It can be terrifying when an infant in your care chokes or becomes unconscious. A baby can choke on food or small toys easily--so be aware if the child makes odd noises, is not crying or coughing, or if his skin turns bright red or blue. To perform emergency care, you must dislodge the object he is choking on. If he is unconscious, you must perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, to circulate blood and provide oxygen to his brain.
Step 1
Determine your infant's state of being. If she is breathing or coughing, allow her to cough up the object herself, as chest compressions done while she is breathing can cause her heart to stop. Attempt to remove the object by making a hook with your index finger and sweeping the object out. Do this only if you can see the object; otherwise, you may push the object in farther.
Step 2
Ask someone to call for emergency help if he is unable to cough up the object himself. If you are alone, prepare to perform emergency care for two minutes before you stop to call.
Step 3
Dislodge the item that the infant is choking on. Place the baby face-down on your forearm, using your hand to support her head and neck. Rest your forearm on your thigh, keeping the baby’s head lower than the rest of her body. Use your free hand to deliver five firm blows in between her shoulder blades to dislodge the object.
Step 4
Turn him over so that he is face-up, with his head still lower than the rest of his body and your hand still supporting his head and neck.
Step 5
Place two or three of your fingertips on her chest. To find the right spot, Babycenter recommends imagining a line running between her nipples, then placing your fingers right below that line. Give five smooth chest compressions, pushing down about 1/2 inch.
Step 6
Turn the baby over again and deliver five firm blows in between the shoulder blades. Alternate between back blows and chest compressions until your baby starts to cough or until the object dislodges.
Step 7
Begin CPR if the object becomes dislodged but your baby is still not breathing. Lay the baby on his back on a flat surface. Tilt his head back slightly by lifting up his chin and pushing down on his forehead to open the airway in his mouth. Put your cheek next to his mouth and feel for his breath on your face. If he is not breathing, breathe very lightly into his mouth twice so that his chest rises. If his chest does not rise, his airway is still blocked and you need to continue alternating between five back blows and five chest compressions until the object dislodges.
Step 8
Give 30 rapid chest compressions, just under the imaginary line between her nipples, if she is still not breathing on her own. Let her chest rise completely between each compression. MedlinePlus recommends that you deliver the compressions while counting quickly to 30.
Step 9
Continue to alternate between two rescue breaths and 30 chest compressions until emergency help arrives.
Tips and Warnings
- MedlinePlus states that CPR is best performed if you are trained. To prepare for any emergency, consider taking CPR certification courses through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Keep small objects such as buttons, nuts and grapes away from your baby and allow him to only play with age-appropriate toys.
