Tube Feeding Flexibility: 10 Places to Feed a Tubie Baby at Home
My baby can eat while sleeping, what’s your baby’s superpower? Tube feeding comes with many challenges. We have to have fun with it wherever there is an opportunity!
Feeding your baby with a tube is likely not how you imagined your baby’s feeding journey. Me either. Due to medical challenges, my daughter was reliant on an NG tube for 8 months.
Are you looking to switch up your routine? Or need alternative ideas? You don’t have to stay stuck to one chair or feeding setup, you can use sleeping spots, play and activity centers, and other baby gear. Let’s get into different options, some places to feed a tubie baby.
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Our feeding experiences
Due to Congenital Heart Defects and a paralyzed vocal cord, I had to tube feed my daughter. She used an NG tube for many months, and we tried an NJ for a short period. We mostly did bolus feeds but also did continuous feeding for a month.
We were in the hospital for two major surgeries, but otherwise, she was tube feeding at home. During this time I got creative, maybe I was bored, and regularly switched up where I fed her.
I tried several different spots and setups, upstairs, downstairs, using lots of different baby gear for my daughter’s tube feeding journey. Certain setups allowed me to pump while also running her feed simultaneously. Other spots allowed me to feed her and cook dinner. While something else was better for enabling me to care for my other kids concurrently.
I was able to NG feed my daughter in ways and places where I was unable to nurse my first two babies. Dare I even say tube feeding was sometimes more convenient?
This is not to say there weren’t challenges or that it was the ideal baby feeding approach. But focusing on the positive and appreciating any wins (even tiny ones) was an easier way to get through this tough medical motherhood journey.
Spots to feed a tube-fed baby at home
Tube feeding may initially feel limiting, and in certain ways it really is, but in other ways, there can be greater flexibility for some.
Your baby’s type of feeding tube, feeding approach, feeding rate, any medical conditions, and age and development will impact whether various spots and setups can accommodate their specific needs. Taking care of medically complex babies comes with different rules and guidelines, be sure to consult with your child’s medical providers before trying something new.
Consider the following places to feed a tubie baby keeping in mind what could work for your baby, family, and circumstances specifically, and leave the rest.
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.
1. Crib
Feed your tubie baby in their bassinet or crib.
For my daughter’s entire hospital stay they were feeding her at an incline and then the last couple of days they decided to try feeding her flat in the crib since we would have to do it at home. She did not handle her feeds as well lying flat in the crib. But we had to do it.
I would love to tell you we resolved these issues. Unfortunately, however, her vomiting persisted. Still, we had to tube feed her in her crib for nighttime as she couldn’t go through the night without eating.
Many tube feed while sound asleep overnight. They might do bolus feeding or continuous tube feeding overnight. Several months in we switched to continuous at night.
2. Baby swing or bouncer
A baby swing, Mamaroo, Nuna LEAF, or another bouncer-type chair can be a great place to tube feed.
The incline seems to help some babies, particularly those with reflux, manage their feeds better. Depending on your baby’s age, they may also enjoy being a bit more upright for stimulation.
You will have to determine whether your baby tolerates feeding with movement or not.
3. Play mat
If your baby likes to use a baby play mat or play gym, they can feed while doing this.
Even if they’re flat on their back on the mat or a rug, they should be able to tube feed. While some tubies may not tolerate feeding while flat, others do okay with it.
Another option is to use a bouncer, wedge, or other safe baby chair under or next to their play gym. It can help prop them up at a more comfortable feeding angle, and provide them the toy stimulation.
4. Support pillows
Consider using a baby lounger pillow or a nursing pillow. These are flexible, light, and easy to tote around the house. Parents have used them as a spot to place their not-yet-mobile newborn babies when they are unable to hold them and also do not have their bassinet or crib space nearby.
Most, if not all, baby pillows are not sleep-safe. Select items have been recalled entirely, while others have guidelines on proper safe use. Make sure to check the safety standards and instructions before using one.
5. Holding them
Simply hold them. You can do skin-to-skin for extra feel-good chemicals while they feed.
You can cuddle them and snuggle them just as you might have with nursing or bottle feeding.
Nursing helped me bond with my first two babies and I was anxious about what felt like more distance and disconnection with tube feeding. It took me some time and trial and error, but I had many snuggly tube sessions with my daughter that offered lots of bonding time.
6. Baby carrier
Of course, it’s not always possible to hold your baby through all their feeds and do nothing else. A baby carrier can offer closeness but more convenience to do other things.
It can feel a bit daunting to attempt at first, but it is possible. If I didn’t need to move much but only wanted to be standing and hands-free, I would put my daughter in the carrier and hang her pump on the pole. I would roll the pump a little bit here and there if necessary.
If I needed to move around further, I used our tube-feeding backpack. This could properly hold the pump and tubing and I only had to swing it on my back to tote around wherever.
We had a Kangaroo Joey so it was a bit bulky and heavier, but worked with the backpack. Many people have an Infinity pump which is a lot lighter and slimmer, and they’re able to clip it, hang it, or put it in a much smaller bag to tote around while baby wearing and tube feeding.
I baby wore and tube fed in both wrap carriers and soft structured carriers.
7. Stroller
Take advantage of the flexibility tube feeding can offer. Hang it from the stroller and use it stationary or on a little stroll.
You might need specialty tube feeding accessories, like a tube feeding hanger which allows you to hang their pump.
8. Highchair
Once your baby has enough proper stability, you can feed them in their highchair. Highchairs offer various angles of incline and vary how much support they provide a baby, so the timing on this option will vary depending on each baby’s development.
This option was great for my daughter while I was cooking and while we were eating. She very much enjoyed being at the table socially with the whole family in her own seat. I would put her pole next to her highchair, hang her pump, and give her toys on her tray.
9. Activity center
If your baby is able to properly support themselves enough, an activity center, or exersaucer, can be another fun option for them to feed.
These typically offer more stimulation. Slightly older babies may appreciate this option as they can play while feeding.
For a certain stage, this worked out well with my daughter. She was becoming busier and was not as satisfied always staying still while feeding. It helped me take a shower or get other things done.
10. Bath
Put them in the bath!!
While I never intentionally put my daughter in the bath with the purpose of feeding, it just so happened she was feeding while taking a bath on numerous occasions.
The first time I froze…”but she’s feeding, wait what do I do?!” It felt tricky to navigate the logistics at first. But soon enough it was no big deal.
Sometimes a bath is the absolute best way to calm a baby down, and thankfully tube feeding allows enough flexibility to do it while in the bath.
Last notes about places to feed a tubie baby
Tube feeding at home is not easy. As medical parents, we’re often hanging on in ultra survival mode.
It’s easy to get into our routines and not even think about straying from them, especially when you’re swimming. Struggling and not thriving, but surviving. And I imagine you have negative time to contemplate or get creative.
Sometimes though, a little change can make a big difference. Pushing yourself to try an alternative might uncover another way that actually helps make things a little easier. So…just saying…it could be worth it.
Depending on your tubie’s specific situation, you may have more or less flexibility. If circumstances allow, I hope this gave you a few ideas to think differently.
Whether your current setup isn’t working well enough, or you just want to try something new. Consider tube feeding your baby in their crib, baby swing, stroller, play mat, high chair, or activity center. Or, just hold them, use a pillow safely for support, put them in the bath, or wear them.
A baby tube feeding journey is challenging, but there are some benefits unique to the tubie life. Take advantage, and shake things up a bit. Give your baby and yourself a new view.
