🚨 Baby Choking First Aid Guide 🚨

🔎 How to Recognize Choking in a Baby

Choking happens when a baby’s airway is partly or fully blocked. You might notice:

Distress, panic, or looks of fear
Coughing or gagging sounds
Noisy breathing or wheezing
Struggling to breathe or complete silence
Pale, blue, or changing skin color, especially around the lips or face
Loss of consciousness if blockage isn't cleared quickly

🚨 Remember: A silent baby struggling to breathe is an emergency!

Step 1: 5 Firm Back Blows

✔️ Place the baby face-down along your forearm or thigh, supporting their head.
✔️ Use the heel of your hand to deliver 5 firm back blows between the baby’s shoulder blades.
✔️ Check the mouth after each blow to see if the object has come out.

Step 2: 5 Chest Thrusts

✔️ If the blockage remains, gently turn the baby onto their back.
✔️ Place 2 fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line.
✔️ Push down firmly about 1/3 the depth of the chest.
✔️ Deliver 5 quick chest thrusts.
✔️ After each thrust, check the mouth for the object.

Step 3: Clear the Object (If Visible)

✔️ If you can see the object in the baby's mouth, gently remove it with your little finger.
✔️ Don't perform a blind sweep (don't stick fingers in the mouth if you can't see the object—it may push it deeper!).
✔️ Once the object is out, place the baby in the recovery position: side-lying, head tilted slightly downward.

Alternate Back Blows and Chest Thrusts

✔️ If the blockage is not cleared, continue alternating:
➡️ 5 back blows
➡️ 5 chest thrusts
✔️ Keep alternating until the blockage clears or help arrives.
✔️ If the baby becomes unconscious, start baby CPR immediately!

🛡️ How to Prevent Baby Choking

🧹 Keep Small Items Away

Babies can choke on anything smaller than a 20-cent coin.
🚫 Keep coins, buttons, batteries, toys with small parts, and hard candy out of reach.
👀 Always check floors and low surfaces from a baby’s eye level.

🥣 Safe Eating Tips

✔️ Always supervise babies during meals.
✔️ Cut food into very small, soft pieces.
✔️ Cook, mash, or grate hard foods like apples and carrots.
✔️ Avoid hard foods like whole nuts, raw carrots, popcorn, and grapes.

🧸 Toy Safety

✔️ Choose age-appropriate toys without small, breakable, or detachable parts.
✔️ Avoid toys containing button batteries.
✔️ Regularly inspect toys for damage or loose parts.

🚑 Emergency! Phone 000 Immediately

If you see signs of choking, dial 000 immediately.
➡️ Stay calm.
➡️ Follow the operator's instructions while continuing first aid.
➡️ Keep monitoring your baby’s breathing and consciousness.

Quick action can save a baby’s life! Always be prepared and stay calm.