training in first aid and CPR.

The CPR training we are provided in school or at the workplace will work fine on adults however a few things might change when we need to perform CPR on kids, infants, or toddlers. People who are expecting a baby or are planning to expand their family need to undertake CPR training in advance.

CPR – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is very basic training.  CPR is the biggest lifesaver hence everyone needs to be trained in it. According to 2014 data, almost 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived, since they got CPR on time from a bystander.

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The importance of CPR training for Expecting Moms

A kid’s smile and activities are a reason for millions of smiles that cross a parent’s face. The same kid’s inactivity and inability to breathe even for a few seconds is the worst nightmare for any parent. CPR needs to be administered within time without a second thought. Training for expecting moms becomes a necessity as they will be nursing the child for a long time. Caregivers will recommend CPR training to both the parents which is good considering the confidence both partners will develop while looking after the child.

CPR needs to be administered within the first 1-2 minutes of the emergency. It’s also worth noting that traditional CPR involves both chest compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of 30:2, but in some cases, there might be changes, such as if the patient is a child. Permanent brain damage occurs after 4 minutes without oxygen. Death might occur if there is no oxygen for 4-6 minutes. If a mother is trained in CPR she will lose no time in getting her kid back in case of an emergency.

Kids might need CPR as they are vulnerable

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Kids have to be taken care of all the time. Even when they are sleeping parents need to check them after regular intervals. Things like small toys, coins, bits of paper, or even trash might attract the toddler’s attention and he might gulp it up choking the airway. An unattended bucket of water or a bathtub near a kid might become a playground for him. A mother needs to be equipped with training to handle a situation where a kid is not breathing, unconscious, or does not have a pulse. CPR is the most basic training an expecting mother needs to undergo before bringing a new life into the world.

Do I need to undergo training I have done in school?

Many expecting women will be of the view that they already know CPR since they have undergone that training in the first aid class in school. However, that was a long time ago. Apart from that, the training you had done at that time was general training which might be good in case an adult near you needs it. For kids, there are a few special requirements that need to be kept in mind. You need to practice on dummies since you are getting trained to take care of your own child.


When do kids need CPR?

Unattended electrical appliances left around the home might come in contact with the toddler, the toddler might crawl into the swimming pool or a bathtub you have filled for yourself, he might be choking because of a foreign particle that he has ingested, excessive bleeding because of a fall, poisoning because of medications, suffocation because of smoke might be a few reasons a kid might lose consciousness, stop breathing and require CPR.

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Training is important to impart CPR

The process of CPR is simple enough.

You need to check for alertness in the child by shaking or tapping the child lightly. You need to check if the child moves or makes a noise?

If there is no response ask someone to call 911 for help and get an AED.

You need to provide CPR to help the child get back to his normal self. To provide CPR place the child on his back.

Perform Chest Compression

You need to perform chest compressions. To perform chest compressions you need to place the heel of your hand on the breastbone of the child. To keep the head tilted back you need to keep the other hand on the forehead of the child. Press down on the child’s chest so that the chest compresses to one-third or half the size of the chest. You need to give 30 compressions in succession and each time you have to let the chest rise to its original position. Provide these compressions without a pause. The compressions need to be hard and fast.

Then you need to lift the chin of the kid and look for signs of breathing. You can place your ear close to the child’s mouth and nose. Simultaneously look towards the chest for any movement in the chest.

Still, if the child is not moving close the nose of the child with your hand and cover the child’s mouth tightly with your mouth. While doing this takes care to keep the chin lifted and the head tilted. You need to give 2 rescue breaths and each breath should take about a second and make the chest rise.


Final Thoughts

CPR looks simple when you read the procedure.  However, in practice, it might be different depending upon the condition and the reason why you are performing the CPR.  Babies have delicate bones hence CPR needs to be performed delicately.

CPR training before giving birth to a child or even after your kid has arrived is important for mothers. Even if you have had training in the past few years you need to get a refresher course for yourself.

 

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James Grimes

James Grimes has been associated with c2cfirstaidaquatics for the past couple of years; he has been providing First Aid & CPR/AED courses and swimming training. Apart from that James also writes about various topics related to Best First Aid Training, swimming, and fitness.

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