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It's a good thing my husband married me and not someone else.. that would maybe freak out and lose all sense of reality during an emergency.  Whenever my children are in major distress I play the role of the calm Mommy. When our then 2 1/2 year old had a severe allergic reaction and started to go into anaphylactic shock (while I was 38 weeks pregnant) I did what any mom would do I guess - Calmy assigned someone to call 911, let the paramedics do their job, and once he was loaded into the ambulance, I could cry.. really cry!  When one of our kids has a bleeding appendage, or what looks to be a broken bone, my husband is usually screaming about how bad it is, while I'm trying to just "fix" it. I do what needs to be done, then the moment someone else is able to take over I pretty much lose it emotionally.  My husband on the other hand will freak out from the get go.  Tonight, even though Daddy wasn't here to help remind me why I need to keep my cool, I was able to do it anyway.  We were eating our dinner peacefully, when my 9 month old started gagging and choking on a piece of bread I had given him. Normally, I'm able to just take a look at him, and by the time the noise has gotten my attention, the choking has subsided. Unfortunately this incident was different.  The gagging and choking started.. and didn't stop - right away anyway.  I stuck my fingers in his mouth (BIG no-no) to no avail. Finally, I lifted him out of his high chair and performed what I call the "Baby Heimlich" - laid him across the length of my forearm and started giving him swift blows in an upward motion on his back. If this had gone on much longer at all, I would have had my five year old dialing 911 for assistance. After what felt like forever, the bread eventually dislodged, along with everything he had eaten before.  Then the paranoia set in. I was absolutely shaken.  Shaking physically, emotionally, mentally.  It's so funny the coping mechanisms we're given as moms (and dad's too!). I didn't feel one bit of terror during the ordeal, but the exact moment that I knew everything was going to be alright, I could let my guard down and let myself "feel" again.