A step-by-step guide for gravity/bolus feeding at home
1. Gather all supplies needed – formula, room-temperature water, a clean towel, gravity feeding bag, pole and catheter tip syringe
2. Wash your hands
3. Check tube position and site
4. Place tip of syringe into room-temperature water
5. Pull up on the plunger to draw up water into syringe
6. Open the feeding port
7. Place tip of syringe into tube opening
8. Slowly push down on the plunger to flush the tube with water
9. Close the roller clamp
10. Clean off top of formula can
11. Pour the formula into the feeding bag
12. Hang feeding bag on pole
13. Remove cover on feeding tip
14. Open the roller clamp
15. Run formula ALL the way through tubing to tip
16. Rock the drip chamber back and forth to fill chamber no more than ½ way with formula and remove air
17. Close the roller clamp
18. Insert feeding tip into feeding port
19. Open the roller clamp and start the feeding
20. Adjust roller clamp to desired rate of feed
a. A slower rate of feed will decrease problems with nausea, vomiting and abdominal bloating
21. Feed until the formula is gone
22. Close the roller clamp
23. Disconnect the feeding tip from the feeding port
24. Draw up water into syringe and flush into tube
25. Close the feeding port
26. Wash all equipment used and your hands
For customer questions or concerns about tube feeding or formula, please call Shield Healthcare’s Registered Dietitian at 1-800-382-6891
DISCLAIMER: This information is designed for customer use only and does not represent the advice of a medical health professional. Please contact your doctor for explicit advice on your prescription and/or feeding program.
