Eating at the Hospital
Nutrition for Heart Surgery Patients
Feeding and growth are an important part of recovery for our patients, and our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) providers and nurses will work alongside our specialized dietitians and, if relevant, speech-language pathologists and lactation consultants to create a feeding and nutrition plan that is right for your child.
We always hope to include families in feeding, but please check in with your nurse and medical team before feeding your child independently and before giving food that came from outside of the ICU. For safety, it’s important that everyone is on the same page about what a patient is eating and when.
Food and Dining Amenities
To support your needs while your child receives care at Children's National, we offer a variety of food and dining options for patients and families.
Food We Provide
If a patient is preparing for a procedure or surgery, you may be told that they are NPO. This means that they cannot eat or drink anything, even water or breast milk. Being NPO can be difficult and frustrating, but if the patient eats or drinks during this period, their procedure or surgery may be cancelled. Please help us observe this important safety precaution.
If your child is an infant and you breastfeed, we can supply you with a hospital-grade breast pump and equipment and the supplies you need. We will also give you a sheet of your child’s hospital ID stickers. When you have finished pumping, please place a patient sticker on the bottle, write the current date and time on the sticker, and hand the bottle to your nurse to be refrigerated or frozen.
If your child is formula-fed, our hospital offers a wide range of formulas to meet their nutritional needs.
If your child eats solid food, we stock basics like juice, applesauce, pudding and turkey sandwiches on the floor. Other items like purees and hot meals can be ordered on patient meal trays or purchased in the cafeteria.
Ordering Food for Delivery
When ordering food through DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc., it will be delivered to level P1 of the parking garage.
Use the main elevators to go to floor 1, and then continue to exit through the security scanner and take the elevator or stairs down to level P1.
Inpatient and Hospital Stays
We have resources to support you during your child's hospital stay, whether it is just a couple of days or an extended time. From resources to help prepare your child for a surgery to a variety of amenities and services, we are here to support whatever needs you may have.