Baby Chokes On Eating, Help! What To Do?
One of the situations of greatest concern for parents is when the baby chokes on eating. This can happen more often than you think as the baby is still learning to swallow. This is why it is important to know what to do if the baby chokes on eating .
First of all it is essential to remain calm; most of the time, newborns are able to recover from suffocation on their own.
Although the reaction of many parents is to blow in the face of the child, as a method it is not very recommended. This is because the baby will shorten breathing as an involuntary reflex, eventually making a greater effort to recover.
The baby chokes on eating, why?
During infancy, especially from birth to the first six months of life, suffocation is the product of the food dispenser. In general, babies tend to suck vigorously, which increases the flow of liquid, this happens both through the bottle and the mother’s breast.
In each of these cases, it is important to check the milk dosage. In the bottle it is simpler because it can be controlled through the spout; in the case of breast milk, the mother can express some before breastfeeding the baby. This way you can decrease the flow of liquid.
Another cause of choking in babies or young children has to do with stomach or gastrointestinal problems. When infants suffer from gastrointestinal reflux, they constantly regurgitate milk, which often leads to suffocation.
With the completion of six months it begins with the ingestion of solid foods. During this stage it is important to avoid offering too large or hard pieces of food that can cause choking. Likewise, never leave a child alone while eating.
What to do if the baby chokes on eating?
If the baby is choking on eating, keep calm and try to analyze what caused the problem. If it is a newborn, the most likely thing is that it was a too rapid sucking of milk; in this case , the baby must be coughed so that he can recover on his own.
If, on the other hand, the suffocation continues, you must place the baby on his stomach with his chin between the base of the thumb and forefinger and gently push his head down; the rest of the body must be higher than the head. This method plays on gravity and causes the liquid to rise and the baby to free himself from suffocation.
The next step is to pat the baby’s shoulder blades. This method also applies in case of suffocation due to a piece of food. If the crisis continues, it will be advisable to place the baby belly up and press the center of the chest with the thumbs.
However, it is very important to make sure that the baby is breathing and is not unconscious. In addition, the color of his mouth should be monitored; a dark line behind the lips indicates that the baby cannot breathe. In this case if the maneuvers do not work, it will be better to take him to the emergency room immediately.
What are the consequences of suffocation?
The first thing that can happen once the maneuvers have not worked is that the baby faints due to a lack of air. In this situation, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation will be required to try to get the baby to recover. It is very important that the little one regain consciousness to prevent the worst from happening.
While swallowing suffocation is an ever-present possibility with newborns, it is wise to try to prevent any type of accident. Being a newborn, it would be best to feed him in an upright position and that he does not stretch out at any time.
On the other hand, if the baby is starting to make the first meals, it must start with soft foods, easy to chew and swallow by delicate and sensitive gums. Finally, it is very important to offer him water to help him swallow.
