With the holidays right around the corner, there is no better time than now to educate yourself on foods to avoid feeding your baby to prevent the risk of choking. Choking is a very common tragedy amongst young children. At least one child is lost every five days, due to choking related casualties. There are many different foods to avoid feeding babies. In addition, there are ways to educate yourself on choking prevention techniques. Parents are strongly encouraged to become CPR/AED & First Aid certified, in order to learn life-saving techniques like CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Below, find a list of potentially dangerous foods to feed your baby:
- Any small, hard, round snack, including festive popcorn and many charcuterie items (olives, nuts, grapes, hard cheeses)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Pomegranate seeds
- Fresh, white bread (often too sticky for baby to digest in their mouth)
- Raw fish and raw meats
Along with foods to avoid, new parents should be aware of the environmental factors to take into consideration when weaning your baby onto solid foods. Read below to find some helpful tips on transitioning from liquids to solids.
- Make sure your baby is sitting fully upright at 90 degrees when feeding solids
- Avoid placing food in your baby’s mouth with your own fingers
- Make sure the environment around them is calm during meals
- Make sure your eyes are on your baby the entire time they eat
- Always pre-test the texture and temperature of the food before feeding it to your baby
In addition to food caution and environmental awareness, parents should become educated on life-saving techniques, including CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Premier Health and Safety offers CPR/AED & First Aid certification classes in Orange County and Murrieta. The course provides extensive practice on how to provide care during active choking via the Heimlich maneuver and how to provide care during passive choking via CPR. Participants will learn the differences between providing care on infants, children, and adults. Spending four hours out of your week to get this certification and educate yourself on safety techniques can be the different between life and death.
If you are not in the Orange County area, check out the American Red Cross website to located CPR/AED & First Aid classes near you. Giving the gift of a certification class and helping someone to gain the knowledge to be able to potentially save a life is priceless this holiday season. Take that first step in making a difference today!
With these helpful tips, new parents can better prepare to enjoy the holidays with their little ones. Always be cautious of what you are feeding your baby, as well as the environment surrounding you. Please visit Premier Health and Safety to sign up for a CPR certification course and take a huge step toward being prepared for an emergency. Remember to always contact your pediatrician if you have any specific concerns. Have a happy holiday season!