Your First Day Home

• Introduction to tube feeding at home
• Video series with Gunnar Esiason
• Downloadable resources

Introduction to tube feeding at home

As you get used to being home with your feeding tube, this online guide will help you and your family understand how to manage your tube feeding. What is tube feeding? »

Making your home tube feeding a comfortable experience

For most people, tube feeding is a change that needs a certain amount of time and persistence to get used to at home. There are ways to help make this adjustment easier, such as:

Talk to your friends and family about your tube feeding.
Ask your healthcare professional to help you arrange your feeding schedule so you receive your tube feeding formula during family meal times.
If you want to take your tube feedings in private or at other times, be sure to keep taking part in other family and social activities.

Talk to your healthcare professional about any questions you have about living with your feeding tube at home (like bathing, exercise, or travel).

What should I say if people ask about my feeding tube?

You can answer this question in many different ways.
You may say something simple like:

"I am not able to eat, so this is the way I feed myself."

Or if you are having medical treatments or problems swallowing or digesting food you might say:

"I am having trouble swallowing and need to get my food this way."
"I am having medical treatments which make it hard to eat. I use this feeding tube to get the nutrition I need."
"My stomach/gut is not working properly, so I need this tube to feed myself."
"My body has a hard time digesting foods. I use this feeding tube and special liquid food to get the nutrition I need."

Video series with Gunnar Esiason

“Own Your Feeding Tube” is a five-part video podcast series with Gunnar Esiason. Gunnar was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 2. Since then, he went on to become a celebrated athlete, coach, graduate of Boston College and an advocate for the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

The First Day Home With Your Feeding Tube

What Can I Expect from My Feeding Tube?

Normal Life with the Feeding Tube

BECOMING COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR FEEDING TUBE

LIVING WITH A FEEDING TUBE" title="LIVING WITH A FEEDING TUBE">LIVING WITH A FEEDING TUBE

Downloadable resources

Throughout this site, you will find printable resources for you to complete by yourself or with your healthcare professional to help you manage your tube feeding at home. Here is a complete collection of these printable resources.

Personal Care Notes and Instructions

View/Download

Keeping a Diary – Weekly Record Form

View/Download

POSTURE MATTERS: Try not to lie flat during or just after a feeding. Sit upright or lie at a 45-degree angle (about the height of three pillows) during a feeding and for 30 to 60 minutes after the feeding to help prevent nausea or reflux.

Helpful Tip

KEEP A DIARY: to help you and your healthcare professional keep track of your progress and any questions you might have.

Helpful Tip

PLAN AHEAD: If you will be traveling away from home, plan ahead. Leave early to allow plenty of time and bring extras of all your supplies. Find out if and where you can get supplies or formula at your destination and know the location of the nearest hospital, in case you need it.

OWN YOUR FEEDING TUBE:
Learn how to use and live with your feeding tube in this five-part video series with Gunnar Esiason.

1. The First Day Home with Your Feeding Tube.
In this video, Gunnar shows how to use different methods for tube feeding. Feeding using either a syringe or a pump are discussed. MORE>

2. What Can I Expect from My Feeding Tube?
The video will show you a few lifestyle changes you may experience after you have had a feeding tube placed. Some of the changes discussed are establishing new feeding habits, changes in sleep patterns, and day to day life. MORE>

3. Normal Life with the Feeding Tube.
In this video, you will see how Gunnar is able to maintain a physically active lifestyle with a feeding tube. MORE>

4. Becoming Comfortable with Your Feeding Tube.
This video discusses some of the social questions and issues that may arise as a result of having a feeding tube. MORE>

5. Living with a Feeding Tube.
In this video, you will see how a feeding tube has made a difference in Gunnar’s life. MORE>

Nestlé Health Science has made every effort to include on this website only information that it believes to be accurate and reliable. This site contains information from a variety of sources including practice-based resources, guidelines from professional organizations, and experiences of healthcare professionals who have managed patients on home tube feeding. Information provided on this site is for education purposes. It is not intended to replace the advice or instruction of your healthcare professionals, or to substitute medical care. Contact a qualified healthcare professional if you have any questions regarding your tube feeding product, prescription and supplies, or if you have a specific question or issues about what is best for you as you manage your tube feeding at home.

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