What does a tubie (tube-fed human) eat?
Usually the easiest way to feed my son via g-tube is formula milk specially designed for tubie. It is always being advertised that the formula contains everything that your child needs for balanced growth. Yes it does scientifically! But I am not satisfied so I did my own research, get to know more other tubie parents and came across blenderized diet. Basically is you throw in all the real food in the blender. Blend! Ta-da! There goes the meal in blended form.
Initially I was not keen about this idea because it sounds and looks yucky to me for all sorts of food combined together in a meal. Usually we blend once per day and separate it into the amount of meals our tubie need. Grains, carbohydrate, protein, vegetables, fruits and dairy - ALL in ONE blend. As time goes by I get used to it, although it does taste awful if the combination doesn't match. However, a tubie deserves real food too just like us for nutrients. Not just formula 24/7. Here is one example of how blenderized diet looks like!
family meal - stir fry kale, braised chicken & rice. So I weigh the amount that Jansen needs on each group. Add in one apple and blend everything with milk
you need a high performance blender to avoid small chunk food stucked and blocked the feeding tube
it looks so nice like some healthy green smoothie but most of the time it does not really taste decent
tube-feeding in progress
I yet to try blending burgers or sandwiches to tube-feed my son, just find it weird. Perhaps will do it soon. The best is Jansen learns to eat fast then he can enjoy food like us. onnomnom from mouth. Chew and swallow!
Those teeth definitely looks ready to chew on something!
Oh how i look forward for the day! ;)
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