G Tube Venting: How a Simple Syringe Trick Banishes Your Baby’s Bloating
Mom, Millie’s puking everywhere again!” My son’s panicked voice echoed through the house, and my heart plummeted like a stone, heavy with dread, as if it weighed a hundred pounds. I rushed to her crib, my hands trembling, and there she was—my precious baby girl, Millie, her tiny face scrunched in discomfort, her soft pajamas soaked with the formula she couldn’t keep down. She’d already missed her weight goal at our last doctor’s appointment, and now this… again. A cold wave of fear washed over me as I scooped her into my arms, her frail body feeling so fragile against mine. *How long can she survive like this?* I thought, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. *How long can I?*
When my husband and I first adopted Millie, we knew she’d need a G-tube to help her eat and grow. We were ready to love her fiercely, but nothing could have prepared us for the overwhelming world of G-tube parenting. It was like stepping into a foreign land with no map—every day a rollercoaster of heart-wrenching ups and downs. The constant worry gnawed at me: Was she getting enough nutrition? Was I doing something wrong? Some nights, I’d lie awake, listening to her soft breaths through the baby monitor, terrified that I’d hear her choke or cry out in pain. Millie was fighting to survive, and I felt like I was barely holding on myself.
We’d tried everything to stop the vomiting. Different feeding times—early morning, late evening, every two hours, every four. Smaller amounts, larger amounts. Water before feeds, no water at all. I’d called the doctors so many times they probably knew my voice by heart, but their answers felt like guesses, not solutions. “She’s dangerously underweight,” they warned at our last visit, their words a knife in my chest. Malnutrition was taking its toll on her tiny body, and I felt like I was failing her. I was desperate, grasping at straws, but nothing worked. I’d never felt so helpless.
Then, one sleepless night, as I scrolled through a Facebook group for G-tube parents—my lifeline in those dark days—a post stopped me in my tracks. The mom’s words leapt off the screen: “My G-tube baby threw up after every feed, and I was terrified… until I learned this one trick.” My heart skipped a beat. *What trick?* I thought, my finger hovering over the screen. I skimmed past her long caption, my eyes darting to the video she’d shared. In it, she showed a simple process she called “venting”—attaching a syringe to her child’s G-tube extension, unclamping it, and letting the air escape from his stomach before a feed. The relief on her face as she explained it was palpable, like she’d found a lifeline of her own. I watched, mesmerized, as the air bubbled out, her child visibly relaxing.
I sat there, staring at my phone, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest. Could this be the answer I’d been praying for? It felt almost serendipitous, as if the universe—or maybe even God—had guided this mom to share her story at the exact moment I needed it most. I had to try it. The next morning, with Millie in my lap, I attached her extension tube, my hands shaky but determined. I grabbed a syringe, removed the plunger as the video showed, and unclamped the tube. A soft hiss filled the air as the trapped gas escaped, and I watched, holding my breath, as Millie’s tiny body seemed to soften, the tension in her face easing.
I gave her the feed, my eyes glued to her, waiting for the inevitable. Ten minutes passed—no vomit. Thirty minutes, then fifty. An hour. Two hours. I could hardly believe it—Millie was calm, her belly no longer bloated, her food staying down for the first time in weeks. Tears welled up in my eyes as I kissed her forehead, whispering, “We did it, baby girl.” That simple act of venting became our saving grace, a ritual that turned our nights from terrifying to peaceful. I’ll forever be grateful to that mom in the Facebook group who shared her story, giving me the tool I needed to help my daughter thrive.
Now, I want to pass that gift on to you. Venting won’t solve every problem with throwing up or bloating—it’s not a magic fix for everyone—but I wish I’d known about it sooner. It might just be the lifeline you’ve been searching for, like it was for me. To help you try it yourself, I’ve created a short video (completely free, just a little gift from one G-tube mom to another) that walks you through the venting process in detail. Scan the QR code below to watch, and let’s take this first step toward easier days—and nights—together.