A new mother in Colorado was terrified when her 3-month-old stopped breathing last month, but a calm voice on the other end of her 911 call gave her the instructions and assurance she needed to revive the baby.
Nicole Bechtle said she had just finished feeding 3-month-old, Zane, last month when he choked and stopped breathing.
"I don’t know how long it was. It felt like an eternity, it was probably two seconds, but he started turning different colors of blue," Bechtle told NBC affiliate KUSA.
Zane, who was premature, wasn't responding to the CPR Bechtle had been trained in after giving birth, so she dialed 911.
A dispatcher at West Metro Fire Rescue in Lakewood didn't only walk her through the steps of CPR, but also soothed Bechtle by staying calm.
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"I'm just kind of freaking out," Bechtle said when she called, according to a recording posted on West Metro Fire Rescue's Facebook page. "That’s OK. Now listen carefully I’ll tell you how to do chest compressions,” the dispatcher said.
CPR "takes time to actually be effective and so we need to keep reassuring them that help is on the way and they have to keep doing what they’re doing," said West Metro Fire Rescue shift supervisor Rebecca Fuller.
Zane was breathing on his own again after less than three minutes, much to Bechtle's relief. "It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen and I hope I never have to see it again,” Bechtle said, but added that she has the confidence now to react if her baby ever does need CPR in the future.
Bechtle and West Metro Fire Rescue are sharing the new mom's story in order to encourage parents to learn CPR.
