Types of neonatal resuscitation

There are three techniques that you will learn about in this study session and in your practical skills training. They are:

• Ventilation: using a hand-operated pump called an ambu-bag (Figure 7.3), which pumps air into the baby's lungs through a mask fitted over its nose and mouth. (You may hear health professionals referring to ventilation as 'ambu-bagging'.)

Figure 7.3 Resuscitation technique practiced with a ventilator (ambu-bag) on a training doll. (Photo: Dr Yifrew Berhan)

• Suctioning: using a device called a bulb syringe to extract mucus and fluid from the baby's nose and mouth.
• Heart massage: pressing on the baby's chest in a rhythmic way to stimulate the heartbeat (Figure 7.4).

Figure 7.4 Cardiac massage technique practiced on a training doll. You can see a ventilator at the top right of the picture. (Photo: Dr Yifrew Berhan)