SHE’S the inspirational woman who is teaching other mums what to do in an emergency after almost losing her own child.

First-aid courses run by Natasha Jones are equipping parents across the south with life-saving skills that could make all the difference in a crisis.

Now Natasha, of Brockenhurst, has been shortlisted for a top award in the Tesco Mum of the Year event.

It comes just months after she was crowned Influential Woman of the Year at the Daily Echo-backed Venus Awards in Southampton.

Her daughter, Ava-Mai, was just 11 weeks old when she suffered what was dubbed a near-miss cot death in 2010.

Lacking any medical training Natasha was forced to rely on her maternal instincts to keep the child alive while she waited more than half an hour for the ambulance to arrive.

Ava-Mai was rushed to Southampton General Hospital where doctors warned Natasha and her husband Karl that their daughter was unlikely to survive.

But she made a remarkable recovery after spending 48 hours in intensive care.

Now her parents are running resuscitation classes in a bid to fill a gap in the antenatal and postnatal care provided by the NHS.

Parents, grandparents and carers are gaining the vital skills they will need if a baby stops breathing or starts choking.

Recalling her daughter’s brush with death, Natasha, 35, said: “Ava-Mai was having a Saturday afternoon nap.

“I went to check on her and was horrified to discover that she was blue, with foam on her lips, and all floppy like a rag doll.

“I carried out what I thought was CPR and had to wait 36 minutes for the paramedics to arrive, which was just horrific.

“Ava-Mai was drifting in and out of consciousness and at one stage vomited blood, which did make me panic. My other children were saying ‘She’s not dying is she Mummy’?”

“It’s an experience no parent should undergo.

“We know our classes have already saved a life. One of our members realised her baby had stopped breathing and managed to resuscitate the child.”

Natasha has been nominated in one of the categories in the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards by her husband.

“The other nominees are amazing. I feel very honoured to be up against such inspirational women,” she said.

The judging panel includes DJ Sara Cox, TV personality Gabby Logan and sports presenter Denise Lewis.

The winners will be announced early next year and presented with their awards at a glittering ceremony at The Savoy in London.