A Missouri mother, Layna Wells, recounted a terrifying moment with her newborn daughter, Stevie, that every parent dreads. On a seemingly ordinary morning, Wells fed and held her 3-week-old baby at 5 a.m., laying her back to sleep shortly after. But at 7 a.m., she awoke again, sensing something was wrong.
“I don’t know why I woke up, but I did,” Wells shared with Newsweek. She found Stevie “blue and cold,” triggering immediate action. Wells unswaddled Stevie, performed five shoulder blows, followed by chest compressions. These efforts revived Stevie, who began to breathe and opened her eyes. “She didn’t cry,” Wells mentioned.
Stevie remained awake during the hospital journey but stayed silent. Only during a check of her vitals did she cry, over an hour after the CPR. Stevie was diagnosed with a Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE), a scary but typically non-threatening event distinct from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).
Historically referred to as an Apparent Life-Threatening Event (ALTE), such incidents were initially studied for links to SIDS. However, research indicated little connection, prompting the term BRUE’s introduction by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2016. Wells noted, “There was no reason for why it happened,” as Stevie appeared healthy in all tests.
Reflecting on the incident, Wells admitted her CPR was “incorrectly” administered, yet effective. Doctors advised her to repeat the same actions if needed. The experience left a lasting impact. “It’s by far the most gut-wrenching experience I’ve ever lived through,” Wells stated. She often finds herself watching Stevie breathe, apprehensive during slow breathing.
Wells urges fellow parents to master infant CPR, emphasizing its unexpected necessity. “You never think you’re actually going to need to use it until suddenly you do,” she stressed. Despite her success, she acknowledges the role of luck. “I happened to find my daughter when I did, I was able to react, and thankfully what I did worked.” She recognizes that even when parents do everything correctly, tragedies may occur, adding, “That is not a failure on their part.”