This infographic was sketched live by an artist at the Dietitians Australia 2024 Home Tube Feeding Symposium presented by Lina Breik and Juliette McAleer.

This poster was presented at the Australasian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2024 by the Tube Dietitian Team. The abstract was published in the conference journal, link to come very soon!

This poster was presented at the Australasian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2024 by the Tube Dietitian Team. The abstract was published in the conference journal, link to come very soon!

This poster was presented at the Australasian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2024 by the Tube Dietitian Team. The abstract was published in the conference journal, link to come very soon!

This poster was presented at the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2023 by the Tube Dietitian Team. The abstract was published in the conference journal and can be found published here.

This poster was presented at the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2023 by the Tube Dietitian Team. The abstract was published in the conference journal and can be found published here.

The author of this personal essay, Jennifer Hawkins, is totally blind and deaf with bilateral cochlear implants. She received her high school education from Illinois’ Hadley School for the Blind and is currently training to do accessibility testing for digital content.

The author of this personal essay, Jennifer Hawkins, is totally blind and deaf with bilateral cochlear implants. She received her high school education from Illinois’ Hadley School for the Blind and is currently training to do accessibility testing for digital content.

Living at home with a feeding tube may not be something you ever thought you would have to do. The idea of it can be completely overwhelming and you may even feel defeated or upset about needing to rely on this method of getting your food. I’m sure you’re feeling a...

Tubies need to be empowered with the knowledge of choice around their formula type, regimen type, whether they have a button or dangler tube, or which innovative gadgets they use to to simplify tubie life, and everything else in between. Your Tube provides tubies with EXACTLY THAT!

“HELP! I’ve run out of tube feeding formula and equipment stock, and my big delivery isn’t coming for another week!” In these moments, without the luxury of a nearby hospital kitchen, creativity and resourcefulness become my allies. Here are 6 ways I’ve tackled this recurring issue in the community.

If you or someone you love requires home tube feeding, it’s important to understand how it can affect your overall quality of life. While the primary goal is to ensure you receive adequate nutrition, there are many factors that can influence your wellbeing beyond your physical health.

Equipment terminology is handy for you to know. Knowledge is power!

I was recently invited to write an article on blended tube feeding (BTF) for Dietitian Connection’s online magazine, Infuse. The simplest definition of BTF is liquid formula made from food (or a meal) which is typically eaten through the mouth. The food is then blended into a liquid to be put through a feeding tube. 

A gastrostomy stoma is a direct hole into the stomach in which the feeding tube is placed through. As dietitians, support carers, family of, or people with a feeding tube, it’s best you know what the daily care of a stoma site actually entails. And I promise you, it’s not that complicated!

To the best of my knowledge, below is a break down of the financial supports available for people on home tube feeding in Victoria (and likely applicable to majority of other Australian states). For anyone working in this area or anyone with a home feeding tube, you know how complex this space can get but here we go…

As dietitians, we base someone’s formula amount (in ml / day) recommendation on their energy (aka. calorie) and protein needs. So we calculate how much you need first based on your activity levels and medical diagnosis, and then reverse engineer how much formula would give that amount of energy and protein in a day.

Alright, so I’m going to attempt the impossible – take the fear out of understanding the mechanics of a feeding tube.

“In April 2021, I had neck surgery to fix a fractured C3. The surgery was a success but something went wrong during surgery and I ended up with severe dysphagia. I had dysphagia before surgery but I could easily eat and drink in community. The fluoroscopy and FEES showed both my laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles were not working.”

Looking after your home feeding tube requires support from experienced dietitians and nurses. At Tube Dietitian, we have the dietitian part covered. So anything related to formula selection, hydration, bowel habits, weight maintenance, and energy levels – we can support you with!