Living With a Feeding Tube (PEG)
A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube is a common way to receive nutrition, fluids, or medication directly into the stomach. These NHS-sourced resources cover daily site care, flushing, bathing, and the signs that mean it's time to call your care team.
⚠️ This is general information only: not medical advice. Always follow your healthcare team's specific instructions.
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Resources from NHS trusts across the UK
Last reviewed: August 2026 · Free to use · No data collected
Official Guides
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust: Care of a PEG feeding tube
NHS patient guide to daily PEG tube care, flushing, and site hygiene.
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Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust: Your guide to PEG tube feeding
Comprehensive NHS guide covering the full PEG feeding process at home.
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Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: PEG feeding tube care advice
Practical NHS advice on troubleshooting common PEG tube problems.
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Daily Site Care
Cleaning the site
Gently wash around the stoma (the opening where the tube enters the skin) daily with water and a clean disposable cloth or gauze, then dry thoroughly. After the first two weeks, mild soap and water is generally fine. Avoid creams or talcum powder near the site unless your team has specifically advised them. A small amount of discharge is common for the first 10–14 days after insertion.
Checking tube position
Check the centimetre marking at skin level each day to make sure the tube hasn't shifted. From around day 14, most guidance recommends rotating the tube a full 360° daily and gently advancing it about 2cm weekly, then pulling it back to the marked position, this helps prevent the internal fixation device embedding into the stomach wall. Follow your own team's specific instructions on timing.
Flushing
Flush with fresh water at least daily using the gravity or syringe method your team taught you. Try not to let the tube run completely empty before closing the clamp: if you do, air can enter the stomach.
Bathing and showering
Showering is generally fine once the tube is capped and water isn't directed straight at the stoma. Baths are usually fine too, as long as the water level stays below the stoma site.
When to Get Help
Contact your Home Enteral Nutrition team or GP if
You notice oozing, an unusual odour, redness, soreness, or a raised area at the stoma site; you feel generally unwell or feverish; or you're unable to rotate or gently advance the tube (this can be a sign of "buried bumper syndrome" and needs prompt clinical review).
Go to your emergency department if
You have pain during feeding, notice stomach contents leaking around the outside of the tube, or have fresh bleeding: especially within the first 72 hours after the tube was placed. ⚠️ If you have severe bleeding, sudden severe pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or any sign of a medical emergency, call your local emergency number immediately: 000 (AU) · 999 (UK) · 911 (US & Canada) · 112 (EU).
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