Terrified about choking

[Cafeaulait27]

I keep reading about poor babies choking at nursery, no one watching them and then when they did either not knowing what to do or not doing it properly and then dying. I’m now terrified of sending my baby to nursery when he’s 1, he’s my first child. Can anyone offer any reassurance? Thank you

Them *

Where are these stories you are seeing? This is surely a national catastrophe if it’s occurring in such droves?

Also - I say this gently - but going by your previous posts would you say you are prone to anxiety around various little thing to do with your baby to the extent that these worries feel very convincing and strong? In which case nurseries and choking are perhaps not the real issue here.

Where are these news stories? I mean, I'm guessing it has probably happened which is of course a terrible tragedy, but I wouldn't say it's a common occurrence?

When you go and visit potential nurseries, check how many staff are first aid trained. It is compulsory in every nursery I have worked in.

It is very rare however I know from personal experience that nursery staff are fully trained to deal with kids choking.

My daughter rushes her food and has had several episodes where she has needed a couple of strong black slaps to dislodge food that she has tried to inhale - (thankfully she seems to have more or less grown out of this at 3 and a half years old). One of these episodes was at nursery (the food was cut up properly but my daughter got over excited shoved a lot of food in her mouth in one go). Her keyworker was amazing. The staff watch the kids very carefully during meal times - it was noticed immediately and my daughter received strong back slaps within seconds which resolved it. My daughter was fine although she wouldn't go near her keyworker for a few days as she had been hit quite hard.

I have no worries about her at nursery - I worry more about her going to my mother's and in-laws as I have to keep reminding them not cut sausage/ tomato etc... up in to circles shapes 🙈 they forget that my daughter is a bit of a liability.

I also have this fear, and I raise it weekly with my kids nursery…!!!! Also freaks me out about my reception kid- trying to eat super fast to go play!

I am super chilled parent but one of mine choked once and their face has stuck in my mind!

Definitely check that the staff are first aid qualified and ask about supervision at meal times.

I follow Millie's Trust that was set up when their 9 month old died after choking at nursery. They give their Millie's mark to nursery's that meet their criteria for being qualified in first aid.

I get it. This is definitely my”thing” too. What’s set you off? The incident in Cheadle?

To be fair it's probably more likely to happen at home and if first aid skills aren't up to scratch then that may be worse. It just doesn't make mainstream media when it happens in peoples homes.

I think nursery is safer than home in this regard. Multiple pairs of eyes and first aiders, the ability for one person to call an ambulance if needed while the other continues to administer first aid ... If I am home solo and DD chokes then I have to administer first aid and attempt to raise help on my own.

Thanks guys, I think I worry about the staff not ‘really’ caring about my child in the same way I would or a family member would, but you are right it probably is more likely to happen at home and there would be less help available. I hadn’t thought of it like that. I’m just very nervous about sending him to nursery full stop although I do want him to go. This baby is so precious after many years and miscarriages and I get very worried and anxious that something will happen to him. My dad died very suddenly recently and I am having a lot of irrational thoughts recently that my other family members will die.

thank you all for your reassurance, it was the recent one of which there is a thread on this board that scared me and then I went down a rabbit hole and found other stories. Thanks so much everyone.