when a child cries so hard they lose thier breath, what can you do besides blow in thier face for them to catch thier breath?

I don't get how blowing in their face would ever be helpful. Why don't you try comforting them?

Honestly, there isn't anything you can do to help them catch their breath. Unless they have a health problem / breathing disorder or are actually choking on something (whether a foreign object or their tongue / having a seizure) they're going to catch their breath on their own, and anything you do to try to help is either going to make it worse or have no effect on it at all.

I'm sorry, I know as a mom you want to help them, but this is one of those things that there's really nothing you can do except love them and comfort them, and accept that this is just of those things :-(

You do nothing. They will catch there breath on their own.

Oh I've been there, have had 3 kids who breathe hold. Not on purpose... do this. Breathe absolutely all the air out of your lungs... it takes a bit of concentration to take the next breathe huh! That's because the lungs are sticky and when the sides touch they kind of stick together. So we have to conciously decide to take the next breathe. Babies don't know that. Don't blow in their face, it won't help and will just make them cry harder. Rock gently, talk calmly, and even if they pass out (mine have gone grey and passed out, little treasures!) their natural body mechanism will kick in. It seems like forever and I have called the Ambo's several times in panic, but they will breathe again, and they will outgrow it. Lastly this is not a tantrum. You will have people tell you its for attention and to leave them to it, not so, they need you to be calm and gentle cause they are way more scared than you.
Good luck Mommy

I agree with Louise. there's nothing you can really do. they do catch it back on their own. I think they do it more to catch your attension.

Breathing at your child is not helping them breathe. And their lungs are not sticking together when they exhale - that's called a collapsed lung and it doesn't happen from holding your breath. If your child (or any hysterical person) starts hyperventilating, have them breath slowly in and out of a brown paper bag until they hyperventilating stops. And if it happens to them often, take them to the doctor to make sure there's not something else wrong with them that is messing with the oxygen and CO2 levels in their bloodstream.

How about trying to get them to stop crying? This is why I hate CIO. This happens to so many children and it causes bigger problems but do not blow in their face.

I know what you are saying just let them catch their breath on their own or just give them a soft blow (of course) or lift them up and down softly....I babysit a little boy who is 1 yr. old and when he cries he has this long pause he looks so cute I try to distract him like clapping my hands or say hey I am over here or please don't cry while holding him just do what you think is necessary but for now it is quite normal. If they never catch their breath that is when you worry...GL

Worst case senario is that they feint, then resume normal breathing. Alot of children are "breath holders" be it accidental or on purpose. It's not harmful. They are never without oxygen long enough for any kind of brain damage. Only time this is an exeption is if they have underlying medical probkens

My son did that, but, he would start to cry(not even get started) then, his breath would catch. His arm would pull up by his ears, he would start posturing, his body would stiffen and teeth clench together. He would turn, blue then a muddy grey. He would not/could not breath for like a half a minute to a minute. Blowing didn't help, giving him a little jerk and saying his name didn't help. You couldn't do anything. I never let him just sit and pass out though...not sure if I could. It was too scary. And he was too stiff to hold and console. I had to call 911 once. He was doing it forever...it might have only been a minute, but a minute of not breathing in my under 2y/o is way too scary.