Hi there,

Max is J-tube fed and for over a year now has been continuously fed overnight and for much of the day. He is currently on neocate jr.

My question is how frequently do other parents re-fill the bag during the night. We have been told hang-time for formula is no more than four hours so we are up at least a couple of times in the night to clean the bag and put in another four hours worth. With that on top of Max's frequent wakenings during the night due to reflux/gas/cramping .... well we are exhausted! How do you other folks manage the continuous feeds at night? Do you put in more than four hours at a time?

Vicky

We were told it's good for 8 hours, well regular Neocate that is. Maybe it's different for the jr, but I can't imagine it would be. She's got 500 ml feeding bags so we fill it and let it run until it's empty. It's filled once at bedtime, around 9:00pm, then again around 2 or 3:00am, then again when we wake up. So we're up once through the night.

I've started hanging an ice pack in a walmart sack from the pole next to the feeding back and wrapping a towel around it. That way It stays cool all night and I can get a bit more sleep. It warms as it goes through the tube. It works great for us. Low tech, but it works!

We used to have bags that had a pouch for an ice pack in the back but since we got the new Interalite Infinity pump, we haven't had the ice pouch option. We were told the formula lasts 8 hours out of the fridge so we request a 1000ml bag, fill it up and it lasts the entire night. Getting up so much at night must be wearing you down. I hope you at least get some nap time in during the day? Without the naps, I would have never survived!

We used to have bags that had a pouch for an ice pack in the back but since we got the new Interalite Infinity pump, we haven't had the ice pouch option.

That's exactly what I was going to say. We put an ice pack in the pouch of the kangaroo bags for overnight feeds, but our new Entralite bags don't have that. Is that what you're using, Vicky? Maybe you could chill some formula before bedtime to help it last longer. You must be exhausted!

The nurses at the hospital told us that 4 hours was the maximum hang time for the Neocate (and all formulas, I think), although we have not tried filling the ice bag on the pump bag.

I asked our GI about this today for our purposes--I'm tired of getting up every 4 hours! In his opinion, we can probably get away with 8-12 hours. We still warm Tucker's formula b/c he's so sensitive, although theoretically he should be able to tolerate cold formula by now (15 mos). So we are going to try 8 hours tonight. I'm too nervous to go a full 12 hours, although wouldn't that be lovely? What does 12 hours continuous sleep feel like? I have no idea....and that used to be my normal night's sleep.

Thanks for all of your replies! I think I am going to try six hours until we get in to see our ped to confirm the hang time. I'm nervous about cooling the food because Max is on a J tube and I'd be worried about the cold food pumped into his intestines making him crampy. We always heat up the food before filling the bag so it is never cooler than room temperature.

Feeling really tired today. Max didn't go to sleep till 11:00pm and then I had to get up at 4 to fill the bag and then Max was up at 5:00am and then every 20 mins or so needing to be bounced. He's getting too heavy for me! Finally just gave up and got him ready for the day at 9:00am. He's real grumpy today too...

Gosh 8 hours of continuous sleep....I would LOVE that!!!

Thanks all for your input!

Vicky

Vicky.

HI! My son has been on continous feeds for almost a year now. They told me the same thing with my son (he was on elecare at the time) about formula being only good for 4 hours but I did away with that real quick. When I go to bed. I put enough to where when I get up the next morning. If you're room is cool, you shouldn't have any problem. I have finally been able to sleep since I started doing this. They probably only say 4 hrs so they don't get sued. You may also want to put an ice cube or two in his milk since it's so much you are putting in. Hope that helps

i know this is an odler post but jsut wnated to add my 2 cents, they told us with formula it could last 6 hours and breast milk 4

mine has fortified EBm so we have to get up every 4 hours to clean and add more..i do like the chance to check on her (she sleeps thru the night)

I refrigerate his formula before I put it in the bag, but I only add and 1/3 of it when he falls asleep at 7:00 and then I add the remaining 2/3 when I go to bed at 10:00 or 11:00. We run it over an 11 hour period. If it's particularily hot, I'll use one of the re-freezable ice bags in the pouch. We have never had a problem.

I think the 4 hour rule applies only in the hospital b/c of thier sanitation rules. That - and they have the supplies to do it as well as nurses up at all hours of the night!

Don't worry about the 4 hour thing and get some sleep!!!

Just wanted to add one thing. I think it depends on the formula that you are using.

We have used regular Similac ready-made and Pediasure ready- made. In both cases we were told to change every four hours, but then our dietician said it was safe to go 6 hours. Anyway, the problem we found is that on a couple of occassions when it gets near hour 6 or slightly over, the formula has thickened up and gummed up the tube, even sending little curdly clumps into Anna's tummy (which she then threw up later). Anyway, of course we need sleep, but maybe start with 6 hours and then go longer if your formula allows it (and of course if the room is cool).