choking & gagging

Gagging

2007-02-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

I quite often hear mums say they are worried about baby led weaning because of a fear that their baby would "gag and choke".

What I spend ages explaining is that gagging is not the same as choking.

We all have a gag reflex, it is natures way of moving objects from the back of our throat back up into our mouths. Learning to move objects in this way is all part of the "oral control" that Gill Rapley says baby led weaning will promote.

Whilst I have no experience of George choking, I do have a lot of him gagging. He will often sit and in a way reminiscent of Steptoe hack and cough away whilst in his highchair. The offending article is then spat out, examined and put straight back into his mouth! Disgusting child.

I think at times that my ignoring this must look bizarre to a casual observer, as gagging is, at times, quite dramatic. But George has never got into any difficulty and I believe that my remaining calm has ensured he too has stayed calm.

They do seem to get better with experience, and the gagging gets less and less.

Stick with it, and remain calm!

love

Mel x

Choking

2007-02-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

Choking is obviously a bad thing - we all agree on that much I guess.

A great description I heard of the difference between choking and gagging is that if your baby is red in the face and noisy then it is okay....if they are blue and quiet there is something wrong!

Seriously though, whilst I have put this information on here, I am not a doctor and I am not medically trained. The information on here I have lifed from sources I have found on the internet (who is also not medically trained!!). Bear this in mind when reading this...

If your baby is choking then their airway will have become blocked and they will be unable to move the object themselves. I have read a variety of ways how to remove the object, but they amount to holding your baby with their head lower than their body and patting firmly on the back. The general rule seems to be with the baby lying along your forearm.

There are further actions which they go on to recommend if the item is still stuck, but I do not feel comfortable in simply reproducing them here. If this doesn't work, and your baby is still struggling, then call 999.

My recommendations are twofold:

If you are concerned that you would not know what to do in an emergancy situation then take a first aid course. I believe there are ones run specifically about infant/child first aid
If in any doubt - phone 999

Hope that helps a little?

love

Mel x

holding page!

2007-02-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

I am just adding to and updating the original blog with these links, so bare with me whilst I add in the content!

thanks

Love

Mel x