- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
September 2011 Moms
becasmeca
member
PSA: "The worst place for a baby to choke is in their mother's arms"
becasmeca
member
This post is coming from the bottom of my heart--I hope to reach out and grab yours so that you will educate yourself or re-educate yourself of the possibilities and procedures of a choking baby (I still call Bo my baby...toddler if you must!)
Last Saturday my life stopped at about 1:30 pm. Bowen has four top teeth and two bottom teeth which have given us all the confidence to feed him like a little man. He mostly eats with a fork now, so imagine cubes of food on the fork which he has always done great! During this particular lunch we gave him a tortilla chip with some guacamole on it. Usually he will suck off the guac and then wave the chip at us to put more on. This time he bit the chip--chewing---chewing---BRIGHT RED!!!!
Bowen was full on choking.
He was in the high chair so buckled in.... I couldn't get in un buckled... my husband could see the chip in his mouth and was performing the finger sweep as I was trying to get him out... I got him out? still choking and now puking from the finger sweep... I froze.
My husband came to grab Bowen, but I would not give him up. I was a statue that would never let go of my baby. Time at this point stopped. What felt like hours were breathless seconds for Bowen. A man came over and honestly yelled "I am an EMT grabbed Bo turned him on his tummy---performing the chest thrusts.
The chip came out.. Bowen was screaming reaching for me...
Silence filled the restaurant...I was scoping the room to find other mothers covering their hearts with their mouths dropped open.
How did I let this happen? How did I let this happen? I gave him the chip. I froze. I froze when my son needed me. I would not break down with trying to console Bo...I would not be weak for him. We got back to ILs? where we have a few family MDs as friends and they told me "the worst place for a baby to choke is in their mother's arms". It made me feel a lot better that my response was normal in terms of responding to distress our bodies are programmed to Fight, flight or freeze-- well, I froze!
So now what? First, Bowen will not be eating any chips for a very long time!!!
Second, I am telling every mom-friend-stranger I know the possibilities of choking and what *could* happen. I never thought in a million years I would not do anything to help my son. Would I have had I been educated on infant CPR?
Third, I am taking an infant CPR class next week!
Fourth, I am going to thank god every day of my life for Nick, the EMT who grabbed Bo and helped save him! He is a good man...and I know he was put in that restaurant that day to come to Bowen's aid. Thank you NICK-- Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having the cognizance to help our son. I wish we could repay him in a greater way than buying his lunch. He was/is an angel.
I do not mean to be an alarmist. In fact, I am very shameful of the event. I hate that this happened to Bo... After the incident he bounced right back and started to eat his rice and beans! That makes me feel like he moved on; therefore, my shame and guilt should too!
My way of moving on? is this. Please ladies! Do not do what I did and get over confident because of the number of teeth, or how great of an eater your baby is. Take a CPR class or become well read on infant first aid!
After you have read this and you see your LO next... hold them tight...Life can change in a matter of seconds. You may do the opposite of what you think you will do and well? that is where life?s angels are hopefully there!
Thank you for reading this!
CPR all the way baby!!
Here is one source to start with
This discussion has been closed.
Re: PSA: "The worst place for a baby to choke is in their mother's arms"
Thank you for posting this, Beca. It gave me chills, and we have had almost the same experience.. only less extreme. G also choked on a chip, was strapped in the highchair. She became red and then started vomiting I practically yelled and H to "GET HER OUT!" and he unbuckled as I got her out at the same time. The look on her face was horrifying (she was vomiting, but it looked like she was passing out, although, in hindsight, I know it was just because she wasn't in control of her body heaving) The vomiting got the chip out, thank god.
I have been trained in infant CPR. but I can honestly say I did not react fast enough, and that hurt a little inside. You never know how you are going to react to it... but it is always better to be informed.
"What did my fingers do before they held you? What did my heart do with it's love?"
Thank God Bo is okay and thank God that he placed an EMT there to help. You never know how you'll react to a situation until you're in it.
You have nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't consciously chose to freeze up it just happened. It could happen to any one of us.
G's only really choked once. I was alone with her at a restaurant and was paying more attention to my pancakes than to her. Thankfully she vomited and that got the orange slice out but I seriously froze and I have no idea what I would have done if her body hadn't taken care of it.
Thanks for the info. I definitely need to be more prepared in case of an emergency.
Goosies all over. Poor G! I know the exact look you are talking about.
The reality of my initial response is emotionally paralyzing.
You can never be informed enough!
I am having a hard time not crying after reading this. This is one of my biggest fears and has compelled me to avoid any kind of chunky food with Q until my pedi gave me a serious talk last week.
I grew up hearing stories about how my mom choked on a teething cracker and my dad's cousin died choking on a marble.
Yesterday I had Q on the floor of his just vacuumed room while i put away his clothes. I turned around and he was gagging, red and drooling. I hit him hard on the back and a piece of foam rubber came up. Apparently the cat has been secretly tearing up his chair and I didn't notice it. He was so scared and just hugged me and cried.
I am going to looking into infant CPR classes or I'm afraid I will never give my baby real food (and he is my baby, not a toddler yet in my eyes).
Thank God for the EMT who saved Bo. Thank God for your beautiful boy who is still with you today.
Okay, now i am crying. bleh!
So so so so glad that Bo is ok.
You just never know what the day has in store for you! Thank you all for discussing CPR, mommy fails, and UN thinkable reactions! We all love our babies too much to not be informed! I really regret not taking a class more soon!
This. I took the course through work but if it happened I still don't know if I'd jump to what I learned. I'm sure emotions would get the better of me too. Very happy Bo is ok.
DH and I both already know CPR due to our jobs and majors in college. We had to take a class and have renewed our certification. I pray I never have to use it but am glad I know it.
When I was coaching, I saw plenty of accidents, the most serious accident happened when I was preparing the level 7s for Sectionals... One of my girls did a tumbling pass into the resipit and midair decided to STOP! She broke both arms and everyone freaked out. Although I'm normally very anxious, I took complete control of the gym, stabilized the child in the pit and called 911 immediately. This is different than choking which is much more frightening!! But I'm glad to know in a high stress situations I stayed calm. That said, who the heck knows what will happen with my own child.
Big hugs Becca you are an amazing person for sharing your story.