Carlo Ancelotti's men fell behind to an early Lee Bowyer strike but having passed up several opportunities prior to that moment, there was no cause to panic.
A man of the match display from Ben Foster however ensured that Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic would all be left scratching their heads at how we did not claim at least a point from such a one-sided game.
The last time we lost two in a row was at the end of the 2005/06 season, by which time we had already been crowned champions, and while we still sit atop the table thanks to Arsenal's lunchtime defeat to Spurs, further ground has now been lost to Manchester United, comfortable victors over Wigan today.
Chelsea's injury problems coming into this game were well documented, but there was good news on Friday with the announcement that Alex could start in central defence despite requiring knee surgery - his presence would make a huge difference following last weekend's capitulation against Sunderland.
Cole had recovered from a knock picked up in that game, but Yury Zhirkov was the latest added to the injury list, a tight calf following international duty had ruled him out, so Florent Malouda dropped back into midfield and Salomon Kalou started down the left.
It was the 25-year-old Ivorian who had Chelsea's first chance of the game, slipping between Birmingham defenders Roger Johnson and Stephen Carr after captain Drogba had chested into his path, but the connection was poor and the shot bobbled into the side netting.
Moments later, with four minutes still not on the clock, Ramires was allowed to creep unnoticed to the far post and meet Malouda's cross, but again it lacked power, and England's Foster could gather.
Just over a minute later it was Drogba's chance to pass up a glorious opportunity. Malouda was the provider with a precise through ball, but Foster was out sharply to narrow the angle and block the shot.
Thirteen minutes in the same player headed over from Anelka's left-wing cross, and while there may have been frustration that we were yet to hit the net, there at least looked to be no signs of the malaria that had troubled Drogba's star striker.
Those frustrations were to increase on 17 minutes when Birmingham took the lead with their first effort on target.
Sebastian Larsson's cross from the right was met by Cameron Jerome, who nodded down into a gaping space inside the Chelsea area, and Bowyer promptly ran on unmarked and slotted neatly beyond Petr Cech.
Lessons, perhaps, had still not been learned.
Back on the attack Drogba warmed Foster's palms with another powerful low drive before forcing the keeper into an exceptional stop with a decent close-range header which the former Manchester United stopper somehow managed to fist around the post.
Alex and Nikola Zigic were involved in a clash of heads that held play up for a few minutes before Chelsea's dominance continued, Cole and Anelka the next to work Foster either side of a high Branislav Ivanovic header.
Alex headed yards wide from another corner and Foster tipped a deflected Drogba free-kick around the post as Chelsea cranked up the pressure still further in the closing stages of the first half.
On 37 minutes Cole's cross to Drogba saw the forward's header beat the goalkeeper, but not the crossbar, as the ball rebounded to the off-target Ramires.
Even when Foster made a hash of things, as he did with his footwork under pressure from Anelka, he managed to get away with it, mishitting his clearance straight to a team-mate.
In truth there was very little more Chelsea could do, other than hope that in the second half Birmingham's goal would not be so charmed.
The urgency that had been so evident in the first period did not emerge in the second, and for the first time Birmingham began to play with the confidence of a side that was a goal up at home.
But more Chelsea chances were to follow. Ramires was tackled inside the area by Johnson, fairly, and then Kalou shot over in a crowded area and Drogba sent a free-kick straight at Foster as Chelsea looked to come back once more.
By now Jose Bosingwa was on in place of Paulo Ferreira as a more attacking right-back and he was to be joined on 71 minutes by Daniel Sturridge, who replaced Ramires.
Immediately Chelsea were presented with another chance, Liam Ridgewell's backpass cut out by Kalou, but Foster was enjoying one of those days, and he managed to execute a perfect sliding challenge on the forward before sticking out an arm to send the ball behind for a corner - Chelsea's 13th of the season. From the 14th, Foster made another great save, this time from Ivanovic's header.
Birmingham were sitting ever deeper and inviting Chelsea on. Even Alex was getting in on the act in open play, slamming Malouda's low cross over the bar as we continued to search in vain for an equaliser.
For Chelsea's 15th corner, every Birmingham player was in his own box, Cech the only man not within 30 yards of the home goal, but still no breakthrough. Alex was employed as a makeshift striker, one of five, but Foster would not be tested again despite four minutes of injury time.
It means the gap at the top of the table is two points, but with Champions League action in midweek, it will be nice to focus elsewhere.
Birmingham (4-4-2): Foster; Carr (c), Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey; Jerome, Zigic (Hleb 71).
Scorers Bowyer 17
Booked Ridgewell 77, Fahey 84
Chelsea(4-3-3):Cech; Ferreira (Bosingwa 64), Alex, Ivanovic, Cole; Ramires (Sturridge 71), Mikel, Malouda; Anelka, Drogba (c), Kalou.
Scorers
Booked
StatsShots on target Birmingham 1 Chelsea 8
Corners Birmingham 4 Chelsea 16
Fouls Birmingham 10 Chelsea 4
Offsides Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0
Attendance 24,357
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