Do You Know Exactly What to Do If Your Baby Starts Choking?
As a parent, it's impossible to prepare for every possible situation and unknown. However, as hard as it is to think about, it's paramount that you (and everyone left alone with your child, even for a short period of time!) know what to do if your little one starts choking.
Seeing your tiny child struggle to breathe and hearing them gasp for air can be one of the most difficult things for a parent to witness. But if you're aware of what steps to immediately take in order to alleviate their distress, your quick actions can help to save their life. While this is not a substitute for being professionally trained in infant and child CPR, here are some tips, some of which are from the American Red Cross, for what to do in the event that your child is choking. Consider printing these and keeping them handy so you never have to hesitate if this emergency were ever to arise.
- Stay calm. As impossible as it seems, you won't be able to do any good unless you take a breath yourself and have a clear head.
- If you are not alone, direct someone to call 911. If you are alone, try two minutes of CPR to hopefully get their airway open as fast as possible before stopping to make the call.
- Place your child on his or her back and open their airway by tilting their head slightly back and lifting their chin.
- If they still aren't breathing, pinch their nose closed and give them two rescue breaths by making a seal around their mouth with your lips and breathing into their mouth.
- Then begin CPR if the child still isn't breathing by giving 30 quick chest compressions.
- For an infant, use two fingers to deliver these compressions and push about 1.5 inches deep.
- For children, use the heel of your hand and push about two inches deep during the compressions.
- After you've completed the set of 30 fast compressions, tilt their head again and give two more rescue breaths.
- Continue the cycle until trained medical professionals can take over.