Choking on spit up? Repost from November

Edmondmum

DH was watching DD sleep her first night in the hospital and when she started choking.  Her body went into a fit and it looked like she was having a seizure.  We turned her over, pat her on the back, clumsily used the aspirator on her and called the nurse. 

It truly frightened us. I never felt so much fear in my life and at that moment I wondered if would be able to do this whole motherhood thing knowing how much the thought of losing her terrified me. ...I digress.

 So it turned out she had a very large BM and spit up the fluid which caused her body to go into a little shock.  Nurses said it was completely normal, but I wanted them to keep her in the nursery so they could watch her because I was so scared it would happen again on our watch.  That evening it happened a couple more times, but she was okay.  

Last night (DD is now 2 and a half weeks old) she spit up and it came out her nose or went up her nose and she freaked out again, doing the seizing thing.  DH was changing her (why this always happens to him I don't know) and he was able to again turn her over, pat her back and clear out her nose and mouth with the aspirator.  

My fear is that this will happen while we aren't looking or while we're asleep.  Do babies commonly spit up in their sleep and choke on it?  MIL and my mother don't seem to be phased by this, but it bothers me so much because of that initial night.