a terrifying heimlich moment this w/e!

jcc64 wrote: We were all out for a celebratory lunch after Noah's basketball team unexpectedly advanced to the finals in their basketball tournament. All of a sudden, Alec yells, "Mom, Noah's choking!" His eyes were bugged out of his head, his face went from red to white, and there was absolutely no sound coming out of his mouth. I jumped across 3 people, yanked him up, and performed the Heimlich, at which point he expelled the chicken and promptly barfed all over the table. Very very scary moment.
Make sure you all know how to do it!

jolene555 replied: Yes! I am convinced they should give a cpr instruction at the hospital after you give birth. As if to say"here - your child will no doubt choke themselves at some point in time, and you really need to know this!" I'm certified myself, but I've never had to use it - thank God.

kimberley replied: omg! how scary! glad he was okay. i know how to do it but i should renew my CPR this year. thanks for the reminder.

A&A'smommy replied: OMG I'm so glad he is okay!!!

I think its time for me to take a refresher course!!!

kit_kats_mom replied: OMG. I'd still be shaking.
It's so great that you were able to react. Woody and I took the classes at the Red cross when K was born and we took a refresher when I was pregnant with Lauren. I'm so afraid that I'll just freeze and have a giant brain fart, forgetting everything I know, when something bad actually happens.

mommy2owen replied: OMG...How Scary!

DVFlyer replied: for you! Way to go. I hope if (when) it happens to me, I can react so quickly.

mammag replied: Oh how scary!! Yep, I better go look into some classes myself.

My2Beauties replied: You know I need to go get ceritifed myself, I know how to do it because my mother was is in the medical field, but I'm like Cary, I would probably freak out at the sight of my child choking. When I was younger (remember mom is in the medical field, actively practicing in it, and has to be re-certified every year) I start to choke on a piece of hard candy, what does she do, freak out, run down the street screaming for help and crying...gee thanks mom! My dad had to get it out of me, he did it improperly by smacking me on my back really hard but it did come flying out! So i'm afraid I would react the same as my mother! I still need to get certified though! Thanks!

DansMom replied: Jeanne, that sounds like an awful experience. It's good you knew what to do and were able to act quickly.

An 8 year old died in our PS system last year from choking on a grape. I never took infant CPR, but am now signed up for a full day of Red Cross lifesaving training on March 11. My work is paying for it because we just received a defibrillator at our office and we need to know how to use it, and I was allowed to go off-site and take the course that includes infant/child lifesaving. I am so afraid of Daniel choking on something---it's one of the things I live in fear of.

kit_kats_mom replied: I think I'm going to print out the instructions for cpr and choking manuevers for both toddlers and babies and stick them on the walls all over the house. Maybe that would help. LOL

One tip. We got a short CPR course in the hospital before they'd let us take Lauren home after her bout with RSV. One thing that I'd always worried about was that I'd forget how many breaths (4) to chest compressions (1). The instructor said that if you give 3 or 5 or even 6 breaths, it's not going to be a big deal. Just remember to give a few breaths, then a compression. I was relieved to know that I didn't have to keep the numbers in my mind. Whew!

jcc64 replied:

My mother, who is not in the medical field, actually did the exact same thing! My brother choked on a hard candy, and she ran out into the street screaming! My dad, who was an EMT, said you shouldn't be afraid to make a mistake- any action you take is better than doing nothing at all.
And for all of you who think you would freak out and do nothing- you wouldn't. You do what you have to do.

ediep replied: OMG!!! How scary!!!! So glad you we able to react so calmly and take care of it!! WTG!!!

ammommy replied: That is so scary! It also reminds me that DH and I need to get recertified.

Kaitlin'smom replied: oh how very scarey. I am glad you were able to react, I think it would be my DH who would freek, I would get it done then break down.

I also need a refresher course, I will have to ask my sister if she know where i can take one

coasterqueen replied: OMG! How scary! I haven't taken a CPR class since I was 13 or 14 in swim class. I SOOOOOOO need to do this.

MommyToAshley replied: OMG! OMG! OMG! How scary!

I am so glad that you knew what to do and you acted quickly.

I am like some of the others here, I am afraid that I would freak and forget what to do. I hope I never have to face that situation, but if I do, I pray that I can keep it together long enough to do the right thing!

loveydad replied: Scary! I hate it when the kids choke!

momof2girls replied: Thank God he is ok!!!!
Very smart and quick of you!!! Im sure that was soooo scary!!!

Jamison'smama replied: Thank God you knew what to do and reacted quickly--GREAT JOB MOM!!! Jamison had one choking episode--too many saltine crackers--gummed up in her throat--they can choke on anything!

Kirstenmumof3 replied: OMG that's is terrible! I'm glad he is okay! I took First Aid and CPR years ago, I think it's time for refresher coarse.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: OMG! How scary!!

I should probably take a refresher too.... all I remember from the course a couple years ago is that if they can cough, they can breathe....so as long as my kids are coughing when they choke on something, I know they can still breathe, and so my panic goes down and I can react better to help them....

can anyone confirm that? Or have I just been very lucky so far?

aspenblue1 replied: OMG how scary! I am glad he is ok.

My2Beauties replied:
I hope I would know what to do! It's a scary though - your child choking! I'm glad you were able to remain somewhat clam (how calm can you actually be in this type of situation) but you kept your cool and helped your child! bravo to you