A baby born with her heart outside her body has been making home visits in preparation for her coming back for good.

Vanellope Hope Wilkins, who was born in November 2017, had three operations to place her heart back in her chest in Leicester before being moved to hospital in Nottingham, closer to her home.

She had the extremely rare condition, ectopia cordis, of which there are only a few cases per million births – most are stillborn.

You can see this story in full on BBC Inside Out East Midlands at 19:30 GMT on Monday on BBC One, or via iPlayer for 30 days afterwards.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-nottinghamshire-45454442/baby-born-with-heart-outside-body-set-to-return-home

How to perform CPR when the heart is not in the area of the chest?

Like in this case, these cases are rare. However; if surgery was not an option, to perform CPR, first locate where the heart is, and then start compressions followed by breaths.

Remember, for babies only use 2 fingers.

To perform infant CPR:

1. Lay baby on a flat, firm surface (like the floor) and start with 30 (1 rescuer or 15 for 2 rescuers) compressions followed by 2 breaths

2. Push as a rate of 120 compressions per minute.

3. The depth of compressions 1 to 1/2

4. Continue until help arrives or when the baby becomes responsive.

 

To learn more about CPR contact Heart Saver Institude at 877-970-9009.