Baby First Aid Tips

The other week my husband Oliver & I took a baby first aid class with Mini First Aid & our NCT buddies and below are a few important points that I learnt.

I really enjoyed the two hour session and would recommend it to any new parents or parents to be as it could save a life. I loved the ‘hands on’ practicing and have already popped my mini first aid kit in my changing bag (scroll down to see what’s in it!).

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A post shared by Nichola Ludlam-Raine??RD ?? (@mummynutrition) on Feb 7, 2019 at 11:10pm PST

My Mini First Aid Top Tips

• NOT BREATHING – If your baby or child isn’t breathing offer 5 rescue breaths first (mouth over baby’s mouth and nose or hold the child’s nose) before alternating between 30 chest compressions (1/3 depth = 4-5cm using 2 fingers for a baby or 1-2 hands for a child) & 2 breaths until the emergency services arrive.

• BURNS – Hold the burn under running cold water for 10 minutes; after you can wrap it in cling film to keep it sterile. To avoid burns in the bath always run the cold water tap first.

• CHOKING – If they’re coughing encourage them to cough but if they are silent but conscious you can offer 5 ‘back blows’ followed by 5 thrusts (on chest with 2 fingers for a baby & abdomen with arms around them for a child over 1).

• MENINGITIS – Symptoms include being abnormally drowsy, having a fever, vomiting, reluctance to feed, crying/restless, headache, dislike of light and rash. Call 999.

• CONVULSIONS – Commonly caused in young children by a raised body temperature (above 38 degrees C); they invoke violent muscle twitching, hot & flushed skin, twitching of the face & breath holding; you should protect the child with pillows and padding, remove clothing, ensure a supply of fresh air and put into recovery position before calling 999.

• CUTS & GRAZES – Irrigate with a large volume of water until clean, pat the wound dry with a sterile swap & cover with a plaster or low-adherent dressing. A cold pack can be applied to bruises & bumps. Never attempt to remove an object embedded into a wound eg glass as it may cause the bleeding to become worse.

• SPRAINS & STRAINS – Treat with RICE: Rest, Ice (for 10 minutes but avoid frostbite by wrapping an icepack with a damp tea cloth), Compression, Elevation.

And here is what you should pack in your mini first aid kit for on the go:

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• YOUR MINI FIRST AID KIT • ? . Last weekend I took part in a @minifirstaid session with my @nctcharity group (it cost us £40 per couple) & I learnt LOADS (blog post to come on that soon!!) .. However something that I hadn’t considered before was carrying a mini first aid kit with me (BTW who knew there’s already one in the boot of my car!) .. but what should be in your first aid kit? ? . HERE IS A SUGGESTION.. ???? . 1️⃣ Hypoallergenic Plasters 2️⃣ Burn Gel Sachets 3️⃣ Tough Cut Scissors ✂️ 4️⃣ Non-adherent Absorbent Dressing 5️⃣ Adhesive Hypoallergenic Tape 6️⃣ Conforming Bandages 7️⃣ Rust-resistant Safety Pins ? 8️⃣ Alcohol-free Cleansing Wipes 9️⃣ Metal Tweezers . IDEAL EXTRAS ???? . • A large square of CLING FILM folded up – to wrap a burn to keep it sterile . • Bottle of WATER – for burns (this can be the one you’re drinking from!) ? . • A COOL PACK – in the fridge at home for bumps! ❄️ . • A THERMOMETER – to check for a fever ? . Would you include anything else? ? . PS You can pick up pre-packed first aid kids for around £10! This one is now in my changing bag! ? . #minifirstaid #firstaidkid #paediatricfirstaid #mummyblogger #mummybloggeruk #newmum ??

A post shared by Nichola Ludlam-Raine??RD ?? (@mummynutrition) on Jan 24, 2019 at 10:14am PST

Do you have any baby first aid tips?