Originally posted by kimmy2

I have heard some nurses tell me it's easiest just to tie his arms down, during the feeding! Poor baby!!

That would be restraint and in this country a big no-no. The Joint Commision would be up their butt so fAst!

No, you can swaddle them with their arms across their chest so they can't reach their face with their hands to pull on the tube. I don't think she meant actually use restraints.

Actually, it isn't just swaddling (almost all the babes are on skin probes). The nurse told me that they were literally using tape to hold the baby's arms down. I'm sure JCAHO would have something to say!

Gavage

Nurses here in Puerto Rico sit by each infant and hold the gavage. They are too afraid to just hang and watch and yes! They use OG's and NG's too!! Minina

Hmm, tape wouldn't be very nice.

We use all silastic tubes....generally first oral tubes because of different vent support is used. Ussually gastic feeding sometimes dued. feeds. As babes get older we have this protocol and now place NG 5f tubes they stay even as a babe progresses on oral feeds. If a baby can not take the total 2 hour volume they are given the rest by NG over 30 mins (we put the feeding on a pump). We have guidelines for progression of oral feeds brst ,bottle, or cup...babys are given a feeding score through this guideline....and If a baby can take a 3 hour volume orally we than go to every three hour feedings.

We never feed the babies at the same time. They are all at least 30 minutes apart. We sit at the bedside w/ each feeding and don't hang them. We use 5F on micro preemies and change Q3 days. Others we use a 6F OG or NG and change Q3 days. If on NCPAP, most get an 8F OG open to air between feedings. If we use a silastic, it gets change Q30 days. I have noticed that those tubes tend to get clogged up after a while. If we have a baby that tends to pull out OG/NG tubes, we use Snuggle-Up's in our unit. We usually just swaddle them so they can get their littles hands to the tube.

Heather