Is an Ambu bag necessary?

[Green Orchid]

Should I include it in my birth kit?

[gossamerwindweb]

you could buy one but I know I didn't. If you do, make sure to get the neonatal size

[KristaDJ]

I would not buy or use one without proper training, it's dangerous IMO and from the reading I've done the air in our windpipe is better for giving breaths to a baby anyway.

[weliveintheforest]

Originally Posted by KristaDJ

I would not buy or use one without proper training, it's dangerous IMO and from the reading I've done the air in our windpipe is better for giving breaths to a baby anyway.

I agree !

[MsBlack]

Originally Posted by KristaDJ

I would not buy or use one without proper training, it's dangerous IMO and from the reading I've done the air in our windpipe is better for giving breaths to a baby anyway.

I agree that I would not use one without training, because of the possibility of over-inflating (and possibly rupturing) the baby's lungs.

Research shows that giving a baby room air to start with, rather than oxygen, is better for babies on all counts, both in short and long term; some highly compromised neonates do benefit from receiving supplemental oxygen after initially inflating the lungs with room air. Room air has exactly the right amt of 02 in it (21%), as opposed to pure 02 which can cause damage when overused. The air in our own windpipe would be less than 21%--but is definitely safer than delivering 02.

In the case of giving rescue breaths by mouth to mouth, the idea is at least 2fold: one is the mechanical action of puffing into the baby, thus inflating the baby's lungs to initiate baby's breathing activity if baby is depressed due to prolonged distress/oxygen deprivation during the birth. The other element is human touch, delivering healing touch/love along with air/inflation.

Just for clarity--an ambubag only delivers room air, unless it is hooked up to an oxygen tank. I still would not use one without training, tho. And practice on dolls to get the pressure just right. Not called for in a UC, I think, and too risky unless a decision is made to get training and to practice. If a UC baby needs help breathing, and a couple of rescue breaths is not enough, then (gentle, low pressure) mouth to mouth inflations can be maintained for an indefinite period of time while waiting for EMS with their tools and skills.

[Serenyd]

You only put enough air in to make the chest rise as it would with a normal breath. It is important to watch for chest rise and to let the air come out before giving another breath.

If the baby is NOT breathing give 2 small, gentle breaths. Cover the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth. Each breath should be 1 second long. You should see the baby's chest rise with each breath.

http://firstaidcpronline.com/CPR.htm

[gossamerwindweb]

Our family took a CPR class together before our UC because it made us feel safer. You might think about that.

[mwherbs]

so an ambu bag is mostly used to do prolonged resuscitative efforts- to help deliver oxygen enriched air, and to protect the provider from coming in contact with body fluids. an ambulance usually has a variety of sizes of ambu bags- so if you are within 15 minutes of someone arriving at your door I would say not necessary - mouth-to-mouth is sufficent to begin resuscitation and can be used with chest compressions if needed until additional assistance can be had- most babies only need physical stimulation and a few puffs and they start up on their own 1% of babies need something more than that- of course you could get a bag and use it- with the new pop-off valves and gages it is hard to over inflate- and I think for visual people it can give you some distance so you can see what your efforts are doing-

[djinneyah]

i had one with my last UC and kept it around. my friend (was at the last birth and will be at this one) knows how to use the bag and has shown me how to use it. do i think it's necessary? no. but if it makes you feel better to learn how to use one and have it on hand, then get one. i do also agree with the previous poster who mentioned that pure O2 is a bad idea and you should stick with room air.

[Unoppressed MAMA Q]

I'll say 'no', since I have two kids/births and I don't even know what it is!

[Pirogi]

Anybody know where to get one? I would like one for my upcoming birth, but I am also training to be a midwife. I have taken Karen Strange's class.

I would like the newer model with the pop-off valve and gauge.