Mini First Aid Midlothian, East Lothian & Borders

25/10/2023

When calling 999, it's really important we give clear and accurate information, particularly when it comes to the casualtys location.

The phonetic alphabet can assist with this 👇

If, like me, you sometimes throw in an M for Mother or B for Brother - save this to your phone for later! 👍

15/10/2023

You love our Family First Aid Kit and the Mother & Baby Awards do too, as they've nominated our kit in the Best Safety Product category at the 2024 awards! 🎉

The Family First Aid Kit contains 115 essential first-aid items and is the perfect pouch to keep in the house or car so that you are prepared for any minor first-aid injuries. It's your one-stop-shop for treatment for cuts, bumps, and grazes, as well as containing lots of useful bits of equipment like a digital thermometer, resuscitation shield, and medical shears for cutting through fabric and seatbelts.

Take a look at everything it has in the kit here on our website: https://minifirstaidshop.co.uk/collections/first-aid-kits/products/large-family-first-aid-kit

29/08/2023

And guess what? We teach you all this and lots more in our baby & child first aid class!

In just two hours of your time, you could learn these vital first aid essentials: how to spot meningitis or sepsis, how to treat a burn or a head bump, and how to help your child if they are choking or having a febrile seizure.

Classes cost just £25-30 and are available in locations all across the UK. Simply go to our website, tap the classes tab at the top and put your postcode into the search bar to find a class near you.

https://ow.ly/sI1s50PvG00

08/12/2021

The first time your child develops croup can be really frightening - it produces a horrible coughing sound that you might not have heard before and can send everyone into a panic. Combine that with the fact it often strikes at night when you're half asleep and the panic can feel very real.

This week we are sharing the symptoms to look out for, how to treat croup and when to recognise it might be more serious.

https://www.minifirstaid.co.uk/blog/harsh-barking-cough-sounds-like-croup?mc_cid=a5f7484643&mc_eid=UNIQID

01/11/2021

Choking is the third most common cause of accidental death for babies in the UK 🍭🍿🥜

Early intervention is key when you notice someone choking - the sooner we intervene with first aid, the more likely they are to dislodge the blockage.

⚠️ But choking is silent! ⚠️
So we really must be with little ones at all times whilst they’re eating. This means no snacking in the car! How often do you actually check them in the rear-view mirror? Probably not as often as you think.

Do you know how to deal with a choking baby or child? If not then it would be great to do a first aid class so you can intervene asap.

See Mini First Aid for public and private class options. 💚

We also teach children how to deal with choking in our Early Years, Kids and Teens classes ⛑

31/10/2021

🎃 Keep yourselves and your little pumpkins safe and well this Halloween! 🦇

🔥 Burn hazards - Remember that almost all Halloween costumes are highly flammable. Try to keep little ones as far away from naked flames as possible. Why not use LED candles, or even better, fill your pumpkin with colouring glow sticks for a fun looking pumpkin!

🌚 Night time hazards - it’s super dark in the evenings now that the clocks have gone back, so if you are heading out, make sure you and your little ones are in highly visible clothes.

🍭 Choking hazards - we all know, don’t we, that most sweets pose a choking hazard. But stay completely clear of boiled sweets, lollipops and big marshmallows which are all some of the most common choking hazards. Why not take some safer sweets to swap with! Chocolate lollies & chocolate buttons are a lot safer, and just remember that little ones should sit down to eat them and NOT eat them whilst running around!

🩸 Bleed risks - Pumpkin carving is a staple part of Halloween, but for little people they will always need someone to use the knife for them. There are alternatives, however! With sharpies, stickers, paints or glitter you can decorate your pumpkins without having to make a scratch!

🥶 Temperature risks - We must remember that babies and children cannot regulate their body temperature like we can - and Halloween costumes aren’t usually very warm! Layer up, and if you’ve got one of our hot/cold pads, pop it in some hot water before you go out so you’ve got something to keep cold hands warm whilst you have fun!

Stay safe this Halloween! 🎃

26/10/2021

Even if you've not done a first aid class for a while, most of us are confident that CPR involves breaths and chest compressions. But did you know that the techniques for both of these components differ depending on the age of your casualty?

How much breath should I use?

Infant (0-12 months):
Blow steadily into the infant’s mouth and nose over 1-1.5 sec sufficient to make the chest visibly rise.

Child & Adult (12 months +):
Blow steadily into his mouth over about 1-1.5 sec watching for chest rise.

How hard should my compressions be?
Infant (0-12 months) - 2 fingers
Child (12 months-16 years) - 1 hand
Adult (16+) - 2 hands

If in doubt, book yourself a 2 hour Mini First Aid class at minifirstaid.co.uk

22/10/2021

This weekend, Mini First Aid founder Kate Ball will be at The Baby Show! Kate is excited to be joining mum and baby online to help parents understand all things first aid!

You won't be able to miss Kate, as she'll be standing next to a life sized cut out of Mini First Aid's Dragons' Den investor, and now Strictly star Sara Davies!

Come and chat to Kate about any of your first aid / baby safety questions, or just be nosey and ask her what it was like to appear on Dragons' Den!

Book your tickets here: https://babyshowolympia.seetickets.com/tour/the-baby-show

14/04/2021

🐝 Spring is in full bloom, and along with the lovely weather come the bees!

🐝 Remember NOT to use tweezers - you’re quite likely to pierce the venom sac and push the venom in!

🐝 It’s worth popping an antihistamine in your first aid kit too, in case of an allergic reaction.

03/04/2021

🐣 We are forever sharing the warnings across our social media pages about preparing grapes safely for young children and solid chocolate eggs pose exactly the same risk - a BIG choking risk! So, it might just be for the best if you (carefully) eat them yourself.......👍

22/03/2021

It's Safer Sleep Week so we wanted to remind you of what you can do to help create a safe sleep environment for your baby and reduce the risks of sudden infant death.

💚Place your baby on their back to sleep in a cot in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months.

💚Avoid anyone smoking around your baby and don't smoke during pregnancy or when you're breastfeeding.

💚Don't bed share with baby if you've consumed alcohol or drugs, or if you're a smoker.

💚Never sleep with baby on a sofa or armchair.

💚Don't let baby get too hot or cold.

💚Be careful that nothing covers babies head. Their cot should be clear of decorative or cuddly items and their covers should not be tucked in higher than under their armpits.

💚Put your baby down in the feet to foot position with their feet are at the end of the cot/moses basket so that they cannot slide down.

We hear from a lot of parents at our baby and child first aid classes that they worry about what to do if they find that their baby has stopped breathing. It's always a good idea to attend a Mini First Aid class if you're expecting or have a young baby so that you can feel confident in your CPR techniques should you need them.

See the NHS website for more advice on reducing the risk of SIDs:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/

18/03/2021

Thank you to The Lullaby Trust for . It’s easy to fall into these habits when you’re exhausted, but do take a moment to head to the Trust’s website and read about how you can promote a safer sleeping space for baby!

If you’re an exhausted new Dad you’re probably in desperate need of a nap on the sofa. But before you settle down for a quick snooze, it’s important to know that you should never do this if you have your baby with you. Sleeping on a sofa or armchair with your baby can increase the risk of SIDS by 50 times.

If you are on a sofa or armchair with your baby and start to think you might fall asleep, make sure you move somewhere safer or put your baby down in a cot or Moses basket.