Figure 17

In a choking but responsive infant less than one-year-old, back blows and chest thrusts are used instead of abdominal thrusts. See Table 4 for rescue actions for choking in infants. To provide back blows and chest thrusts, do the following:

1. Hold the infant in your lap.
2. Put the infant with their face down and their head lower than their chest; they should be resting on your forearm. Put your forearm on your thigh (Figure 17a).
3. Support the infant’s head and neck with your hand and be sure to avoid putting pressure on their throat.
4. Using the heel of your free hand, deliver five back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades (Figure 17b).
5. Using both hands and arms, turn the infant face up so they are now resting on your other arm; this arm should now be resting on your thigh (Figure 17c).
6. Make sure the infant’s head is lower than their chest.
7. Using the fingers of your free hand, provide up to five quick downward chest thrusts over the lower half of the breastbone (Figure 17d). Perform one thrust every second.
8. If the obstruction is not relieved, turn the infant face down on your other forearm and repeat the process (Figure 17b).
9. Continue doing these steps until the infant begins to breathe or becomes unresponsive.