A guide for parents
Feeding and growth
01
Why feeding can be demanding
Some babies with heart conditions tire during feeding or need extra help to gain weight. Your team should look at the child’s feeding, growth and medical needs together. Breast milk, formula, specialist feeds or tube feeding may be part of a plan. Needing help is not a measure of a parent’s effort or the value of their milk.
02
What happens next
An individual plan
A dietitian is a professional who helps plan food and feeding. They and the rest of the team can help decide what your child needs, how much and how to give it. Do not concentrate formula, add supplements or change a fluid limit yourself. Some children need a nasogastric tube, which passes through the nose into the stomach.
Others need a gastrostomy, a feeding tube placed through an opening in the tummy into the stomach. Families need training in their own equipment and the checks required before using it. Ask for a written plan that covers home supplies, weight checks and what to do when feeding is not going well.
Notice changes and ask early
Tell the team about less feeding, fewer wet nappies, unusual sleepiness, vomiting or a change in breathing or colour. Follow your child’s urgent-care plan rather than waiting for the next weighing appointment. Ask how to keep feeding comfortable and how bonding can continue if tube feeds are needed. Weight checks can feel stressful. Ask who will explain your child’s growth over time.
You do not have to judge every small change on your own. Explain what is manageable for your household and request further feeding or swallowing assessment if the team thinks it is needed.
03
Questions to ask
Save the questions you want to take to your next appointment. You can edit them in your Journal.
- Could we have a written feeding plan that explains what to offer, how often and when to ask for help?
- Who will check our child’s growth and adjust the feeding plan, and how often will this be reviewed?
- Which changes in feeding, breathing or growth mean we should seek help today rather than wait for the next appointment?
Sources and review
Sources checked 9 October 2026. Independent clinical review pending.
- University Hospital Southampton: Information on feeding for infants with congenital heart disease
Accessed 9 October 2026
- NHS: Congenital heart disease
Accessed 9 October 2026