Mum issues stark warning after her six-month-old daughter nearly choked to death on a toy rattle
A NEW mum has issued a stark warning to fellow parents after her little girl nearly choked to death on a soft toy rattle - which she didn't realise posed a danger.
Jessica Stewart recalled the "scariest" moment of her life, after her six-month-old, Malia, got a toy lion lodged in her throat.
Jessica, from Australia, explained she was washing up in the kitchen, with Malia happily playing behind her in her high chair, clutching her favourite toy.
Despite Jessica being in the same room as Malia, the little girl managed to choke on the soft toy - and she was only alerted to the horrific situation unfolding behind her after hearing a “weird” noise.
Jessica shared her experience to Facebook group , saying: "Her face was red, her eyes were popping out of her head.
“I snatched it off her threw it on the floor and picked her up.
“She vomited all over me straight away and was completely fine.
"I was bawling my eyes out as it was the scariest thing I have ever seen."
Jessica has shared the frightening incident to warn other mums, after admitting she had “no idea” her daughter could choke on a soft toy.
She told : “She managed to shove the whole end in her mouth (end without the face) and it got stuck.
NHS tips to help a choking child
- If you can see the object, try to remove it. Don't poke blindly or repeatedly with your fingers. You could make things worse by pushing the object further in and making it harder to remove.
- If your child's coughing loudly, encourage them to carry on coughing to bring up what they're choking on and don't leave them.
- If your child's coughing isn't effective (it's silent or they can't breathe in properly), shout for help immediately and decide whether they're still conscious.
- If your child's still conscious, but they're either not coughing or their coughing isn't effective, use back blows.
“She still had a hold of it but obviously didn't work out how to pull it out or how to breathe through her nose.
"I'm so glad she was in the kitchen with me and not in the next room on her play mat."
She urged parents never to leave their babies alone even for a “split second”, as “pure bad luck and timing” could lead to a tragic incident.
The states that children will often put things in their mouth as it's a "normal part of how they explore the world".
The health website says: "Some small objects, such as marbles, beads and button batteries, are just the right size to get stuck in a child's airway and cause choking.
"The best way to avoid this is to make sure that small objects like these are kept out of your child's reach.
"No matter how careful you are, your child may choke on something. In most cases, you or someone else will see your child swallow the object that causes choking."
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