50 Feeding Tube Accessories and Extras to Support an NG Baby

What would you say if I said a feeding pump hanger is one of the most useful baby feeding accessories? That is if you have a tubie baby. Honestly, I wouldn’t have survived this journey without it.

For her first 8 months, my daughter had to primarily feed through an NG tube. It was an all-consuming, time-intensive feeding journey. I was always seeking new strategies, accessories, and supplies to make the journey smoother.

I’m going over our exhaustive list of NG feeding tube accessories (equipment, tape, skin care, nutrition support, and more) in this post, explaining what’s what and how it helped (or not). For those new to tube feeding, use this to get acquainted with everything and get some ideas to hack your journey.

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Unexpected Tube Life

You might put a nursing bra, bottles, and pumping supplies on your baby registry. On the other hand, a feeding pump hanger, cute medical tape, and a pump backpack are likely items you missed. Not surprisingly.

While you might not have prepared for tube feeding as you did for planning to nurse, bottle feed, or formula feed, there are additional accessories, supplies, and equipment you need to assist in tube feeding your baby. I’m here to help you catch up.

Rarely, if ever, does a mom plan to feed her baby with a tube. A tube feeding journey is typically an unexpected happening. You might have to scramble to understand everything and figure out what you need.

CHD babies often struggle with feeding. Despite knowing this ahead of time, my daughter’s tube-feeding needs still caught me by surprise. She was my third baby, so I thought I knew what to expect and how feeding would go. But what’s life without some extra curve balls?

My daughter had her first open heart surgery as a newborn, and due to some complications and additional heart defects, tube feeding was necessary. She fed through an NG tube for 8 months.

In addition, I pumped to provide her breastmilk, she needed to practice with bottles, and we had to add in formula for extra calories. This meant we engaged in all the ways to feed a baby – nursing, bottle feeding, breastfeeding, pumping, formula feeding, and tube feeding. Did I ever sleep? No.

Feeding Tube Accessories, Equipment, Supplies, and Feeding Support Items for a Heart Warrior’s NG Journey

An NG-fed baby (that’s also a heart baby) requires a whole bunch of items. I don’t even know what to call this crazy feeding journey. It was more than triple-feeding… quadruple feeding?? Combo-feeding on steroids? When you combine tube feeding, breastfeeding (nursing and pumping), bottle feeding, and formula feeding, an excessive amount of items are needed to support feeding your baby.

Our house, especially the kitchen, was overflowing with feeding things. There were the direct essential NG tube supplies. Then there were also numerous tube feeding accessories and secondary baby and caregiver items needed to help make this baby feeding experience a bit easier.

Let’s get into this list of 50 NG tube accessories for babies and more. We’ll cover tube equipment, NG supplies, NG/ND/NJ tape supplies, baby skin comfort and healing supplies, supplements and medications for baby, baby’s nutrition support, pumping equipment, breastfeeding pump supplies, pumping comfort items, and nutrition supplements for mom.

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Tube Equipment

1. Feeding pump – this small portable machine is used to push a baby’s milk through their feeding tube at a set programmed rate. This should be provided by your DME.
2. Pump hanger – this was my favorite, most used, most essential feeding tube accessory. Seriously, life changing! It’s a holder that you secure the feeding pump to, as well as either a feeding tube bag or feeding tube syringe. It provides a more compact and stable portable setup that makes it easier to live life without sticking to an IV pole. This is a pump hanger for a Kangaroo Joey, a similar hanger for an Infinity, and another bestselling pump holder option for an Infinity pump.
3. Feeding pump backpack – (not in photo) an adapted backpack to secure a feeding pump and feeding tube bags to provide more flexibility when getting out while tube feeding. There are both versions meant for adults, caregivers, and also small ones meant for tubie toddlers and children to use themselves. Sometimes these can be provided by DME, other times people purchase their own. I needed the backpack in some situations, but I had a better experience using the pump hanger.

NG Supplies

4. NG tubes – this is the actual NG tube product used for NG feeding. If you are trained to replace it at home, you should keep extras on hand. They should be provided by your DME.
5. Feeding pump tube bags – these plastic bags are filled with breastmilk or formula, they have tubing attached at the bottom which gets threaded through a feeding pump and attached to the NG tube. In order to use a feeding pump, you need to use these pump bags. For safety reasons, typically, you need to use a brand new bag every 24 hours. They should be provided by your DME.
6. ENFit Syringes – these are specially designed syringes to be used specifically with a feeding tube system. They are called ENFit which means they have a screw top, which is used to securely attach it to the feeding tube port. They come in a variety of sizes and will be provided by your DME.
7. Slip-tip Syringes – this type of syringe was to provide medication through the feeding tube in the hospital. For my daughter’s first NG tubes, the ports were slip style, not a screw-cap ENFit. Most everything has switched to ENFit style, but if something in your tube feeding setup requires a slip-tip syringe, your DME should provide them.
8. Slip-tip to ENFit adapters – these tiny orange plastic pieces are used to attach slip-tip style tube, syringes, ports to anything ENFit. Our hospital provided these to us. We needed them at first, but later all our supplies aligned and everything was ENFit.
9. Christmas trees – these white adapters with a frosted cap look kind of like mini white Christmas trees (not the real names of these things, of course). You can find them on the end of the feeding bag’s tubing. Some people use these as an adapter for direct access to a G-tube button, or for drawing up meds.
10. Orange marker tape – this is a smaller colored tape that our first hospital used to mark the NG tube’s insertion length. Sometimes I used it, other times I would mark the tube with a Sharpie. Rookie mistake: make sure it’s a black one if you do, I mistakenly did this in red the first time and later forgot and freaked thinking my daughter’s nose was bleeding.
11. Oral swab – this piece of foam on a stick was to wipe the mouth and provide oral stimulation while my daughter was in the hospital intubated as a newborn.

NG, ND, NJ Tape Supplies

12. Baby Nail Scissors – these are nail scissors I sometimes used to cut the NG tube tape to its appropriate shape. I was always using scissors so I had several pairs floating around, small personal care scissors and medical scissors worked best on the tape.
13. Hypafix – a white, flexible, breathable, and hypoallergenic medical tape we used to secure the NG tube. Your DME should be able to provide this, you might need to specify your preference for this exact tape. Hypafix was my preferred, go-to tape to use for NG (and ND/NJ) tubes.
14. Tegaderm – a transparent, flexible, breathable, and hypoallergenic medical tape often used to secure NG tubes. This one was tougher for me to get flat and I didn’t like how it bunched up. If you can get it flat though, it’s nice when you’re able to see more of your baby’s cheek since the tape is transparent rather than covering it all up with opaque tapes. A DME should be able to provide this tape.
15. Comfeel Plus – a barrier dressing to protect the skin, meant to be placed on the cheek under the NG tube. You can ask if your DME can provide this. This was my preferred barrier dressing, I like how thin it is yet it always provided good protection.
16. DuoDERM – another type of barrier dressing, thicker than the Comfeel Plus, meant to be used in the same manner described above. This is commonly used for NG/NJ tubes and should be provided by your DME.
17. Paper medical tape – this is standard basic paper medical tape. I didn’t use it regularly, only a few random times for special circumstances. A DME should provide this if necessary.
18. Black & white patterned tape – these fun printed tube tapes aren’t essential but can add a little fun to your medical mom life, this black and white patterned tape, heart patterned tape, and floral patterned tape are printed on Hypafix.

Baby Skin Comfort & Healing Supplies

19. Skin barrier wipe – an individually packaged wipe that you wipe on baby’s cheek before adhering anything to help prep the skin and minimize irritation from the tube and tape. I got some from DME and also bought my own to try different brands.
20. Adhesive remover wipe – an individually packaged wipe that helps break down adhesive and remove tape and its residue. I found these extremely important for minimizing trauma and rash to the skin. DME typically can provide some, personally, I got some from DME and also bought various others online.
21. Tubby Todd – a cream that claims to work as an all-over ointment for eczema. While I liked this for my daughter’s body, I did not like it when I tried to help her cheeks heal from some tape rash.
22. Aquaphor – a healing and skin protection ointment, this worked well on my daughter’s cheeks if there was any irritation or rash. Only put it on a tube-free cheek, because otherwise, tape won’t stick with the ointment applied.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this blog is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your or your child’s physician or other qualified health provider with any question you may have regarding a medical condition. The author of this blog is not a doctor or a medical professional. The views expressed on this blog are based on personal experiences, research and general knowledge. Any reliance you place on the information from this blog is at your own risk. While every effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, the author makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the information contained on this blog for any purpose.

Supplements & Medications for Baby

23. Baby Vitamin D Drops – this liquid vitamin D is used as a supplement for babies that need more Vitamin D. Please review with your baby’s pediatrician, but typically this is recommended for breastfed babies and is not always necessary for formula-fed babies.
24. Furosemide – a prescription medication (i.e. Lasix) used to treat edema (fluid retention) and can also be used to help manage heart failure, liver failure, and kidney failure. Lasix is a very common drug prescribed to complex CHD babies. This needs to be prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled by a pharmacy.
25. Famotidine – a prescription medication used to help with reflux (GERD) and stomach ulcers. This needs to be prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled by a pharmacy.
26. Esomeprazole – a prescription medication (i.e. Nexium) used to treat reflux (GERD). This needs to be prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled by a pharmacy.
27. Erythromycin – a prescription medication that is an antibiotic and a gut mobility stimulator to assist in gastric emptying. This needs to be prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled by a pharmacy.
28. Acetaminophen – pain reliever (i.e. Tylenol) used for pain and fever management. This was originally prescribed and fulfilled by our hospital’s pharmacy while inpatient. Once outpatient, we had to buy it over the counter.

Baby’s Nutrition Support

29. MCT Oil – an oil derived from coconut oil we used to increase my daughter’s calorie intake for weight gain. Do not attempt this without guidance from a qualified provider.
30. Probiotics – (not in photo) baby probiotic powder for gut health and support.
31. Goat milk formula – baby formula powder we added to my breastmilk to increase the amount of calories our daughter was taking in. This is NOT something you should try on your own and could be harmful to a healthy baby. This is an approach sometimes used with medically complex babies whose nutrition could benefit from this strategy. We only did this per guidance and support from our daughter’s nutrition, cardiology, and gastroenterology team.
    1. We used both Holle goat milk formula, purchased from Europe. It is not available in the US and is therefore not FDA-approved. And, Kendamil goat formula, which is also a European formula newer to the US market and is FDA-approved.
    2. Why goat milk formula? Goat milk has a closer resemblance to human milk compared to cow’s milk. It is generally found easier to digest. Since my daughter already had GI challenges, I found using a goat milk formula helped a tiny bit more than cow milk formula.
32. Formula pitcher – only the top is shown in the photo, this was another essential, most loved item from our journey. It’s a pitcher meant for mixing a larger batch of formula. We had to add formula to my breastmilk to increase the amount of calories for our heart warrior. This motorized pitcher allowed me to mix the milk quickly, and have it prepped ahead of time instead of making each feed individually.
33. Dr. Brown’s Specialty Feeding System – (not in photo) per the hospital dysphagia team and our feeding therapy team she could only use bottles to try to keep her interest in taking a bottle and to maintain her oral suck and swallow skills. These are the bottles we had to use with these goals in mind, and only with an ultra-preemie nipple, later graduated to a premie nipple, to protect her airway considering her vocal cord paresis.

Pumping Equipment

34. Spectra Breast Pump – my preferred breast pump. Your insurance should cover 1 breast pump for you, but they likely will only offer you select options that are 100% covered. Sometimes you can choose to upgrade, have them pay for part of one, and you pay the rest. I used my insurance benefit for an Elvie pump, but later realized I also needed a wall pump, so I purchased this Spectra myself. As an exclusive pumper, having multiple pumps was important for me.
35. Elvie Stride pump – this Elvie pump is a wearable breast pump which makes it easier to do other things, stand, and still hold your baby while pumping. I found this pump extremely helpful in the early days and certain situations. Later though, I found I needed additional pumps to assist in my pumping journey. This one I got partially covered by my insurance.
36. Lactation massagers – these small vibrating and warming massagers meant to be used on your breasts before, during, or after pumping (or nursing) to help stimulate milk flow, manage clogged ducts, and provide relief. These were really helpful for me.

Breastfeeding Pump Supplies

37. Extra Spectra parts – I used a lot of Maymom items for Spectra replacement parts and to have extra sets of pumping parts to minimize how frequently I needed to wash my parts. Having extra parts was essential to an easier exclusive pumping journey. I also learned I needed a smaller flange size than the standard sizes that come with your pump, so I bought several different sized flanges and inserts on Amazon.
38. Flange inserts – I needed smaller flanges than the standard ones, and I tried a bunch of flange inserts to reduce the tunnel size. I know many use them with success, but I did not like them and preferred purchasing different sized flanges instead.
39. Medela bottle – I used these to store breast milk that I would keep in the fridge to use later and not freeze.
40. Breast milk storage bags – I used these bags to store breast milk that I was going to freeze.

Pumping Comfort Items

41. Breast gel pads – to provide relief and comfort to sore nipples in between nursing and pumping sessions. This is what got me through the challenging beginning stages of nursing my first. Put them in the fridge for an added treat!
42. Nipple butter – to soothe sore nipples due to nursing or pumping.
43. Pumping spray – to minimize friction and enhance comfort while pumping. Once I started using pumping spray I couldn’t believe what I had been missing and I couldn’t pump without it.
44. Organic coconut oil – another alternative option to use on your nipples before or after pumping to increase comfort.
45. Pumping Bra – (not in photo) a bra that holds pump flanges so you can pump hands-free in order to hold your baby or scroll your phone.

Nutrition Supplements for Mom

46. Postnatal vitamin – similar to a prenatal vitamin taken during pregnancy, this multivitmain is meant to be taken during the postpartum period for breastfeeding mothers to support nutrition, and essential minerals and vitamin intake.
47. Prenatal DHA – an omega-3 vitamin with vitamin D3 to support baby’s brain development during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
48. Sunflower Lecithin supplement – an organic sunflower lecithin supplement meant to help clear and minimize the chance of getting clogged milk ducts.
49. Liquid Gold supplement – supplement with a combination of herbs meant to boost your milk supply. There is little research to support the efficacy of these and other similar lactaction support supplements. For me, anecdotally, I didn’t notice any major benefits to taking them, and I also did not notice any negative effects.
50. Mother’s Milk Tea – an herbal tea famed for helping breastfeeding moms milk production. Results are arguable. I thought it was worth a try but cannot claim for certain if it helped. Similar to the above supplement, there is little research to support the efficacy of teas, snacks, and other similar lactaction support consumables.

Final thoughts

Yes, that was a lot. My counter was seriously overflowing with all the accessories and supplies for months. It was the craziest baby feeding journey I never could have anticipated.

Feeding my CHD warrior daughter and getting her to gain weight was a full-time job and then some.

Nearly all the hours of my day went to some aspect related to her feeding. It was exhausting and broke me more than once. But it was a temporary emergency need and we got through it. And it worked!

While I was her primary caretaker, truly it was a team effort involving several adults. We had some ups and downs, but ultimately, she gained a remarkable amount of weight. Considering all the challenges and odds stacked against her, it was a successful relief.

Feeding your baby with an NG tube is not something you plan and it’s anything but easy. There are so many feeding tube accessories, feeding tube equipment, and feeding tube supplies you need; and that is on top of any typical breastfeeding and bottle feeding supplies.

Check with your medical team, insurance, and DME about what items they can provide before purchasing your own. The most essential things should be provided to you due to medical necessity.

There are several items I used and found helpful that are not considered medically necessary, but made a big difference in helping me manage this feeding challenge.