Performing the Heimlich maneuver on an infant less than a year old
Small children and infants have much more fragile bodies than the rest of us. The two methods below are designed to minimize damage to very young bones and tissue. Go to Step 2 if only if Step 1 is ineffective.
The "Over your Lap" method
1. Find a chair and sit on it.
2. Place the child/infant face-down across your lap, with their upper torso hanging over the side of your knee.
3. Using the heel of your hand, thump the child/infant firmly but gently four times between the shoulder blades. Be especially careful with infants. Increase the amount of force only if a gentle thump doesn't dislodge the object.
4. If you haven't dislodged the object with several thumps, call 911. If the victim is an infant or very small child, go on to Step 2.
The "Upside Down by the Ankles" method
1. Hold the victim upside-down by the ankles. You'll need to hold the both ankles in one hand, with your thumb around one leg, your three last fingers around the other leg, and your index finger in between their legs.
2. Thump the victim's back between the shoulder blades firmly but gently.
Caution: Don't search blindly in a small child or infant's mouth. You can accidently push the object further down their throat. (Although you should remove the object if it's readily visible.) If the child vomits, turn their head to the side to keep them from choking further. If the child is unconscious, call 911.
