Out in public, any crowded restaurant or mall, and then there is a little kiddo who has a long white/tan tube coming from under their shirt and to a backpack slung over their mother's arm. You look. You stare. You might even dare make a comment. But do you know what that is under there? Do you know why that child has that tube attached to them?
It's their food. What they need to live. And admittedly, it sounds off-putting. At first. A feeding tube is only another way to gain calories. Another way to eat. So lets learn a little bit about them and help dispel some of the discomfort surrounding the idea. Reasons for needing a tube feeding
Types of feeding tubes
Before you ask, yes. There are different types. And you're going to see them.
What goes in them
Since there isn't much common knowledge out there about feeding tubes, we are asked what do we put in the tube. It is an innocent question because, we can't just feed our children cows milk, right?!
Well you're not wrong there. Cows milk does not have nearly enough calories or nutrition. So many moms and doctor teams decide on using formula for young babies then graduate them to a drinkable supplement (that is put through the tube) that is similar to Ensure. Seamus had breastmilk through his tube for a long time. It was provided by many donor mothers and I believe he did greatly with this kind of milk because it was easier on his tummy. Some alternative mothers use smoothies to feed their children rather than using formula/supplements. It is possible with the supervision of a doctor to ensure ideal calories are met but doing this method can lead to problems with the tube clogging because it is difficult to make a truly fluid smoothie that won't clog the tube. These mothers must put much effort into cooking, blending and feeding their children. Pre-made supplements aren't without their challenges, though. They can't be picked up at grocery stores. Ours solely come from a medical supply store, where I'm sure most parents pick up their other feeding tube supplies. Health insurance does provide coverage but only at monthly increments for us. So we only get a month of food and have to wait for the DAY we run out of formula to go back and get more. That can be alarming to not have any spares, or extra, or such a time constraint.
There is an awesome website that is a place to learn more about feeding tubes and more from trusted parents and professionals. It is also a great resource for parents new to feeding tubes or seasoned parents wanting to know how to raise awareness! Click here to view the link OR click on the picture above.
I hope this has shed some light on feeding tubes and why they are needed. I love a tubie myself and believe we've gotten more than enough weird stares when we take our son out in public that I can say there is still much mystery out there.
Never hesitate to contact me directly with questions, concerns, or for anything else. I will either help you myself or point you in the direction of some qualified professionals.
1 Comment
8/14/2018 08:57:50 pm
The stomach is one of the organs in the human body that has an important role in the digestive system. Therefore, it is very important to maintain its health. Thank you very much, sir, for the information that has been conveyed, it's really very useful. :)
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AuthorGabrielle Rae is a special needs, stay at home mommy of two boys. She enjoys reading and writing novels in her spare time. @onbothfrontsArchives
August 2018
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