Basic Infant Care Training For Your Nanny / Maid
Hiring full-time caregivers or nannies have become essential for many families and new parents. Having a professional caregiver or babysitter ensures your child is provided with the proper care and attention it needs when you are not present. The biggest concern for many parents is hiring a reliable and experienced individual to ensure their child is properly looked after and cared for. But when it comes to infant care parents tend to be a bit more thorough. The care of an infant is no easy task, So it is essential to look for someone able and knowledgeable. The nanny or babysitter should have experience with newborns and little children. Many parents find it reassuring if the caregiver knows what to do in emergency situations. Finding the right caregiver is a daunting task but don’t worry we’re here to help. Here are some skills a nanny should have before you hire them.
Babies require delicacy and deeper care. Unfortunately, there are chances your baby might be in dangerous scenarios. Babies could choke or have severe allergic reactions. It is essential for a caregiver to know what to do in these situations. Let’s look into what skills nannies need in case of dangerous and life-threatening situations babies could face and how to carry out the procedures properly.
Baby CPR
It is extremely frightening when a baby is unresponsive or has difficulty breathing. However, it is essential for nannies to stay calm and collected and act immediately. If this ever happens CPR will be required. You might have the urge to call for help immediately but if you’re on your own you need to perform CPR for a minute before you take the time to call an emergency hotline for help.
How To Perform CPR
To perform CPR place them on a firm surface and open the airway – Place one hand on the forehead and gently tilt their head back, use your fingertip to gently lift the chin to open the airway. Pick out any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose.
Step 1 - Puff
Take a deep breath and place your lips around the baby’s mouth and nose to make a seal. Blow gently and steadily for up to one second. The chest should rise, remove your mouth and watch the chest fall. If so, this is one rescue breath or puff. Do this five times.
Step 2 - Pump
Start to pump (perform chest compressions). Place 2 fingers on the center of the baby’s chest and push down a third of the depth of the chest. Release pressure to allow the chest to come back before pressing back down again, repeat this 30 times at a rate of 100-120 pumps per minute, which is quite quick.
After 30 chest pumps open the airway and give two more puffs. continue to alternate between 30 chest pumps and 2 puffs.
After a minute of CPR contact emergency help. If the phone is not near you, take the baby with you. Repeat 30 pumps and 2 puffs until help arrives or the baby becomes responsive.
What To Do If A Baby Is Choking
When you start weaning your baby small items of food are likely to get lodged in their throat, which might lead to choking. Toddlers can choke on small toys or household items. Babies who are under one year who are choking are unable to cry, cough, or breathe. This is where you administer some back blows.
Back Blows
To start off, lay your baby face down along your thigh, making sure you’re supporting their head and neck. Then administer back blows between the shoulder blades using the heels of your hand. Give 5 sharp blows, after each blow check if whatever was stuck has come out or not. If back blows are not effective you move onto chest thrusts.
Chest Thrusts
Turn them over to make them lie face front, again making sure their head and neck are supported. Place 2 fingers in line with the armpit in the center of the chest, push down sharply to administer 5 chest thrusts.
If this doesn’t work, call for emergency help. Repeat 2 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until they arrive. If they become unresponsive you will have to perform CPR.
Allergic reaction
It is possible to introduce your baby to something for the first time to find they are actually allergic or your baby can come into contact with something which might cause an allergic reaction. Most times an allergic reaction causes rashes or sneezing, which is uncomfortable, yes, but not necessarily life-threatening but sometimes, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) develops in seconds and needs to be treated immediately. Babies may have a severe allergic reaction to certain food, animals, or medicine. When your baby is having a severe allergic reaction you can recognize it if their eyes are itchy or watery, their face or lips start to swell up, or if they throw up or have diarrhea. They find it difficult to breathe. They may be very pale or very flushed. Immediately contact emergency help and let them know what may have caused the reaction. Sit the baby on your lap and lean them slightly forward to help them breathe until they arrive. If you already know what might have caused the reaction and have prescribed treatment, provide it to them as instructed. If they become unresponsive you may need to perform CPR.
If A Baby Has Poison.
When babies start to crawl around the house they can come into contact with poisonous substances. They may come into contact with things like chemicals, drugs, plants, or fungi. To identify whether your baby has swallowed something poisonous, look for the following signs:
- They may vomit or have stomach pains.
- They may have seizures and throw fits.
- They may become unresponsive.
Try to identify what it is, how much they have swallowed, and how long it’s been since they did. Once identified contact emergency help and provide them with all the information you can. As you wait for help, check if your baby is responsive and breathing, if not you may need to perform CPR. If the substance is causing your baby’s mouth or lips to burn, give them sips of water or milk until help arrives.
Conclusion
Since babies require more delicate and concentrated attention, nannies who are experienced and more knowledgeable are ideal. It is difficult to even picture a baby in these scenarios but sadly they are possible and there are parents who have gone through such difficult scenarios. Since anything is possible it is best to be prepared for any and all unfortunate events. Especially if you are caring for a baby. We hope this article proves to be useful.
