Checking the position of the feeding tube

• Ensure that the marking that shows how far down the tube should sit is visible at the wing of the baby's nose
• Check that the tube is firmly attached to the baby's cheek
• Aspirate (pull) slowly and gently with a small syringe until a small amount of fluid from the stomach is visible in the tube (about 0.5-1 millilitres)

If you encounter problems whilst checking the feeding tube

Sometimes it can be difficult to get any fluid from the stomach. This may be due to several reasons. For example, the stomach is completely empty or the baby is lying in a position where the tube cannot reach the fluid contained in the stomach. The tube can sometimes be lying against the wall of the stomach when you are checking its position. Occasionally, the tube may move upwards from the stomach via the oesophagus and is too high up, then there is a risk of the milk ending up in the trachea.

Never use the feeding tube if you are not sure that the tube is in the correct position Contact the staff and they will help you to check the position of the tube