Close call

I was cleaning Baby M's bottles in the kitchen, when all of a sudden it got quiet.  Anybody who knows my baby knows that she's always talking.  So I peered over the ledge into the living room and immediately recognized that M was choking and couldn't breathe.

I thank my medical training to respond to the situation quickly, calmly, and appropriately.

When I reached her, I saw water spilling out of her mouth.  Her throat was so closed off, that saliva couldn't slide down it.  Instead, it welled up and flowed over her purple-turning cheeks.

I did NOT stick my finger down her throat to remove the impeding object.  Instead, I performed the baby Heimlich maneuver until I could see that her airway was restored.

Apparently, she had gotten ahold of some paper and had ingested some of it.  The gummy mass got lodged in her throat, and she was unable to clear it.  Had I stuck my finger in her mouth, it would have pushed the mass further down and caused more damage.

Afterwards, she vomited a little and lay there quietly trying to recuperate.  I tried to hold her as much as she would allow.  I learned several lessons:

1.  As hard as it may be, if you have a baby, have a clean and baby-proof home.

2.  Never let baby outside of earshot/eyesight.

3.  Be trained for emergencies.

4.  Count your blessings, every one.

5.  Loud noisy babies can be a good thing!