Action Guide🩸Baby First Aid: What to Do
Choking, unresponsive baby, high fever — step-by-step actions for the three baby first aid scenarios every parent should know before they need them.
⏳ 6 minute read✓ NHS-aligned🇬🇧 UK-specific
Baby first aid is worth knowing before you need it. This guide covers the three scenarios that come up most and matter most. Read it once. Save it somewhere. Ideally, do a hands-on course too — the British Red Cross and St John Ambulance both run baby first aid sessions.
The three scenarios that matter most
😷 Scenario 1
My baby is choking
- Stay calm and act fast. Lay your baby face-down along your forearm, supporting their head. Their head should be lower than their chest.
- Give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Check the mouth after each blow — remove any visible obstruction with your little finger, but never do a blind finger sweep.
- If back blows don't clear it: turn the baby face-up along your forearm. Give up to 5 chest thrusts — two fingers on the centre of the chest, just below the nipple line. Push down about 1/3 of the chest depth.
- Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. Keep going until the object is dislodged, the baby loses consciousness, or help arrives.
- Call 999 if the object isn't cleared quickly, the baby loses consciousness, or you are at all unsure.
⚠️ If your baby goes limp, call 999 immediately and begin infant CPR. The 999 operator will guide you through it.
💪 Scenario 2
My baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally
- Shout for help and call 999. Put the phone on speaker.
- Give 5 rescue breaths: tilt the head back gently, lift the chin, cover the mouth AND nose with your mouth, and breathe gently until you see the chest rise. Do this 5 times.
- Start chest compressions: two fingers on the centre of the chest just below the nipple line. Push down about 1/3 of the chest depth. 30 compressions at a rate of about 100–120 per minute.
- Continue the cycle: 30 compressions, 2 rescue breaths. Don't stop until help arrives, the baby starts breathing, or you are physically unable to continue.
⚠️ Don't tilt the head as far back as you would for an adult — baby necks are different. A gentle tilt to a neutral position is correct.
🔥 Scenario 3
My baby has a high temperature
- A temperature above 38°C in a baby under 3 months needs same-day medical attention — call 111 or go to A&E. Don't wait.
- In a baby over 3 months: remove a layer of clothing, ensure the room is a comfortable temperature, and offer regular feeds. Paracetamol (from 2 months, 4kg+) or ibuprofen (from 3 months, over 5kg) can be given.
- Check for other signs: a non-blanching rash (doesn't fade when pressed with a glass), stiff neck, sensitivity to light, unusual cry, or a bulging fontanelle all need emergency attention regardless of temperature.
- Never use cold water, fans, or damp flannels to cool a feverish baby — these cause shivering which raises core temperature.
⚠️ If you are ever unsure whether your baby is seriously unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. It is always better to be seen and reassured than to wait.
🏫 Do a proper course
Reading this is a start. A hands-on baby first aid course — where you practise on a mannequin — is significantly more effective. The British Red Cross and St John Ambulance both run sessions, in-person and online. Many children's centres offer them free. Worth doing before your baby is mobile.
📖 Want to go deeper?
Baby First Aid: Complete Quick Reference — the full guide
A comprehensive reference for parents covering all first aid scenarios, when to call 999 vs 111, and how to find a hands-on course near you.
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