cprSo, you brought your baby home from the hospital, and you're finally getting the hang of this new mom thing. Think you are the best mom ever? Well that all depends. Do you know baby CPR?

Georgia mother Susanna Rohm sure wishes she did. When her 12-week-old little boy stopped breathing recently it wasn't Rohm who saved the little guy's life. Her neighbors, Rocky Hurt, 9, and Ethan Wilson, 10, had to put her through the CPR steps to bring little Isaiah back.

The story has a happy ending; the kids were able to talk the hysterical Rohm through the process thanks to posters that hang in their elementary school that detail the life-saving procedure. Isaiah began to breathe again quickly, and paramedics took him to a hospital where he was diagnosed with sleep apnea.

My heart goes out to Rohm, but I'm glad she's been willing to share her scary tale because it stands to shake up other moms like her, moms who have never bothered to learn infant CPR.

Is that you? Would you have to cross your fingers and pray that there were some smart neighbor kids nearby if your baby stopped breathing?

It doesn't have to be. Here's how to prepare yourself to protect your baby:

1. Take a course. The American Heart Association and American Red Cross as well as many maternity wards and even some pediatrician's offices regularly hold CPR training courses. Most courses are in person, but there are also online opportunities.

2. Don't have time or a sitter so you can go attend a class? The American Heart Association has a personal learning program called Infant CPR Anytime that it makes available to new parents and other caregivers. The kit costs $34.95 and can be used by multiple learners. It even comes with a DVD in English and Spanish.

3. Get an app. There are now a number of apps on the market that will walk you through the CPR process. Make sure you find one that comes from a reputable institution and specifically addresses how to treat an infant rather than an adult. The University of Washington School of Medicine has one that's free.

4. No time OR money for a course? At least brush up on the steps! The National Institute of Health includes a 10-step first aid process on its website, or this video from the University of Washington School of Medicine can get you started:

Could you do what those boys did? Could you save a baby's life?

 

Image via stuttermonkey/Flickr