Since is the official last day of Feeding Tube Awareness Week, I’m going to be honest. As much as it’s been great for her, there have been a few stressors along the way with her feeding tube...
She had her tube for about two weeks in the NICU before we got to take her home. The day before she was discharged, the balloon on it popped and it fell out! I went to change her diaper and it was gone! Talk about terrifying...
Thankfully we were still there and learned how to deal with that emergency from the professionals.
Going out to eat can still be a challenge. I had to get creative with how to feed her with the pump at first (Velcro straps are your friend!). Now it’s less of a logistics issue, but I still find myself worried that someone is going to give us weird looks or say something rude.
It’s never happened and I don’t know why I stress about it, but I do.
The very first time I left Natalie for a trip, her g-tube fell out that night and the stoma (hole for the tube) closed up enough my mom couldn’t get it back in. Off to the ER mom, Natalie and our brand new nanny went.
The professionals got it back in after a few hours of working on it, but I can live without that stress from a far. Also, it didn’t scare her nanny off, so that’s a relief!!
Sometimes I get a little cocky about how great I am at tube feeding and try to do it one handed. That’s when I end up spraying food everywhere. Managed to hit a window on an airplane that way.
I would like to say I know better now, but it clearly still happens...
And as much as I love all of her gear that makes feeding possible, I don’t love all the washing. Those of you that ever had to deal with washing pump parts and bottles for a baby every night can relate. But two years later and still doing it had gotten old...
But at least I can share this pain with other members of the household!