Steps to take if your baby is choking
If your baby is choking, they may not be able to make any noise.
The following steps are for babies up to 1 year.
If your baby is unconscious, do CPR.
If your baby is conscious, follow these steps:
Step 1
Call for help.
Step 2
Hold the baby down lengthwise on your arm or knee.
Step 3
Firmly support the head by holding the jaw.
Step 4
Give 5 back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Step 5
If the obstruction still hasn't come out, turn the baby over face up with head lower than the body.
Step 6
Give 5 chest compressions in the same place as for CPR, but at a slower rate (1 every 3 seconds).
Step 7
Only remove the object if you can see it. Do not try to fish for it as you may push the object down further.
Step 8
Continue back blows and chest thrusts until the object comes out. If the baby becomes unconscious, follow the basic life support steps and do CPR.
Acknowledgements
Images of woman with baby reproduced courtesy of St John Ambulance, UK.
References
Source: Well Child Tamariki 'My health book'.
