Keeping baby safe when eating

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Keeping baby safe when eating

Safety's important when your baby is eating. Make sure your baby's well-secured in a high chair, or on your lap. Find out about foods that are more likely to cause choking.

Keeping baby safe when eating

Keeping baby safe when eating. Video transcript.

Safety’s important when your baby is eating.

Make sure your baby's well-secured in a high chair, or on your lap.

An adult needs to stay close and watch to deal with any problems like choking or a reaction to food. Never leave your baby alone with food.

Find out about foods that are more likely to cause choking.

Don’t offer small hard foods, such as whole nuts and large seeds.

Choking checklist

Babies and children can choke on food at any age but those under 5 are at higher risk, and especially children and babies under 3. Watch a video about ways to reduce the choking risk.

Choking prevention

Avoid giving your baby small hard foods or whole foods.

Choking: What to do

If your baby is choking, they may not be able to make any noise. For babies up to 1 year: If the baby is unconscious, do CPR. If the baby is conscious, find out what steps to follow.

CPR for babies under 1 year

CPR for babies under 1 year - use only in an emergency. Find out what to do.

Emergencies - basic life support

Children and infants who are not responding and not breathing normally will need CPR.

Washing hands

Food safety tips

A list of helpful hints on food safety.

Oscar Kightley talks food safety

Being FoodSmart is Oscar Kightley's passion: Clean, Cook, Chill and you'll be FoodSmart too.

Eating for healthy babies and toddlers

Food information for babies and toddlers from birth to 2 years old.Image of the cover of the booklet 'Eating for healthy babies and toddlers'

Food related choking in young children

Reduce the risk of food-related choking in babies and young children.

Foods with a high choking risk for children under 5

Extract (pp 152-3) from Ministry of Health's Food and nutrition guidelines for healthy infants and toddlers (aged 0–2). Partially revised 2012. (PDF, 4 KB)

Food safety information

Tips to help you and your children avoid getting sick from eating food.
Food safety tips at the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Food and nutrition guidelines for healthy infants and toddlers (aged 0–2)

A Ministry of Health background paper - partially revised December 2012

This page last reviewed 01 June 2013.
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