Our Guide on Enteral Feeding Supplies

Home enteral feeding doesn’t have to be daunting. With the help of specialist dietitians, we’ve collated a list of all the important and useful equipment you might need to support your tube feeding journey.

How you tube feed and your nutritional approach – whether that’s formula, blended, or a combination of the two – requires different types of equipment. But this list has you covered. If you’re unsure of any terminology, we have a tube feeding glossary for you to have a look at.

Something missing? Please contact us via talkingtubefeeding@uk.nestle.com.

Contributing experts: Annina Whipp, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian, & Clare Thornton-Wood, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian

Formula Feeding

Formula is a type of liquid nutrition, which contains all the nutrients a child needs for growth and maintenance. The key pieces of enteral feeding supplies for formula feeding are typically prescribed and provided by your GP, community nurse or feeding company.

Ready-to-hang formula

Feed container

Giving set

Syringes

Extension set

Sterile water

pH paper

Feeding pump

Feeding pump stand

Feeding pump backpack

Blended Diets

Blends are created from whole foods, which are blended to a smooth consistency so they can pass easily down a tube. Unlike formula, where most of the equipment is prescribed and provided by a hospital, blends are created yourself at home. This means you need to source several pieces of home enteral feeding equipment to get started.

Sourcing home enteral feeding equipment for blended diets can be an investment, you don’t have to use the most expensive ingredients. In fact, many of the blends can be made from food eaten by the rest of the family and supplemented with other foods to increase nutrients as required by the tube-fed child.

Consider asking your healthcare team if you need financial support, as they may be able to direct you to funding provided by local charities.

Syringes (60ml)

Extension set

Sterile water

Blender

Sieve

Kitchen scales

Airtight food containers

Cool bag with ice blocks

Freezer

When preparing blended diets, you should keep track of all the ingredients through a food diary. This helps your dietitian analyse the child’s nutritional intake. Remember to also watch out for tube feeding intolerance symptoms, which you can read about with our guide.

You also need recipes to create blends! See our range of tube feeding recipes – they’re designed for blended diets and are highly nutritious.

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Nestlé Health Science has worked with healthcare professionals and families to create the articles and videos on this website. All views and opinions expressed are their own, and may not always reflect those of Nestlé Health Science. Tube feed formulas are foods for special medical purposes for use under medical supervision. Blended diets should only be used after consultation with your healthcare professional.