Parent Tube Feeding Tips

The tips I would have would be to really exhaust all possibilities before agreeing to G-tube feeding.

The parent tube feeding tips I have would be to get second opinions. Don't just listen to your PED. Ask for the pros and cons. Ask about short and long term goals regarding the tube. DON'T look at it as a failure on your part. It is disappointing when your child can't do something that should come naturally, but it is not a lack of parenting on your part that has caused them to get to the point of needing a tube. If they haven't already done so, they should connect with their local Early Intervention program.

It doesn't mean that I am a failure as a mother or that I did anything wrong. That thought was always in my mind whenever someone mentioned a feeding tube. I was too stuck on this thought to stop and think of the benefits of having a tube. It was the good people here on this message board that helped with that, so now I would like to reassure other parents who are going through it now. It’s not your fault and you did not do anything to cause this.

Here are some questions that we finally had to ask ourselves before we put our daughter on a NG tube: Is feeding a stressful time for everyone? Does your baby fuss and fight the bottle every time? Is your baby getting enough calories each day for proper growth and development? Have you tried a variety of feeding options (different bottles, nipples, formulas, breast feeding, etc)? Have you had your baby tested and had ultrasounds to rule out any other possible reasons for feeding issues?

In our situation, our daughter required a feeding tube, so we didn't really have a "decision" to make -- it was more or less a decision to either continue with the NG or have g-tube surgically placed. I would suggest for parents trying to decide if their child needs a feeding tube is to first, exhaust all options. Seek early intervention feeding therapy, evaluate your child for the causes of the feeding aversion and fix the underlying causes (if possible) first, and get several medical opinions about the necessity of a feeding tube. Don't just rely on your pediatrician. Also, find a good GI who will work with you and that you trust. That is pretty important.

What do you wish you knew before your child got tube fed?

Share your tips, stories and thoughts about what you would've liked to have known before your child got a tube.

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