Campaign provides nearly 1,000 Infant CPR Anytime Training Kits to expectant mothers in local communities

MINNEAPOLIS, June 22, 2023 – Bringing a newborn home from the hospital can be overwhelming. To help parents prepare, a new campaign from the American Heart Association, the leading voluntary health organization focused on heart and brain health for all, is encouraging caregivers to learn infant CPR.

With funding from the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, the Association has provided 656 Infant CPR Anytime Training Kits to eight agencies in Minnesota who work with expectant mothers and families. They will distribute an additional 315 kits before the end of the year.

“Being able to share this education and resource in the community is such a gift,” said Sonja Batalden, CNM, MS, director of perinatal care at Minnesota Community Care, one of the participating sites. “All new parents are anxious about keeping their baby safe. Equipping them with these tools in such an accessible way creates confidence and skill in new parents.”

The local agencies involved in the campaign include Minnesota Community Care, St. Paul Ramsey Public Health and six locations of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Positive Alternatives program.

Employees of the agencies are trained in infant CPR by the American Heart Association, so that they can then train the expectant mothers they serve. The mothers receive a kit to take home to train other family members and caregivers of their baby.

CPR for infants works differently than CPR for children, teens and adults. Learning the proper method is important so caregivers can safely administer CPR to their baby should an emergency arise.

The Infant CPR Anytime Training Kit was developed by the American Heart Association in coordination with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Each portable kit includes a skills practice video, a reference card and an infant CPR manikin. The kit is designed to teach life-saving skills for infant CPR and infant choking relief in about 20 minutes.

In addition to distributing the training kits, the Association is leading a public awareness campaign this summer to share the importance of learning infant CPR.

More than 7,000 children suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest annually.[1] While the reported number of infant out-of-hospital cardiac arrests varies widely, survival to hospital discharge averages 6.5 percent for children less than one year old who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.[2]

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, unintentional choking and suffocation are a leading cause of all injury deaths for infants under the age of one.[3]

To find an infant CPR training course near you, visit Heart.org/FindACourse.

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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   
 

For Media Inquiries:
Lisa Cole: lisa.cole@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) 
heart.org and stroke.org