Your Options for Whole Foods-Based Tube Feeding Formulas at Seattle Children's Hospital
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Nutrition is a vital part of health and healing. We partner with families to make sure that your child has access to formulas that fit their medical and nutritional needs. We choose formulas based on clinical evidence with the goal of providing your child with high-quality options.
You may wish to give your child whole foods-based tube feeding formula during their hospital stay. Your child’s healthcare team will let you know if it is safe to provide this type of formula while in the hospital. Sometimes your child may need a special commercial formula to better support them during their stay at the hospital. This could be due to an infection or a change in their medical status.
What are my options for commercial whole foods-based formulas while my child is in the hospital?
We carry the following commercial, shelf-stable, ready-to-feed formulas:
- Compleat Pediatric (for ages 1 to 13 years)
- Compleat (for ages 13 years and older)
- Compleat Pediatric Organic Blends Plant-Based (for ages 1 to 13 years)
- Compleat Pediatric Organic Blends Chicken-Garden Blend (for ages 1 to 13 years)
You can bring in your own supply of an approved formula that we may not carry. Talk with your healthcare provider about the specific formula before giving it to your child. Please make sure formulas brought in are unopened.
What are my options for blenderized tube feedings while my child is in the hospital?
We have the following standardized recipes created by Seattle Children’s Hospital dietitians. Your child’s dietitian can share more nutrition information about these recipes:
- Chicken Dairy Free (Gluten Free)
- Chicken with Cow’s Milk (Gluten Free)
- Salmon Dairy Free (Gluten Free)
- Chicken (Renal Friendly) (Dairy Free)
- Vegan (Renal Friendly) (Dairy Free)
- Very Low Fat (Gluten Free)
If there are medical reasons your child needs a blenderized tube feeding different from our standard recipes, you can work with your child’s dietitian to create a non-standard recipe.
You can bring your child’s prepared blenderized tube feeding from home. Because this increases the risk for foodborne illness, you will need to follow the guidelines stated below when you make, transport, and store the tube feeding.
How should I transport homemade tube feeding to the hospital and where will I store it?
- Sanitation is very important when you make blenderized tube feedings for your child. If you choose to bring in blenderized tube feeding from home, please follow proper food handling and storage practices. Ask your medical team if you need information on this.
- Bring homemade tube feeding to the hospital daily in a cooler with ice packs.
- Ask your child’s nurse for patient identification stickers and label each container of your child’s tube feeding before storing in the refrigerator.
- Put your child’s tube feeding in the designated refrigerator as soon as you arrive at the hospital.
- All unused tube feeding will be thrown away after 24 hours.
- Take home empty tube feeding containers and clean them with hot soapy water before reusing them.
What should I do if my child is admitted to another hospital?
Other hospitals may have different whole foods-based formula options available, or they may not have any of these options available. Some hospitals do not allow blenderized tube feedings.
If your child’s admission is planned, talk with the team at the hospital to determine what your options are. Plan on bringing your own commercial formula product or homemade blenderized tube feedings from home and be prepared with a commercial backup option that you can use instead.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
Talk with your child’s healthcare team if you have any questions about tube feeding formula options during your child’s stay.
To Learn More
- Nutrition
206-987-4758 - Ask your child’s healthcare provider
- seattlechildrens.org/patient-education
Free Interpreter Services
- In the hospital, ask your nurse.
- From outside the hospital, call the toll-free Family Interpreting Line, 1-866-583-1527. Tell the interpreter the name or extension you need.
