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The basics of J-tube feeding at home

How to manage J-tube feedings

J Tube Feeding
J Tube Feeding
J Tube Feeding

A pump delivers J-tube feedings

  • Pump feeding is the method used to deliver formula into the small intestine
  • Formula is placed in a feeding container and pumped through the J-tube into the body
  • The pump delivers slow, continuous feeding because the small intestine cannot hold as much formula as the stomach

1. Prepare

  • Prepare the formula
  • Check the tube position (ask your healthcare provider how often)
  • Flush the feeding tube with prescribed amount of water

2. Begin feeding

  • Hang the filled feeding container or place it in an ambulatory carrier
  • Connect the feeding set to the pump
  • Remove the cap from the end of the feeding set
  • If your feeding set has a clamp, open it completely
  • Prime the feeding set
  • Choose a safe, comfortable position (eg, sitting up in a chair, propped up in a bed or on a couch)
  • Insert the tip of the feeding set into the feeding tube
  • Turn on the pump and set the flow rate (refer to manufacturer’s instructions)
  • Start the pump
  • After feeding container is empty or the dose has been fed, stop the pump and flush the tube
  • If your healthcare provider has told you to take extra water after feedings:
    • Pour the prescribed amount into the feeding container
    • Start the pump
    • When the water is gone, stop the pump

3. Check tube placement

  • If the J-tube is kept in place with a skin disk, make sure it is not tight against the skin
  • Check its position using the markings on the tube
  • If the J-tube is sutured in place, make sure the sutures are intact
  • If the tube has moved or has come out, do not use it–go to the emergency room and take the tube with you

4. Call your child’s doctor or nurse for the following:

  • Vomiting
  • Blood in or around the feeding tube
  • Formula or stomach contents leaking around the tube site
  • Red, sore, or swollen tube site
  • Tube clog that you can’t flush out with warm water
  • Unusual, excessive, or foul-smelling drainage from the tube site (stoma)