If you diagnose asphyxia, start resuscitation!
Position the newborn on his or her back with the neck slightly extended as shown in the top picture in the Figure below. Open the airway by clearing the mouth and nose with suction using the bulb syringe as you saw previously.
- Position yourself at the head of the baby:
If the apical heartbeat is > (more than) 60 beats/minute:
- Ventilate with the appropriate size of mask and a self-inflating ambu-bag. The mask should be fitted as shown in the Figure below. Make a firm seal between the mask and the baby's face, so air cannot escape from under the edges of the mask. But don't force the mask down onto the baby's face, because this could push its chin down towards its chest (bottom diagram in the first Figure) and compress its airway.
If the apical heart beat is < (less than) 60 beats/minute:
- Apply heart massage and ventilate alternately (on and off ventilation) with the ambu-bag.
Last modified: Monday, 14 July 2014, 7:55 PM