Baby Diaries, A Guide for New Mothers: Part 10 – Dealing with Serious Injuries

As a brand new mother I initially felt slightly nervous when I was alone with my new baby. I couldn’t help feeling slightly inadequate and was unsure that I could handle it correctly should an emergency with my baby arose. I did eventually take a first aid course, and I must admit that this made me feel better able to cope with not only my own children, but other kids and young people left in my care.

In this our last article in the series, we will look some ways in dealing with serious accidents. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always call the emergency services, but what you do while they’re on their way may be the difference between life and death for your child.

Think calmly

In an emergency, you need to be able to hold your nerve and avoid panicking. If there’s anything obvious that you can do (like removing a blockage in the airway or pressing down on a wound for example), do that instantly and call the emergency services. Don’t give your child anything to drink and if there’s an obvious breakage, do not move the child around more than utmost necessary (to avoid further injury).  Make sure that you learn how to check your baby’s pulse so that you can easily do so when necessary. It may be easier to find your child’s pulse on his/her neck rather than on the inside of the wrist. I could never find that one, maybe I just didn’t know how to check for it.

Resuscitation

While the ambulance is on its way, if your baby stops breathing, it is important for you to keep air passing through his/her lungs. This will allow oxygen to get to vital organs through the blood moving around to the rest of the body. Shake her/him on the arm gently and call her/his name. If you do not get a response, lay the infant on a flat, hard surface on their back and think, A, B, C.

• A – Airway. Place one hand on the forehead and the other under the infant’s chin. Lift the head so that the chin is tilting upwards and check inside the mouth for any obstruction in the throat area. If there is, remove this.
• B – Breathing. Put your face and ear close to the infant’s mouth with your head turned towards his/her chest. Use your senses of hearing and feeling for the breath on your face, and your sense of sight to see if the chest is moving up and down. If baby is not breathing, it’s time to help him/her do so.