There’s a question most new parents hope they never have to answer: What would you do if your baby suddenly stopped breathing?
It’s a terrifying thought, one that many parents push to the back of their minds, especially when they’re already juggling sleepless nights, feeding schedules, and the weight of so much responsibility. But the truth is, emergencies don’t send invitations, they don’t wait for your confidence to catch up. And in a moment when every second counts, what you know, or don’t know, can make all the difference.
This is why every parent, especially new mums and dads navigating the fragile postpartum season, deserves to know the basics of Infant CPR and First Aid. Not just because it’s a helpful skill, but because it gives you something incredibly powerful: peace of mind.
In this blog post, I want to talk to you, not as a health professional or an expert in a white coat, but as someone who has sat across many first-time parents, especially mothers in Nigeria, and listened to the stories. The stories that begin with, “I didn’t know what to do,” and the ones that thankfully end in relief. My goal is to help more of those stories end with calm, not chaos.
Why Every Parent Needs to Know Infant CPR
When most people think about CPR, they picture a dramatic hospital scene, but CPR is not just for doctors and nurses. It is a basic life-saving skill that any parent can learn and perform. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and it is what you do when your baby is unresponsive and not breathing. This could be due to choking, illness, drowning, or even unexplained causes.
Infant CPR is different from adult CPR. It requires gentler force, smaller breaths, and greater care because babies are delicate, but don’t let that scare you. What matters is not perfection, what matters is action. A mother with trembling hands but the right knowledge can save her baby’s life.
In Nigeria and across much of the developing world, emergency services are often delayed or unavailable. So what happens when it’s just you and your child? What happens when you’re in a village or on a long road trip or even at home during a blackout with no immediate help in sight?
This is why preparation is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.
What to Do When a Baby is Choking
Choking is one of the most common emergencies in babies under the age of one. It can happen during feeding, when a child puts something small in their mouth, or while playing unsupervised for just a few minutes.
If your baby cannot cry, cough, or breathe, they are likely choking.
The first thing to do is stay as calm as you possibly can and act quickly.
Lay your baby face down on your forearm, supporting the head and neck. Deliver five firm but gentle back blows between the shoulder blades. If nothing comes out, turn the baby face up and give five chest thrusts with two fingers at the center of the chest, just below the nipple line.
Repeat these steps until the object comes out or until the baby starts breathing again. If your baby becomes unresponsive, begin CPR immediately.
There is no shame in not knowing this before now, but now that you do, it means you are already more equipped than you were five minutes ago.
Basic First Aid Every Parent Should Know
Emergencies don’t always look dramatic, sometimes it’s a fever that spikes in the middle of the night, or a pot of hot water that spills during cooking, or a head bump from a sudden fall.
Here are a few basic guidelines that every parent should keep in mind:
- For fever, strip the baby lightly and sponge with lukewarm water. Avoid applying balms or thick clothes. Monitor the temperature and seek medical attention if it persists or is accompanied by seizures or extreme drowsiness.
- For burns, rinse under cool running water for several minutes. Do not apply toothpaste, palm oil, or onions. Cover with a clean cloth and seek medical help if the burn is blistering or on sensitive areas.
- For falls, watch closely. If your baby is alert and acting normally, apply a cold compress and observe for the next 24 hours. If they vomit, lose consciousness, or act strangely, go to the hospital.
- For nosebleeds, sit the baby up and lean their head slightly forward. Pinch the soft part of their nose gently and wait.
These might seem simple, but in the heat of the moment, knowing exactly what to do gives you a sense of confidence that your child can lean on.
You Don’t Have to Know Everything, but You Can Know Enough.
The point of this blog post is not to overwhelm you. It’s not to make you feel like you have to be perfect. It’s to remind you that you can be prepared, even in small ways.
Knowledge doesn’t erase fear, but it gives you something to stand on when fear comes.
So, if you’ve read this far and you’re wondering where to go from here, I want to invite you to do just one thing:
Listen to the full episode of this conversation on the 5StarMums Podcast.
It’s called “Infant CPR and Basic First Aid for Parents” and it’s available on Spotify. In that episode, I walk through the steps slowly, in simple language, with the kind of warmth and presence that makes you feel like you’re not alone.
You can listen to it on your way to work, while breastfeeding, or as you cook. Whatever you do, let it sink in. Let it become part of your mothering toolkit.
Because while we can’t prevent every emergency, we can prepare for them, and preparation, especially in motherhood, is an act of love.
Final Thoughts
You’re already doing so much. You’re already showing up, and today, by reading this and choosing to learn something new, you’ve taken one more step toward becoming the kind of parent who stays steady in the storm.
You don’t have to be a hero, You just have to be present, informed, and willing to act. That’s enough. Truly, it is.
And if you ever doubt yourself, remember this: Your baby doesn’t need a perfect parent, they need a prepared one.
Let’s keep learning together. Let’s keep growing, for them.
And don’t forget to:
- Listen to the full podcast episode on Spotify: “Infant CPR and Basic First Aid for Parents” by 5StarMums“.
- Follow us on Instagram @5starmums
- Sign up for our free newsletter for weekly tips and real talk from real mums.
And please, share this post with another parent. You never know whose life it could help save.
“Don’t go through mumming alone.”
FK Jesuyode
Founder, 5StarMums
