10 Top Tips for Infant First Aid

Being a parent is a wonderful thing and we all want to keep our little ones safe and sound at all times. Whilst we can't bubble wrap our babies, we can certainly equip ourselves with the knowledge and confidence to handle those inevitable bumps, scrapes, and unexpected emergencies that come with parenting.

At Daisy First Aid we are experts in Baby and Child First Aid and we are also parents too! So here are our top 10 tips when it comes to infant first aid:

1. Have an ice pack handy: A top tip for when you’re at home is to pop a bag of marshmallows into a plastic food bag and freeze for an instant ice pack. Remember, never put ice directly on the skin, always wrap it in a tea towel before putting the cold compress on your little one’s head.

2. A red flannel: When a child hurts themselves it can be scary to see lots of blood. Having something red to help mop up the blood can help disguise the severity of more nasty cuts.

3. Cut round food length ways into quarters: Foods with a straight edge will allow air to pass up and down if it gets stuck in a little one’s throat.  It is important to know the difference between gagging and severe choking, so you know when to act.  Severe choking is silent.

4. Stock up on infant friendly first aid supplies, including plasters, bandages, instant ice packs, a thermometer, and stickers (you can’t feel better without a happy sticker!)

5. Little ones love to put anything and everything in their mouth. Once they are on the move, get down to their level and see what they see.  Remove anything that may be lying around that they could swallow or pull down.  It’s amazing what you can find under your sofa!

6. Secure blind cords up high with a secure hook to avoid strangulation. 

7. Teach your children how to call 999 – it might not be them who needs help, it could be an adult.  Knowing how to get help is an important life skill. If children are too young to remember their address, write it down for them and put it somewhere visible for them to read out or say the letters to the 999 operator.  

8. According to the British Burns Association, 60% of all children under 3 who attended A & E Departments are due to a hot drink burn.  Hot water can seriously burn a little one even after 15 minutes of being made.  Make sure you place cups well out of reach or use a travel mug with a lid on. Resist the temptation of drinking whilst holding a little one.  Any burn should be placed under cool running water for 20 minutes. 

9. Store nappy bags out of reach.  Nappy bags are brightly coloured, and some are fragranced so little ones will find them interesting.  Don’t forget they are mini plastic bags and can be a suffocation hazard.

10. Stay calm and trust your instincts: Above all, trust yourself. Parental intuition is a powerful thing, so if something feels off with your baby, don't hesitate to seek medical help.

If you’re a parent or carer and you haven’t done a first aid class yet it’s never too late to learn.  Daisy First Aid teach friendly and easy to follow classes across the UK.  We will teach you everything from baby and child recovery positions and CPR (it’s different from adult CPR) to how to recognise and deal with choking, head bumps, burns, bleeding, seizures and much more.  

Parents and carers love the feeling they get coming out of our classes so much that we now have over 4,500 5-star reviews! We are here to empower parents and give confidence and this is exactly what people are telling us. We’re so grateful to everyone who takes the time to leave us a review. You can read for yourself what are customers are saying about us here.

All our venue classes are bookable through Pebble or if you prefer a private home class, get in touch with your local trainer at www.daisyfirstaid.com.