Request a session

Tube-fed and medically complex babies

Common questions about tube feeding

General information only — it does not replace advice from your baby's treating team. If anything here doesn't match your baby's plan, your team's plan comes first.

My baby feeds by NG tube — can we still book?

Yes. As a NICU-trained Registered Nurse I regularly work with babies who feed by nasogastric (NG) tube, babies who use a tube alongside feeds at the breast, chest or bottle, and babies working toward more oral feeding with their medical team. Book a home visit or an initial consultation and mention the tube in the notes so I can prepare. For gastrostomy (PEG) feeding I'll help you connect with your treating team, as that sits outside my scope of practice.

What happens in a session for a tube-fed baby?

The same 90 minutes, shaped around your baby. We start with what your treating team has already put in place, then look at cues, positioning, oral comfort and sucking, how tube feeds are paced through the day and night, and how the routine is actually working for your household. You leave with a written plan you can share with your team.

Do you change the plan my hospital or paediatrician has set?

No. Tube feeding support here sits alongside your baby's medical care and never replaces it. Volumes, rates, tube type, tube changes and any weaning schedule stay with your treating team. I work within that plan and, where extra input is needed, I liaise with your GP, paediatrician, dietitian or hospital team with your consent.

Can you help us wean off the tube?

I can support the feeding and settling side of a weaning plan — oral readiness, cue-based feeding, pacing, positioning and the day-to-day rhythm — but a tube wean is always led and monitored by your baby's medical team. No timeframe or outcome is ever promised.

What should we have ready?

Your NSW Personal Health Record (Blue Book), any discharge summary or feeding plan from the hospital, the feeding equipment you use, and a rough note of the last day or two of feeds. If your baby is due a feed during the session, that's ideal — it lets us look at a real feed together.

What isn't covered?

This is a Registered Nurse feeding and settling service (Ahpra NMW0002327674). It does not diagnose, prescribe, insert or replace tubes, or alter prescribed feed volumes or formulations. If your baby is unwell, the tube is dislodged or blocked, or you are worried about breathing, colour or responsiveness, contact your treating team or call 000.

Is there an extra fee?

No. A session for a tube-fed or medically complex baby is the standard fee — $250 for a 90-minute initial consultation or home visit, $150 for a 45-minute follow-up, $375 for a package of three. No Medicare or private health rebates apply, and cancellations or reschedules need at least 24 hours' notice.