If a baby takes 2 minutes to breathe at birth..

[lazarusb]

and is resuscitated, is there any chance of brain damage etc? I am asking on my friend's behalf.

Can only speak from my experience but DD didn't breathe unaided for 13 mins. Apgar score of 1, and 3 at 5 mins. At 3.9 she is absolutely fine. I also know that we have been incredibly lucky; it hits me now and again and I burst into tears. I hope all goes similarly well for your friend.

There is always a chance of brain damage whenever they breathe but from memory (back about 15 years when I last studied it) the critical time is 4 minutes after which the risk is much greater.

I don't know about chance, but my DS was the same and if perfectly fine.

I have answered this question on MN before and there were many others whose DCs were the same, that were all fine.

Your friend should speak to her midwife if she is worried.

That is 4 minutes without resus so assuming resus started before that 2mins the risk is tiny - esp as for some of that time the cord would be attatched and giving oxygen.

I think (I'm no medical expert) the risk would be reduced if the umbilical cord hadn't been cut, as oxygen would still be provided to the baby until the cord was cut.

What was the babies Apgar score?

My friend's ds didn't breathe straightaway and it took them 5 minutes to resuscitate him. Hes 14mo now and completely fine

My DD has brain damage and was fine and breathing immediately after birth. Injury happened in utero with seizures occuring 24 hrs later.

Apgar scores are often used as a guide or an indicator of HIE (birth hypoxia) but are not always reliable (as in DD's case).

Thank you all. I'm sure my friend has asked her midwife but I felt uncomfortable asking her- she spent 4 hours in surgery herself so had a very bad time. I didn't want her to think I was implying that there was something wrong with the baby iyswim? Thanks for your reassurance. :)
1percentawake- I am sorry to hear your story. I hope life isn't too tough for you and your dd. (Sorry if that sounds patronising- I didn't mean it that way).