Emergency
Information for Babies – Birth to One Year
Is Your Baby Choking?
If the baby is coughing forcefully, do
not interfere or you may make the situation worse. Allow the
blockage to clear itself.
For a Conscious Baby
1. Shout for help if baby:
Cannot cough, cry, or breathe.
Is coughing weakly.
Is making high-pitched noises.
Is turning blue.
2. Phone EMS or 911 for help
Do not leave the baby.
Send someone to call for help.
3. Turn baby face down
Support baby’s head and neck.
Rest baby on your forearm.
Keep baby’s head lower than his/her
chest.
4. Give baby back blows
Rest your forearm on your thigh
Give five back blows forcefully between
his/her shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
5. Turn infant onto back
If baby is still choking, turn baby onto
his/her back, with head lower than chest.
Support head and neck.
6. Give five chest thrusts
Place two fingers on breastbone, one finger’s
width below the nipple line.
Compress breastbone 1/2 to one inch five
times.
Repeat Steps 4, 5 and 6 until object is coughed
up or infant starts to cough, cry or breathe.
For an Unconscious Baby
7. Look for object in baby’s mouth
Grasp tongue and lower jaw and lift jaw.
Perform finger sweep only if you see an
object.
8. To do a finger sweep
Slide finger down inside of cheek to base
of tongue.
Sweep out object.
9. Open airway
Tilt head gently back and lift chin.
10. Give two slow breaths
Keep baby’s head tilted.
Seal your lips tight around baby’s
nose and mouth.
Give two slow breaths for 1 1/2 seconds
each
11. If the breath doesn’t go in
Tilt head, lift chin and give two more
breaths.
Repeat back blows (Step #4).
Repeat chest thrusts (Step #5,6).
Repeat object check (Step #7).
Repeat Steps 9, 10, and 11 for five minutes.
If baby does not respond and help is not available, take the baby
with you and phone EMS or 911. Resume with Step 11 until help
arrives.
If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment,
concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient
Liaisons.
