When delivering rescue breaths, how long should each breath be?

When delivering rescue breaths, each breath should be administered in a manner that takes about 1 second. This duration allows for sufficient inflation of the lungs without causing excessive pressure, which can lead to gastric inflation and less effective oxygenation. A breath that lasts around 1 second is generally appropriate as it provides enough time for the recipient's chest to rise visibly, indicating that air is entering the lungs.

The recommended pace helps ensure that the rescuer can maintain a rhythm for delivery that is conducive to effective ventilation. Additionally, following each breath, the rescuer should observe for chest rise and fall, confirming that the breaths are effective. If the breaths are too rapid or too slow, it could compromise the effectiveness of the rescue breaths and the overall resuscitation effort.