Chen Shanshan, a nurse who works in the neonatal department of Hainan Provincial People’s Hospital, responded quickly when flight attendants asked around the plane if they could provide emergency medical care for the newborn.
Chen said she saw the mother, surnamed Zhang, holding a palm-sized baby still wrapped in the amniotic sac.
With the help of two doctors from different departments of the same hospital, Chen used gloves to rupture the amniotic sac so the baby could breathe.
They soon noticed that the newborn’s entire body looked far too pale, that it was neither crying nor breathing, and that they could not feel a pulse. The baby did not respond to stimulation.
“This small, fragile life is in great danger. Every single second is vital,” said Chen as she performed emergency CPR on the little girl.
She asked the cabin crew for a hot water bag to keep the child’s temperature stable. This is crucial, especially for premature babies, as otherwise there is a risk of hematosepsis and even death.
Chen and the two doctors breathed a sigh of relief when the baby’s breathing and heartbeat stabilized.
For the safety of the toddler and his mother, the pilot made an emergency landing in Changsha in the central Chinese province of Hunan.
Chen continued CPR for 90 minutes until the baby was taken to a hospital in Changsha.
“It wasn’t until I saw the baby being taken to the emergency room that I realized my arms were numb,” she said.
When Zhang’s husband learned of the birth of his younger daughter, he rushed to Changsha Hospital.
He said the baby weighed only 820 grams and gained 50 grams during the two-week hospital stay.
“Thank you for being there at the crucial moment. We will tell our child and she will always remember you,” the father said in a video clip sent to Chen.
He said he would personally thank the nurse after the baby was discharged from the hospital.
Chen said she wasn’t thinking about much at the time, she was so focused on saving the baby. She said the cabin crew and the two doctors also deserve thanks.
The story sparked a flood of compliments for Chen on mainland social media.
