Newborn Baby Model, Intubation

Quick Answer: The Newborn Baby Model, Intubation is a newborn intubation model: an infant manikin with a head and airway through which learners practise neonatal laryngoscopy and passing an endotracheal tube. Medical, nursing and paramedic courses use it in neonatal resuscitation training.

Why a Newborn Airway Needs Its Own Trainer

A newborn airway is not a scaled-down adult one. The head is large with a prominent occiput, so a baby lying flat already has the neck flexed; a thin roll under the shoulders brings the head into a neutral position, whereas over-extension kinks the soft trachea. The tongue is big for the mouth, the larynx sits higher and further forward, and the epiglottis is long and floppy. A neonatal intubation manikin lets learners feel these differences before they meet them in a delivery room.

The technique rehearsed on the model follows a set order: position the head, open the mouth, insert a straight laryngoscope blade along the right side of the tongue, lift to expose the glottis, and pass the tube between the vocal cords to the depth marker. Confirmation is part of the drill: rising chest, equal breath sounds on both sides and, on a real baby, a carbon dioxide detector. Trainers typically limit each attempt to about thirty seconds, and repeated timed attempts on the manikin build that discipline.

Neonatal airway trainers are usually made with an oesophagus as well as a trachea, so a misplaced tube inflates the stomach instead of the lungs and the error is obvious. Whether this model includes lungs, a stomach, bag-mask ventilation practice or other functions is not listed, so confirm the features you need. For routine handling and hygiene skills, the New Style Newborn is the care-focused model in the same range.

Training Uses

• Neonatal resuscitation courses for doctors, nurses and midwives who attend births
• Practising laryngoscope handling and the view of the glottis in an infant-sized airway
• Team drills in which one person intubates while another ventilates and times the attempt
• Refresher sessions for neonatal unit staff between real procedures

Specifications

Care of the Airway Trainer

• Lubricate tubes and blades with the lubricant the maker recommends before each attempt; dry insertion tears the soft airway lining of an intubation manikin.
• Do not lever the laryngoscope against the upper gum, the same habit that injures real babies and chips the model.
• Clean the mouth and airway after sessions as the maker directs, and leave the parts to dry before closing the case.
• Keep neonatal blades, tubes and the manikin together in one case so small sizes are not mixed up with adult equipment.

Why Choose LabEquip

Neonatal units, medical colleges and resuscitation training centres buy intubation manikins so staff can keep a rarely used skill current. LabEquip lists this model among its biology lab products alongside a laryngoscope; use the contact page to ask about included features and accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a straight blade used for newborns?

A newborn’s epiglottis is long and floppy, and a straight blade can lift it directly to show the vocal cords. Curved blades, which sit in the groove in front of the epiglottis, are more common in adults and older children.

What position should the baby’s head be in?

A neutral or very slightly extended position, sometimes called the sniffing position. Because the back of a newborn’s head is prominent, a thin roll under the shoulders helps; tipping the head too far back narrows the airway rather than opening it.

How can a learner tell if the tube is in the oesophagus?

On a trainer with a stomach, the stomach rises instead of the chest. Other signs taught are breath sounds heard over the stomach and none over the chest, and, on real patients, no colour change on the carbon dioxide detector.

How long should an intubation attempt take?

Neonatal resuscitation guidance generally aims to complete each attempt within about thirty seconds. If the tube is not in by then, the learner stops, ventilates with a bag and mask, and tries again or calls for help.

What sizes of tube are used for newborns?

Tube size follows the baby’s weight and gestation, with smaller internal diameters for preterm babies and larger ones for term babies, and tutors teach the chart used in their resuscitation course. On a trainer, use the size the maker specifies so the airway is not stretched.

How is the model cleaned after a session?

Wipe the face and mouth, then clean the airway by the method in the maker’s instructions, which may involve removing lung or stomach bags. Let everything dry fully before storage so mould cannot grow inside the airway.

Last Updated: September 2026