A TERRIFIED mum has urged all parents to learn how to perform baby CPR after her newborn almost died in her arms.
Stephanie Bain, 29 had taken her baby home just two days before disaster struck and little Finlay stopped breathing in his cot.
Baby Finlay, five-week-olds, after he suddenly stopped breathingMedia Scotland
Mum Stephanie was taught how to do CPR on the phoneMedia Scotland
Dad, Gary Ferguson, with baby Finlay who was diagnosed with CovidMedia Scotland
“He was just white with purple lips, limp and had no pulse,” she told the Daily Record.
Neither Stephanie or her partner Gary Ferguson, from Caldercruix in Scotland, knew how to do CPR on a baby – which proved to be life-saving.
“I did the mouth to mouth, which I think I’d seen on TV,” she explained. “But he wasn’t coming round while my partner ran to get my mum, who works at the hospital.”
The parents called an ambulance and the call handler started explaining how to do baby CPR over the phone.
He started making noises from his chest but he wasn’t coming completely round, Stephanie explained.
She said her little boy was still limp and didn’t have a strong pulse.
The ambulance crew arrived within 12 minutes and had baby Finlay hooked up to the monitors and he had fully come round about half an hour later.
But on the way to hospital the monitor started going off and Finlay stopped breathing.
“The driver slammed the brakes on and they immediately started working on him,” Stephanie added.
When they arrived at University Hospital Wishaw, doctors were very concerned for his health.
Stephanie said his heart kept dropping.
“They told us to get ready to say our goodbyes because they weren’t sure he was going to pull through in the next 12 hours.”
However, little Finlay then started to see an improvement, she added.
Medics first believed the little baby had broncitus but tests revealed he had been suffering with Covid.
The infection had spread to his lungs, which weren’t fully developed and couldn’t fight off the bug.
Finlay spent three nights in hospital before being allowed home, where he is continuing to recover surrounded by his doting siblings.
Stephanie said that both her and Gary and are both surprised that he made it given everything he went through.
The Scottish mum is now urging other parents to learn vital first aid skills.
The CPR skills every parent needs to know
Finding your baby unresponsive is terrifying for any parent.
But should you ever be faced with the horrific scenario, it’s important to remain calm and feel confident in your actions, Joe Mulligan, head of first aid at British Red Cross, told The Sun.
If your baby doesn’t respond or move when you call their name or tap their foot, take action.
What should you do?
Step 1. Check for breathing
Tilt your baby’s head back and look and feel for breaths.
If they’re not breathing move on to step two.
Step 2. Tell someone to dial 999
If you’re on your own carry out rescue breaths, and chest compressions described below for one minute, then dial 999.
Step 3. Give five rescue breaths
Tilt your baby’s head back, seal your mouth over their mouth and nose and blow steadily.
Repeat five times.
Step 4. Give 30 chest compressions
Push firmly in the middle of your baby’s chest with two fingers and then release.
Maintain a regular rate of around two compressions per second.
Repeat 30 times.
Step 5. Give two rescue breaths
Then continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths until help arrives.