Helping Babies Survive FAQs

Helping Babies Survive (HBS) is a suite of evidence-based educational programs to teach neonatal resuscitation techniques in resource-limited areas. HBS was developed in collaboration with WHO, and supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Save the Children, Latter-day Saint Charities, Laerdal Global Health, Johnson & Johnson, and a number of other global health organizations. Implementing partners work toward achieving a significant reduction in neonatal mortality by increasing the availability of resuscitation to manage newborn asphyxia during birth.

The HBS initiative consists of three programs: Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), Essential Care for Every Baby (ECEB), and Essential Care for Small Babies (ECSB). HBB trains birth attendants in neonatal resuscitation techniques that can save the lives of babies who need help breathing at birth. ECEB teaches health providers essential newborn care practices to keep all babies healthy from the time of birth to discharge from the facility. ECSB trains providers on the specialized care small and preterm babies need to survive and thrive.

Together, the HBS programs address the three most common causes of preventable neonatal deaths: birth asphyxia, newborn infection and complications from preterm birth. The HBS curricula are designed to be used as part of a coordinated educational approach to early neonatal care and can be effectively combined with other curricula. It can be locally taught to birth attendants in diverse venues and locations.

HBS began with the HBB training module. Studies indicate HBB can reduce neonatal mortality on the first day by up to 47%. 

HBB 2nd Edition FAQs includes scientific updates to harmonize with 2015 International Liason Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Consensus on Science with Treatment Recommendations, and 2012 WHO Basic Newborn Resuscitation Guidelines. It also features strengthened advice for facilitation of learning and program implementation in facilities, based on feedback and lessons learned from the global community of HBB users.

Both HBB and the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) are based on the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) guidelines; however, they are designed for different care environments, especially with respect to resources. HBB is appropriate for resource-limited circumstances. In situations where resources (human and technical) will support NRP, it should be taught and encouraged. There will be countries where both programs coexist (i.e. China). Since they have the same foundation, system integration should not be an issue.

• Master trainer is someone who has completed a facilitator course, and then has taught two or more facilitator courses (led by a master trainer). Master trainers can train facilitators or providers.

• Facilitator is someone who has completed at least one facilitator course. A facilitator can train providers.

• Provider is someone who attends the birth of a baby. Our goal is to have every provider around the world trained in HBS!

Facilitator courses typically consist of one and a half days of the teaching and mentorship training necessary to facilitate training activities abroad.

This will depend on the format and schedule of the course in question. You will need to contact the course organizer listed on the Home Page. If it is an AAP course, please contact us here for additional information.

To view the most up-to-date information about scheduled courses, please visit the Upcoming Courses page on the HBS website​. ​​

You do not need permission from the AAP to conduct courses at your institution if institutional resources (facilities, staffing, etc) are available.The AAP does not provide staff or trainers for courses other than the few courses that are managed yearly by the AAP.

We try to keep the registration costs as low as possible. Registration fees are assessed to cover the expenses of offering the HBS course. Expenses to be covered include (but are not limited to) faculty and staff travel and lodging, room rental, projection fees, catering during the course, and registration materials. When expenses and resources permit, we reduce registration fees where possible.

• Only HBS-trained facilitators should teach the HBS curricula, and we recommend that you only plan courses AFTER completing HBS training to avoid such situations. It is important to plan courses and implementation efforts far in advance, as discussed in the Implementation Guide

• If you are unable to find a course in a reasonable time frame, contact us here and we may be able to match you up with a local facilitator for training, though this option may not be available in all areas.

All Helping Babies Survive educational materials are available for free access and download via the AAP’s International Resources website. More information about translations can be found here.