Home Enteral Tube Feeding

Welcome to our team

• How we work

  We offer telephone, video or face to face appointments. These may be at home, in a clinic or at a special needs schools.

  Your appointment with the Dietitian will be arranged at regular intervals to meet your needs. At each appointment, the Dietitian will discuss with you:

  • your child’s current nutrition and hydration intake
  • your child's current height and weight - if your child has had their height or weight measured recently, please bring this information with you
  • your child's nutritional requirements and growth of your child
  • your child's general health and any medication changes
  • feed tolerance - the Dietitian will ask about bowel and urine output as well as any vomiting or discomfort during or after feeds
  • tube care and any problems with the tube or the skin around it 
  • equipment and deliveries

• Who you will see and speak to

  Our team of Specialist Dietitians and Dietetic Support Workers work with tube fed children and their families in Luton and South Bedfordshire.

  Specialist paediatric dietitians assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems in infants, children and young people. We work with families and other healthcare professionals to ensure infants, children and young people meet their nutritional requirements and growth potential.

  Dietetic support workers provide organisational support for the dietitians and families. They are the friendly voices at the other end of the phone when you contact the service. They will use their specialist knowledge of how the service works to help and direct you with your queries.

  Meet the team

• Tube feeding at home

  There are many different types of feeding tubes that we can support with. Some feeding tubes are inserted into the nostril. These are called nasogastric tubes (NG tubes) and nasojejunal (NJ tubes). Some other feeding tubes are inserted in surgery directly into the stomach or small intestine.

  Through a feeding tube you can provide:

  • medication
  • water
  • 1st infant formula
  • commercial tube feeds

  Blended diet is the administration of blended everyday foods through a feeding tube. This can only be given through some types of feeding tubes. For more information please contact your dietitian.

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  Olivia's story

  Below you can watch a video of a patient’s journey with tube feeding at home.

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  Useful resources

  • Download the reusable bottles guide
  • Download the universal adaptors guide
  • Download recycling guide
  • Download the syringe washing guide

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  Holidays abroad

  We will arrange a letter for airport security and ensure you have adequate supplies to take with you. Please give us at least 2 weeks’ notice for us to arrange this for you. 

  There is a holiday service available from Nutricia Homeward for selected countries, please contact them for more information. 

• Starting solids

  When your child is developmentally ready we will work with you, your speech and language therapist and your medical team to support you and your child with starting solids.

  • Read more about weaning your premature baby
  • Read more about weaning for all babies and children
  • Read more about sitting position at a table for babies and children

• Tube feeding deliveries

  Depending on the type of type your child has, you may receive deliveries from Nutricia Homeward or Vygon.

  Nutricia Homeward has an online ordering system which allows you to complete your monthly orders. The best way to manage your stock levels at home is to carry out a monthly stock check. Read more about online ordering.

  If you need supplies from Vygon, this will be set up for you by your Dietitian. To request equipment please call Vygon on 01793 748800.

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  Please remember, you will need to request your tube feed prescription each month from your GP.

• Other useful contacts

  Nutricia Homeward Service

  Contact the Nutricia Homeward Service to ask questions about your order or delivery. You can contact this service Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. 

  • Telephone number - 0800 093 3672

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  Nutricia Nurses

  Contact the Nutricia Nurses for questions about pumps, equipment or tubes. 

  • Telephone number (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) - 0345 7623 667
  • Telephone number (Outside office hours, at weekends and on public holidays) - 0800 093 3672