What parents should know before taking a CPR course
Choosing a CPR course for parents starts with the ages you care for. Look for hands-on practice with those age groups. For parents, that often means babies and children as well as adults. Ask whether the class covers choking and an AED (a device that can help in some heart emergencies). If you also want to learn first aid for injuries, look beyond a CPR-only class.[1][2]
Check which ages the course covers
The Canadian Red Cross names its CPR levels A, B and C. Level A focuses on adults. Level B covers children and infants as part of a child-care first aid course. Level C covers adults, children and infants, and can be taken on its own.[1]
| If you want to learn about… | Check this course path | Ask before booking |
|---|---|---|
| CPR and choking for adults, children and infants | CPR Level C | Will I practise with training manikins for each age group? |
| CPR plus first aid for children | Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR B | Does this course fit my goal, and is the full first-aid day what I want? |
| A certificate for work or school | The exact course named by your employer or school | Will they accept this course and certificate? |
These are choices to discuss, not a promise that one certificate fits every job. The Red Cross describes CPR B as part of child-care first aid, not a stand-alone CPR B class.[1] ActionBafoly lists both CPR Level C and Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR B in Montreal.[3][4]
Ask how you will practise
A course name alone does not tell you what class will feel like. Ask whether you will practise on adult, child and infant training manikins. Ask how the instructor teaches choking response and AED use. Then check the full class time, language, date and place before paying. The Red Cross CPR Level C description includes adult, child and baby choking and CPR, as well as AED learning.[2]
You do not need to learn emergency steps from a blog post. Practise with an instructor. If someone needs urgent help now, call 911 or your local emergency number.
CPR only, or more first aid?
Think about what worries you at home. If your main goal is to practise CPR and choking response across ages, CPR Level C is the direct course to examine. Its current ActionBafoly page describes hands-on practice for adults, children and infants.[3]
If you want a fuller first-aid course focused on young children, read the Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR B page too. ActionBafoly describes first aid for common childhood injuries along with CPR and choking practice. It is an in-person course, not an infant-only CPR workshop.[4] A parent may take it for learning; a worker should still check the exact course their workplace requires.
Before you book, write down three things: the ages you want to practise for, whether you want CPR alone or broader first aid, and whether anyone needs a named certificate. That short note makes the course choice easier.
Quick questions
I have a baby. Is CPR Level C only for adults?
No. The Red Cross says Level C includes adults, children and infants.[1] Ask about the class's hands-on practice before you choose a date.
Is CPR B the same as CPR Level C?
No. The Red Cross puts CPR B in its child-care first aid program. CPR Level C includes adults as well as children and infants and is also offered on its own.[1]
Do I need a certificate just to learn for my family?
Tell the provider whether you want family skills or need proof for work, school or volunteering. If another organization requires a certificate, ask that organization for its exact course name before paying.
Explore Montreal CPR Level C dates. The course page has the current options; confirm the class details at checkout.[3]