Scary Choking Episode Today
When Danika was a baby and started eating solid food I always worried about the possibility of her choking on something. I am a Registered Nurse and I wondered if, in the moment with my own child I would remember what to do to help her.
Today we were eating lunch and she had some chicken tenders. She is almost 2 years old and has done fine with eating and taking bites. I had broken the chicken in halves so she could bite it. I was in the kitchen getting my lunch prepared and heard her gasping for air in the dining room. I ran in and saw her turning blue and unable to breathe or cough trying so hard to get air. I pulled her out of her high chair and started giving her back blows to try and dislodge the food. Two pieces of chicken came flying out and she started crying. Thank God she could breathe again! She then started throwing up the rest of her food. She was very scared and upset afterward and I was very thankful that in that moment I knew what to do and was able to do it. It is emotional to even write this as I think of what could have happened if I didn’t know what to do or if it hadn’t worked. Life is so very fragile and it is important to know what to do if your child is choking.
After Danika had calmed down I was holding her and hugging her telling her she was okay. Thinking back to a couple of weeks ago when she had fallen off a stool in the kitchen and I caught her as she was falling, she looked up at me and said “mama always catch you”. I could’ve cried. She has so much faith in me that I will always be there to save her. Even at her young age she understands so much. I hope that I am always there to catch her although I know there will be times I am not.
I tell you this story because I hope that you will all be prepared if one of your children are choking. Take a class or at least read up on what to do if it should happen to you. Even as a Registered Nurse I feel it is different when it is your own child. It is important to feel that you can think clearly when it is happening and that you know the steps. I found a good article here that tells what to do if your child is choking. I hope you never need to use it! I thank God that my baby is okay!
So scary! I'm glad that she is okay. I had my healthcare recertification yesterday for CPR and as I was sitting there watching the infant CPR segment I was wondering the same thing – if it was one of my kids would I be mom or nurse?!?!
Very scary. Glad she is doing fine!!! I going to sign up for a CPR class soon.
Thank you so much for posting this. It is so important for all parents to know CPR. You are amazing. Hug your baby tight :->
(Found you through FFF on MBC)
I always wondered if I would know what to do in an emergency situation like that, too. But i've had a few incidences of my daughter choking, and I didn't even have to think, I just did the same exact thing you did. It's amazing how mothers can respond in situations involving their babies! I'm so happy she's ok!
I'm glad she is okay! I always worry about the same thing… will I remember it when the moment comes?!
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Melissa @ Life On Sunshine Street
http://lifeonsunshinestreet.blogspot.com/2010/02/friday-follow-yummy-sandwiches.html
Wow, that is very scary. Thank yo uso much for sharing cause you woke me up.I need to take my CPR and first aid again, so I am caught up on my training.
I am already a follower
How scary, I'm glad everything worked out okay.
I've had to safe 3 of my 4 kids from choking. It's not something I ever thought I'd have to do. One was on ice, one was a penny and the last was on Shredded Wheat.
That had to make you shake for awhile afterwards. I am so glad you were there to help take care of her. I love her "catch" line too. We always want to be there for them.
Thanks for stopping by and saying hi and following. I love how cheerful you blog looks…it brightened me right up. Have a great weekend.
Phew-thank goodness she is doing ok!
That happened to my son when he was 8 or 9 months old-his grandmother was visiting and she was feeding him (mashed potatoes I think?) and there was a piece of a potato that didn't get smushed. So he started choking and gasping for air-totally freaked me out. Luckily his grandma knew what to do, because I was a wreck. You're right though-it's imperative as moms we know what to do in case something like this happens. It can happen to anyone at anytime.
following from MBC-love your blog!
Very scary! What a blessing she has such a quick mama!
Glad she is ok!!! Just a heads up: NEVER give back blows! you can actually lodge the food deeper! Himlick only!! I am CPR certified and use to work in the ER previous to Gavin's birth.
I had Johnny passed out and blue over a cheestick when he was around 2. I had to do a blind sweep which is never recommended for kids but I knew an ambulance would never make it in time.
I'm so glad your baby is fine. I am a mom that DOESNT know what to do and it terrifies me. I'm in the process of getting my aerobics intructing license, and we learn all the CPR etc…and I'm too anxious to wait to learn. I've been wanting to do a post about it, thanks for sharing your experience with everyone.
I'm glad to hear you quick thinking paid off and your little one is OK. I am a former First Aid and CPR instructor and besides teaching it I have had to use my training many times.
I too recommend that everyone have at least a basic course.
Great you knew what to do! Makes me realise I need to refresh my first aid certificate.
Oh how scarey that must have been. Unfortunately I know exactly how you felt today as our now 7yr old has extremely large tonsils and choked regularly as a younger child.
Every now and then it's okay to let them fall though 🙂
OMG, that is scary. I am glad she is OK and you knew what to do. Some people would have get paralyzed with fear (me). So now I too know what to do. Thank you for posting.
Natalja
http://www.sweetsationtherapy.com
How scary. I'm so glad she's okay.
What a wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing…and reminding us all how important it is to know what to do in an emergency.
Stopping by from MBC and now following you 🙂
Stefanie http://pediatricsafety.net
So glad your training jumped in! We had a scary incident like that with my grandson when he was 2. My hubby had taken a Children's First Aid/CPR class because he was doing full-time Grandpa Daycare duty. He reacted right away, too, and it made us all realize we needed to learn exactly what to do.
How scary. Good thing you knew what to do.
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You've inspired me to be a better mama and take a CPR class. Thanks.
Oh gosh — how scary for both of you!
I need to look up classes in my area now.
~ Jennifer
http://thetoyboxyears.blogspot.com
what a precious response your daughter gave you…i know i would have been crying if i heard that from my almost two-year old!
I'm so glad your cute little girl is ok. That must have been really scary.
Following your lovely blog now.
Wow, I would have died! I was an EMT and I too wonder if something major happened to my children would I react the same as I would if they were strangers? I too wonder if I would have enough sense about me to react and not fall apart! I can only hope that I would react in such a quick manner. Claps to you for being calm in the face of danger.
Patty
thank you for the reminder to refresh skills… I just clicked on link. Choking is MY BIGGEST FEAR as I have never had to be put in the situation to clear any of my 3 childrens airways and like you, I wonder if I will be able to function when it's my child!!
So scary for you both, but so thankful you were close and knew what to do.
All parents and caregivers should know the Heimlich Maneuver. Just whacking anyone on the back can actually lodge the food in worse.
Thanks for stopping by.
Agh! That is one of my nightmares! I really should take a class.
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier! Hopefully you didn't show up in the middle of my mess — I was switching up my design late this afternoon. ha!
It's so scary. It happened to Gavyn twice when he was little and Zoe always choked on goldfish. We immediately banned them as she wasn't chewing them properly. I'm so glad she is doing ok after that.
That is so scary! Many times, I begin allow my girls to start eating their lunch while I continue making my lunch in the kitchen. It crosses my mind at times, what if one of them chokes, and I am not there. This definitely sheds some light on this.
I am so thankful everything worked out and you were able to keep calm under that pressure. Your girls have a great momma to rely on!
(((Sarah))) So glad she is OK! When my youngest was a newborn, I sat in a chair nursing him while my middle child (then 4 1/2) was playing with a marble on the floor in front of me. He turned to me with a funny look on his face and moved his hands up to his throat. I instinctively knew what was wrong, so I put the baby down on the floor and went to him. Thankfully, the marble came out with just a pat on his back. Looking back, I thank God that he was OK (and I marvel that I didn't throw the poor baby down in my haste to help him).
Cara