Apples and Bananas
This afternoon I prepared Caches' lunch as usual and we sat down together to eat. I typically feed him his lunch at the same time that I eat mine because if I dare even think about eating anything in his presence without offering him some Ol' hungry hungry hippo has a hissy fit!
My lunch included an apple which I cut in half giving one half to Caches to teeth on. He likes to gnaw on the cold apple in between bites and I have given him large peeled pieces of apple to chew on countless times with no problem...until today.
We were all finished with lunch so I got up to clear our plates and left Caches with his apple in the high chair. I was talking to him as I rinsed off dishes and that's when I noticed he was "chipmunking," the phrase I have given his ability to hoard food in his cheeks. I walked over to sweep some of the apple shavings out of his mouth but before I had the chance he coughed, gasped and began to choke.
"STAY CALM!" I thought, and I gave him a moment to right the situation himself. When a few seconds passed and he was still struggling, I quickly grabbed him out of his high chair and began trying to clear everything from his mouth. He was crying which was a good sign, but he was also gagging and trying to breathe. All I could feel at first was very mushy apple but when I went a little bit further back I felt the chunk.
I tried to get it out but ended up actually pushing it further down his throat. That's when I felt the panic come over my body. My poor sweet baby was really CHOKING! I wanted to scream, panic and yell, "CALL 911!" like they do in the movies. And then everything would be okay, roll credits, but I was alone and it was up to me to do something. Don't you know I'm not good in these situations!?? When it's fight or flight I fly away so fast they mistake me for Superman!
NIGHTMARE
By now he was red and gasping, trying to cough but unable to, his scared eyes tearing. I have no idea how I remembered the technique for a finger sweep from an infant first aid and CPR class that I took in HIGH SCHOOL, yet can't manage to remember three items at the grocery store, but thank God I did. I leaned him back on the counter at an angle and slid my finger down his throat FAR further than I imagined possible and found the piece of lodged apple. I was able to sweep the apple chunk out and that's when I heard my baby scream the MOST BEAUTIFUL cry of his life.
The look on his face was of absolute terror as I held his tiny body close to mine. I was sure he would require a lot of soothing but within a few moments he was all smiles like nothing ever happened. Really kid, REALLY!? You need ten minutes of uninterrupted cuddle time to come down from the trauma of a diaper change but you nearly choke to death and thirty seconds later you're good?? No dice!! I NEED ten minutes of uninterrupted cuddle time!!! And a drink, a ridiculously stiff drink.
Needless to say there will be no more apple sharing at this house and hopefully my heart that took an enormous leap out of my chest will find it's way back soon.
P.S. For all you mommies out there, the chunk that was choking him was WAY smaller than I thought a baby could choke on, probably only the size of a large blueberry!
Would it be going to far to put a mesh screen over his mouth from now on?
My lunch included an apple which I cut in half giving one half to Caches to teeth on. He likes to gnaw on the cold apple in between bites and I have given him large peeled pieces of apple to chew on countless times with no problem...until today.
We were all finished with lunch so I got up to clear our plates and left Caches with his apple in the high chair. I was talking to him as I rinsed off dishes and that's when I noticed he was "chipmunking," the phrase I have given his ability to hoard food in his cheeks. I walked over to sweep some of the apple shavings out of his mouth but before I had the chance he coughed, gasped and began to choke.
"STAY CALM!" I thought, and I gave him a moment to right the situation himself. When a few seconds passed and he was still struggling, I quickly grabbed him out of his high chair and began trying to clear everything from his mouth. He was crying which was a good sign, but he was also gagging and trying to breathe. All I could feel at first was very mushy apple but when I went a little bit further back I felt the chunk.
I tried to get it out but ended up actually pushing it further down his throat. That's when I felt the panic come over my body. My poor sweet baby was really CHOKING! I wanted to scream, panic and yell, "CALL 911!" like they do in the movies. And then everything would be okay, roll credits, but I was alone and it was up to me to do something. Don't you know I'm not good in these situations!?? When it's fight or flight I fly away so fast they mistake me for Superman!
NIGHTMARE
By now he was red and gasping, trying to cough but unable to, his scared eyes tearing. I have no idea how I remembered the technique for a finger sweep from an infant first aid and CPR class that I took in HIGH SCHOOL, yet can't manage to remember three items at the grocery store, but thank God I did. I leaned him back on the counter at an angle and slid my finger down his throat FAR further than I imagined possible and found the piece of lodged apple. I was able to sweep the apple chunk out and that's when I heard my baby scream the MOST BEAUTIFUL cry of his life.
The look on his face was of absolute terror as I held his tiny body close to mine. I was sure he would require a lot of soothing but within a few moments he was all smiles like nothing ever happened. Really kid, REALLY!? You need ten minutes of uninterrupted cuddle time to come down from the trauma of a diaper change but you nearly choke to death and thirty seconds later you're good?? No dice!! I NEED ten minutes of uninterrupted cuddle time!!! And a drink, a ridiculously stiff drink.
Needless to say there will be no more apple sharing at this house and hopefully my heart that took an enormous leap out of my chest will find it's way back soon.
P.S. For all you mommies out there, the chunk that was choking him was WAY smaller than I thought a baby could choke on, probably only the size of a large blueberry!
Would it be going to far to put a mesh screen over his mouth from now on?
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