Premature Baby Feeding Tube

Basically tube dependence involves one or more of the behavioral factors already described that prevent a tube fed baby from feeding orally.

Premature baby feeding tube.

How to cup feed your premature baby. Babies who need to be on a ventilator for a long time won t be able to eat until they have a tracheostomy even then it may take a long time for these babies to learn how to eat well. Tube feeding makes sure that your baby receives enough nutrients from breast milk or formula to grow and thrive. A feeding tube is used for infants who do not have the strength or muscle coordination to breastfeed or drink from a bottle.

The more premature a baby is the more help he or she will need to eat. A nasogastric tube goes in through the nose delivering the feed down to the baby s tummy stomach. These babies are usually smaller than a full term baby and have special feeding needs. She spits up and vomits because they over feed her.

Most premature and sick babies will be fed in this way as they are too small and sick to feed themselves. Tube dependency is recognized as an unintended consequence of long term tube feeding in babies and young children. Tube feeding of premature babies. Cup feeding can be done with expressed breast milk or formula or a combination of both.

The premature born infant might be too sick and fragile to manage breathing and eating challenges at the same time. While tube feeding hospitals and parents will work with preemie babies to begin learning how to orally feed as well either by breast or bottle feeding. Premature babies in the nicu receive a lot of unpleasant stimulation to their mouths intubation suctioning and poor feeding techniques can cause babies to develop an oral. There are other reasons why an infant might need a feeding tube including.

When they reach full term if baby is still struggling with full oral feeding they may go home with the tube still in place though this isn t common. Tube dependence is a difficult situation to turn around. An oro gastric tube goes in to the tummy through the baby s mouth. The nurse or doctor checking the residual amount will attach a syringe to the end of the feeding tube and gently pull back on the plunger.

Cup feeding your premature baby. If premature babies are unable to feed from the breast or bottle they are fed via a tube. Through a small tube inserted. Cuddle your baby in an upright position and hold the rim of the feeding cup against her lips.

At 21 2 months adjusted age she weights over 12 lbs.