(30288) *First Aid for a Choking Baby (Under One Year)* 2026 – universal

• Lay the baby along your arm, face down, with the head below the chest
• Give up to 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand
• Check between each blow and stop if you clear the obstruction
• Ask someone to call 999 or 112 for emergency help. If you are alone and have a mobile phone, use the speaker function if you can do this at the same time as giving treatment.

If the obstruction is not cleared:

• • Turn the baby over to face you and lower the head below the level of the chest. Give up to 5 chest thrusts

  NOTE: These are similar to the chest compressions we use for CPR, but sharper and delivered at a slower rate

  • Keeping the baby's head low, check between thrusts and stop if you clear the obstruction
  • Important: NEVER perform abdominal thrusts on a baby as you can cause serious damage to internal organs
  • Call out, or send for help if it is still not available

• Continue the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts
• Important: If the baby becomes unresponsive, start CPR

• When you open the airway to give rescue breaths, look to see if there is anything in the mouth
• If an object is seen, attempt to remove it with a single finger sweep
• Do not attempt blind or repeated finger sweeps

• Attempt 5 rescue breaths
• Assess the effectiveness of each breath: if a breath does not make the chest rise, reposition the head before making the next attempt
• Proceed immediately to chest compressions regardless of whether the breaths are successful and perform CPR

• Continue the cycle of breaths and compressions until help arrives
• If the baby regains consciousness and is breathing effectively, place them in the recovery position and monitor breathing and conscious level whilst awaiting the arrival of the ambulance