Choking - baby

Immediate first aid is essential if a baby is choking.

A choking baby makes strange noises as it attempts to cry, and possibly becomes blue in the face.

Apply the following techniques in sequence until the obstruction clears and the baby is able to breathe freely.

First stage - back blows

• Lay baby along line of your arm, face down and and with head lower than body
• Give sharp blows to upper part of the back with heel of your hand, pausing between each blow to check if obstruction has cleared
• If not, continue for up to five blows

Second stage - chest thrusts

• Turn baby to face you along your other arm
• Check mouth again using one finger - don't sweep blindly around the mouth
• With two fingers on baby's breastbone, give sharp downward thrusts at a rate of one every three seconds
• Monitor the baby carefully and stop after five thrusts

Third stage

• If obstruction hasn't cleared, continue a cycle of five back blows and five chest thrusts up to three times
• If baby's still not breathing, call 999

If the baby loses consciousness

Give resuscitation until the baby starts breathing again or emergency help arrives.

This article was reviewed by the British Red Cross in April 2007.