Infant CPR is a lifesaving skill that anyone can learn.

This video will show you how to do CPR for babies younger than 1 year.

It's not a substitute for a class you can take in person.

But it will show you the basic skills you need in an emergency.

Infant CPR can help a baby if their heart or lungs suddenly stop working.

If you can keep air moving to the lungs and blood flowing while you wait for emergency help, you'll have the best chance of preventing brain damage or death.

So how do you know if it's time to do infant CPR? Check for a response.

Try tapping the baby's foot and shouting the baby's name.

If the baby isn't waking up or responding to you, it's time to start infant CPR.

First, call 911—or ask someone else to call while you begin CPR.

A 911 operator can give you instructions over the phone on how to do CPR until emergency services arrive.

If there's an AED nearby, ask someone to go get it for you.

If you're alone and don't have a phone nearby, start CPR.

Do CPR for 2 minutes, and then find a phone to call 911.

There are two parts to infant CPR: chest compressions and rescue breaths.

To do chest compressions, imagine a line between the baby's nipples.

Place two fingers just below that line.

Or you can use your thumbs instead.

Place your thumbs just below the imaginary line between the baby's nipples, and wrap your fingers around the baby's chest and back.

Using either two fingers or both thumbs, press on the baby's chest until the chest goes down about 1½ inches— or about one-third of the way down.

That may be deeper than you think.

Press the chest quickly—30 times at a rate of about 2 compressions a second.

Think of pushing to the rhythm of the song "Stayin' Alive."

After 30 chest compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.

To do rescue breaths, gently tip the baby's head back just a little.

Take a normal breath—not a deep one— and place your mouth over the baby's mouth and nose.

Make a tight seal.

Blow into the baby's mouth for just 1 second, emptying only the air that's in your cheeks.

That's all the air that a baby with small lungs needs.

After giving one rescue breath, remove your mouth from the baby's mouth and nose, and take a normal breath. Let the baby's chest fall, and feel the air escape.

Then give a second rescue breath.

Continue to repeat the cycle—30 chest compressions, followed by 2 rescue breaths—until help arrives, an AED is ready to use, or the baby starts breathing normally.

Learning infant CPR isn't too hard. Let's review the steps.

Place your fingers or thumbs just below the nipple line.

Do 30 fast chest compressions with two fingers or both thumbs.

Gently tip the baby's head back a little and give two rescue breaths— just the air in your cheeks.

Continue the cycle—30 compressions, followed by 2 rescue breaths—until help arrives.

Now you have a basic idea of how to do infant CPR.

And you can gain more practice and confidence with an in-person class— confidence that will help you act quickly when you need to and when time can make all the difference.