When a new baby arrives, it is rarely just the parents doing the caring. Grandparents step in for date nights and daycare gaps. Aunts, uncles, and close family friends babysit. These trusted people often spend hours alone with the baby — which means if a choking or breathing emergency happens, they are the first responder, not the parents.

Yet most grandparents and extended caregivers have not refreshed their CPR in years, and many never learned the infant technique at all. This article makes the case for getting them trained, explains how CPR has changed, and shows why a course is one of the best gifts you can give a growing family.

Why Grandparents Are Often the First Responder

Grandparents are one of the largest groups of childcare providers in Canada. They watch babies while parents work, run errands, or simply rest. In those hours, they are fully responsible for the child. A choking episode during feeding, a fall, or a sudden breathing problem can happen to anyone, anytime — and the seconds before paramedics arrive belong to whoever is in the room.

This matters even more for babies than for adults. A baby’s cardiac arrest is almost always caused by a breathing problem — choking, an obstructed airway, drowning — rather than a primary heart problem, so early, correct action from the person in the room is what makes the difference (Canadian Red Cross; Heart & Stroke Foundation).

Being prepared is not about expecting the worst. It is about making sure that the people you trust most with your baby have the same ability to act that you do.

CPR Has Changed — A Lot

If a grandparent learned CPR when they were raising their own children, the guidance they remember is likely out of date. Resuscitation science is reviewed regularly by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), and the Canadian Red Cross and Heart & Stroke Foundation have updated their guidelines accordingly. The technique has evolved meaningfully:

• Push harder and faster. The current standard is 100 to 120 compressions per minute with adequate depth — firmer than many older courses taught (Canadian Red Cross / Heart & Stroke Foundation, aligned with ILCOR).
• Compressions come first and stay central. The emphasis is now on continuous, high-quality chest compressions with as few interruptions as possible.
• AEDs are part of the plan. Automated external defibrillators are now common in public spaces, and knowing how to grab and use one is a core skill.
• The infant technique has changed. For babies, the recommended method is now the two-thumb encircling technique (wrap both hands around the chest with your thumbs on the lower half of the breastbone), or the heel of one hand if you can’t encircle the chest. The older two-finger method is no longer the recommended technique — a change many grandparents will not have heard about (Canadian Red Cross / Heart & Stroke Foundation, per AHA 2025). Depth is judged as at least one-third the depth of the chest, not a fixed number.
• Choking is baby-specific. For a conscious, choking infant it is 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts (never abdominal thrusts on a baby) — details that are easy to get wrong without practice.

Sources: Canadian Red Cross (2025); Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada; infant two-thumb / heel-of-one-hand technique per AHA 2025 update to ILCOR consensus.

A short refresher closes that gap. For the current infant technique, see our Baby CPR guide and infant choking guide.

Infant CPR, Step by Step

Here is the current sequence a grandparent or caregiver would follow if a baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally. This is a plain-language overview — it does not replace hands-on training.

1. Check responsiveness and breathing

   Tap the bottom of the baby’s foot and call their name loudly. Never shake a baby. Watch the chest for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. Occasional gasping is not normal breathing.

2. Call 911 and start CPR

   If the baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 911 on speakerphone and start CPR immediately. If you are alone with no phone, give 2 minutes of CPR first, then call — a baby’s arrest is usually a breathing problem, so early CPR matters most.

3. Give 30 chest compressions

   Use the two-thumb encircling technique (or the heel of one hand) on the lower half of the breastbone — the two-finger method is no longer recommended. Push at least one-third the depth of the chest at 100 to 120 per minute, letting the chest recoil fully between pushes.

   Source: Canadian Red Cross (2025) — infant depth ≥⅓ of chest, rate 100–120/min; two-thumb / heel-of-one-hand per Heart & Stroke Foundation and AHA 2025.

4. Give 2 gentle rescue breaths

   Put the head in a neutral position, lift the chin, seal your mouth over both the baby’s nose and mouth, and give 2 gentle puffs — each just enough to make the chest rise.

5. Continue 30:2 until help arrives

   Repeat cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths. Don’t stop until the baby breathes normally, EMS takes over, an AED is ready, or you are too exhausted to continue. (Two trained rescuers switch to a 15:2 ratio.)

Source: Canadian Red Cross (2025); Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (ILCOR 2025 consensus); two-rescuer infant 15:2 per St. John Ambulance / CSA Z1210.

What a Caregiver Course Covers

A first aid and CPR course aimed at parents and caregivers gives hands-on, infant-specific practice in:

• Recognizing when a baby is in trouble versus simply fussy or gagging
• Infant CPR — compressions (two-thumb or heel of one hand) and rescue breaths on a baby manikin
• Choking response — 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts for infants (and back blows and abdominal thrusts for older children)
• What to do for breathing difficulty, fever-related seizures, and allergic reactions
• When and how to call 911, and how to give a clear emergency report
• Using an AED safely

The hands-on element matters most. Reading about CPR is useful; practising it on a manikin until your hands know the rhythm is what lets someone act calmly under pressure.

The Gift That Could Save a Life

Looking for a baby shower gift that stands out from the onesies and stuffed animals? Or a way for grandparents to show they are all-in on helping? A first aid course is unusually meaningful:

• For new parents: Gift them a course — or better, gift the grandparents a spot — so more trained adults surround the baby.
• From grandparents: Booking your own course signals that you take your role seriously and want to be ready.
• For the whole circle: Some families book a group session so parents, grandparents, and regular caregivers all learn together (see our group baby CPR option).

Unlike most baby gifts, this one never gets outgrown. The skills stay with the person for life and protect not just this grandchild, but future ones too.

Make the Whole Family Ready

A baby is safest when everyone who cares for them is prepared — not just mom and dad. A Life Safe first aid course gives grandparents, caregivers, and family members the up-to-date, hands-on infant CPR and choking skills they need. Book a spot for the people you trust with your baby, or sign up yourself to be the grandparent who is truly ready.

Frequently Asked Questions