Baby Safety Answers!

Q: What instructions should I give a babysitter if my baby starts to cough while drinking a bottle?

A: Tell the babysitter to stop feeding, lean the baby forward. Gently pat the baby’s back.

Sometimes newborns cough and spit up breast milk or formula during feedings. If this happens:

• Stop feeding
• Lean the baby forward
• Gently pat the baby’s back
• Let the baby recover before continuing the feeding
• Hold the baby instead of propping the bottle. Check that the bottle’s nipple opening is not too large

• Call 9-1-1 if the baby cannot cough, cry, make sounds or breathe.
• Begin rescue steps immediately.
• Don’t shake the baby or hold the baby upside down. This could make the baby worse.
• Do not search with your finger for the object if you can’t see it. This could push the object farther back in the throat.
• If your baby chokes in a public place, shout, "Help, my baby is choking, call 9-1-1. Ask the person to come back to tell me you they have called."

A baby who has an incident of choking must be checked by a doctor even if the baby seems to be fully recovered and is breathing well. Rescue and infant CPR steps are in words and pictures in Baby-Everywhere products.

The Information Station provides instructions to handle
all types of emergencies.