- IF YOUR BABY IS CHOKING RIGHT NOW
If your baby cannot cough, cry, or breathe, or their lips or skin turn blue, call your local emergency number immediately and begin back blows and chest thrusts as described below. Do not perform a blind finger sweep unless you can actually see the object.
Home / Baby Safety / Infant Choking Prevention & First Aid
Infant Choking Prevention & First Aid
Choking is one of the most common emergencies parents face with babies who are starting solid foods and learning to grab small objects. This guide covers how to reduce the risk and, separately, what to do if your baby is choking right now.
- KEY TAKEAWAYS
Cut food into pieces no larger than about half an inch and avoid hard, round, or sticky foods until your child is older. If your baby is choking and can’t cough, cry, or breathe, give 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts, and call your emergency number if it doesn’t clear quickly.
Common Choking Hazards
Certain foods are especially risky for babies and young toddlers because of their size, shape, or texture: hot dogs, hard or sticky candy, chewing gum, nuts and seeds, whole grapes, raw vegetable sticks, raw fruit chunks, popcorn, thick spoonfuls of peanut butter, marshmallows, and chunks of meat or cheese. Many pediatric sources recommend avoiding these until around age 4, depending on your child’s own development.
Everyday household items are choking hazards too: balloons, coins, marbles, small toy parts, pen or marker caps, and especially button-type or lithium coin batteries, which can cause serious injury if swallowed.
How to Prevent Choking
Cut food into pieces no larger than about half an inch, and make sure round, firm foods are chopped into small, irregular pieces rather than coins or circles. Always have your baby sit upright while eating, supervise every meal, and keep an eye on what older siblings might hand to a baby on the floor.
- NEVER LEAVE UNATTENDED
Never let your baby eat while lying down, walking, or playing, and never leave a baby alone with food or small objects within reach.
Recognizing Choking
Mild gagging and coughing while eating is common and usually resolves on its own — let your baby keep coughing, since that’s the most effective way to clear an airway. Severe choking looks different: a weak or absent cough, a high-pitched squeaking sound or no sound at all, pale or blue skin color, or being unable to cough or cry. Severe choking is a medical emergency and needs immediate action.
What To Do If Your Baby Is Choking
The steps below are for a baby under 1 year showing signs of severe choking — unable to cough, cry, or breathe. This is emergency response, separate from the prevention guidance above.
Give 5 back blows
Hold your baby face-down along your forearm, with their head lower than their body, and support their jaw with your hand. Use the heel of your other hand to give 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades.
Give 5 chest thrusts
Turn your baby face-up, still keeping their head lower than their body. Place two fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line, and give 5 quick thrusts about 1½ inches deep.
Repeat until it clears
Keep alternating 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object comes out, your baby starts to cough or cry on their own, or they become unresponsive.
If your baby becomes unresponsive
Lower them onto a firm, flat surface and begin CPR, starting with chest compressions. Only look inside the mouth for an object if you can actually see one — never do a blind finger sweep, since it can push an object deeper into the airway.
Before You Need It
This guide is not a substitute for hands-on training. Consider taking a certified infant CPR and choking course from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association before you need these skills — muscle memory matters in a real emergency.
Sources
This guide is based on published guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics via HealthyChildren.org (“Choking Prevention for Babies & Children”) and the American Red Cross (“Infant Choking: How To Help,” redcross.org). It’s provided for general education and does not replace certified training, a pediatrician’s advice, or emergency medical services. If you’re facing a real emergency right now, stop reading and call your local emergency number.