Tube Feeding - Checklist For Tube Feeding At Home

Checklist for tube feeding at home

Tube feeding your child can feel overwhelming for many parents. Parents who move from tube feeding in hospital to tube feeding at home have found a few things that help. These can be especially important in the first few weeks.

The following is a checklist. It identifies things other parents had questions about or found important. You might come up with your own questions to ask your health professional. 

Remember every child has their own medical needs and achieves things in their own time. This includes readiness to move to oral feeding. For this reason, some of the items on this checklist may not apply to your child's unique situation.

Consider these questions and answer 'yes' or 'not sure' 

• I/we know who to contact with concerns about our baby/child’s tube feeding plan
• I/we have a GP and/or midwife to talk to about any concerns 

For our baby I/we can: 

• sterilise bottles and express equipment
• store breastmilk or formula
• make up formula
• do daily skin-to-skin (Kangaroo cares)
• recognise our baby’s hunger cues
• encourage oral stimulation/sucking during tube feeds
• position and hold our baby/child correctly for oral or tube feeds
• recognise developmental milestones for our child’s age and gestation (the time between conception and birth)
• understand it's safe for our baby to take part in developmental activities such as tummy time

Tube feeding management in older tamariki (children): 

• I/we understand the tube feeding plan
• I/we can do water flushes
• I/we can set the required feeding rate (if using a feeding pump)
• I/we can replace the feeding tube
• I/we understand tube care
• I/we can check correct tube placement
• I/we can position our child correctly for feeding
• I/we have had a discussion with the team about tube weaning OR transitioning to a long-term feeding tube
• I/we have discussed tube feeding with preschool/school  

Other things to consider: 

• I/we know who to talk to about the emotional impact of tube feeding
• I/we know how to sooth and comfort our baby/child
• I/we know how to bath our baby/child with a tube
• I/we know how to monitor our baby/child’s temperature and know when to seek medical attention
• I/we know how to check that baby/child is adequately hydrated
• I/we feel confident to go out (e.g. setting up gear for a stroller/wheelchair)
• I/we know how to train our whānau, friends or other carers to safely tube feed our baby/child
• I/we are aware of financial support that we can access
• I/we have been given information in a form that I can understand 

Additional information:

• I/we have read/watched the recommended information from my child's health team on normal growth and feeding development

The needs of pēpi (babies) and tamariki change as they grow. If you have any concerns or questions about any aspect of your child’s needs or care, please ask their health team. They are happy to support you and your child’s journey.

Tube Feeding