Making Tube Feeding a Pleasant Experience
The transition to home tube feeding requires some adjustments and there are ways to make these adjustments easier. If you experience any worry as a patient or a caregiver, rest assured there are many things to help you feel better and more at ease. For example, talking to friends and family about your loved one’s tube feeding may make you more comfortable with the transition. Or, consider scheduling their feedings during family meal time. If you choose to administer feedings at other times, be sure to continue to engage in family and other social activities. The adjustment may require time and patience, but soon it will become a routine.
Tube Feeding Community & Resources
Oley Foundation
The Oley Foundation is a national, independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides information and psycho-social support to parents and caretakers of children with enteral nutrition needs.
www.oley.orgCaring Bridge
CaringBridge provides free websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier.
www.CaringBridge.orgThe Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation
The Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to pediatric enteral feeding, with the mission to provide parents with the practical knowledge and support they need while educating the general public by raising positive awareness of tube feeding.
www.feedingtubeawareness.orgFeeding Matters
Feeding Matters is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of infants and children with pediatric feeding disorders. Education, advocacy, research, and treatment initiatives are providing families and healthcare professionals with the resources and support they need when caring for a child who struggles to eat.
www.feedingmatters.orgAvanos
Avanos Medical is a medical device company that currently manufactures the MIC-KEY® low-profile balloon-retained gastrostomy feeding tube. The comprehensive website provides tube feeding basics for all aspects of daily life for Infants / Children, Teens / Young Adults, and Adults.
Mic-Key® is a registered trademark of Avanos Medical, Inc.
www.TubeFed.comFreeArm
FreeArm® provides mobility with syringe feeding, pump feeding and infusions. The FreeArm clamps to surfaces such as tables, cribs, and strollers and can be used as a travel IV pole as it easily bends to fit in a bag. FreeArm’s bendable arm can hold a syringe high enough for gravity feeding and it helps keep lines free from kinks.
FreeArm® is a registered trademark of Staley House, LLC.
www.FreeArmCare.comTubie Friends
Tubie Friends™ is a non-profit group that is administered by volunteers who have family members with feeding tubes and want to use their experiences to make life easier for the thousands of children relying on feeding tubes for their nutrition. Tubie Friends is also a teaching tool for family, friends, school nurses, caregivers, and more.
www.TubieFriends.comU Deliver Medical
U Deliver Medical provides tube feeding supplies designed for nutrition delivery for the home-based tube feeding community’s needs. The feeding tube supplies include the Bolee™ Bag, Bolink™ Cap, O-ring syringes, feeding accessories, and a variety of other products with the ENFit® Connector.
Bolee™ and Bolink™ are trademarks of U Deliver Medical, LLC. ENFit® is a registered trademark of GEDSA.
Talk with your healthcare professional to see if a Nestlé Health Science formula is right for you. The content on this website is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare team. Please consult your healthcare team with any questions about the appropiate nutition and delivery of you or your child's nutrition.