Essential advice for parents: How to place a baby in the recovery position

St John Ambulance, the nation's leading first aid charity, is offering vital advice on how to place a baby (under the age of one) in the recovery position.

If your baby is not responding to you and you think they are unconscious, try to see if they react by gently tapping or flicking the sole of their foot.

If they do not wake up or respond to you, they are likely to be unconscious. Check to see if they are still breathing normally.

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Open the airway – place one hand on the baby’s forehead and gently tilt the head back, then place one fingertip of your other hand on the point of the baby’s chin.

Check breathing. Look, listen and feel for normal breathing – chest movement, sounds of breathing and breaths on your cheek. Do this for no more than 10 seconds.

Place in recovery position. If they are breathing normally, hold the baby in recovery position. Cradle them in your arms, with their head tilted downwards.

This will keep their airway open and stop them choking on their tongue or breathing in any vomit.

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Call for help: Call 999 or 112 for emergency medical help, taking them with you as you do this.

Until help arrives, keep checking that the baby is still breathing normally.

If they stop breathing normally at any time, call 999 or 112 straight away and give the baby CPR – a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths.

For those looking for quick, easily-accessible first aid information, the St John Ambulance app is available free on smartphones.

For more information about first aid courses, please call 0303 003 0101.