Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

9 Other Emergencies

• Continue to support the baby as it emerges. Grasp the baby gently but firmly. Newborn babies are covered in a very slippery fluid that helps them move down the birth passage. • Once the baby is born, you must clear the airway. A newborn baby will have fluid and mucous in its mouth and nose. Wipe any away and support the baby with the head lower than the body to help drainage. • The baby should start breathing and turn pink right away and will most probably cry. If the baby does not start breathing and remains limp and pale, do not panic. Gently rub the baby’s chest, stimulating it. If the baby does not start breathing, begin infant CPR (See Chapter 4, Cardiovascular Emergencies).

• Once the baby is breathing, pat it dry with a clean towel but do not remove the slippery fluid coating the skin. • Wrap the baby in a towel or blanket to preserve warmth. • Assess the umbilical cord. If it is pulsing, it means that blood and fluid are still being supplied to the baby through the cord. Keep the baby at the level of the vagina and support it with the head lower than the body to allow continued drainage of fluid from the airway. • If the umbilical cord has stopped pulsing, place the baby on its side in the mothers arms. Keep the head low to allow continued drainage of fluid from the airway. The baby may want to nurse at its mother’s breast and may be allowed.

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