Practicing safe feeding with your infant

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - When it comes to feeding an infant, safety should always be the top priority.

Katie Bochi, a speech pathologist with ProMedica Ebeid Children’s Hospital, said while babies cannot verbally communicate, they’re always communicating through body language.

“They’re going to have a conversation with you while they’re feeding,” Bochi said. “They’re going to give signs that they’re uncomfortable, that the flow is too fast, maybe they took a breath too early. Keeping our eyes on the baby when we’re feeding and making sure that the room is really well lit is going to help us make sure that they’re being safe when they’re eating.”

Bochi explained what to do in the event your infant starts to choke.

“They’re normally really great eaters and all of a sudden we hear ‘cough cough’ or that gulping sound,” Bochi said. “We want to take that bottle all the way out, we want to reposition them and get them upright, we’re supporting their chin with our hand, and we want to pat their back.”

In addition, Bochi recommends all families take a class to make sure they’re prepared in the case of an emergency.

“We really encourage our families to think about taking a basic life support class or BLS course which is something that can be offered here at the hospital for our families,” Bochi said. “But, knowing what to do in a choking situation trained by a professional, to have that knowledge is really important.”

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