The Team Russcher Blog has moved!

The Team Russcher Blog has moved!

Please visit us at http://www.teamrusscher.com/g-tube-blog

Black Friday Sale!

The Team Russcher Black Friday Sale is going on NOW at TeamRusscher.Etsy.Com!

Today only -

*DOORBUSTER Holiday Pads - 2 for $3 while supplies last!  Check out our "Holiday" section for pattern selection!

*Take 25% off your entire order* with code BLACKFRIDAY

Happy Shopping!

*Coupon can  not be used on gift certificates, "rush order" fees, or in combination with other coupon codes


Copyright 2015 Team Russcher and Melanie Russcher

Black Friday is Coming Soon!

We're working on something BIG for Black Friday - you won't want to miss it!  Be sure to follow Team Russcher on Facebook and Etsy for more information!

New TeamRusscher.com Website!

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of www.TeamRusscher.com!

Visit us on the web for information on our Team Russcher G-Tube and other Special Needs products. 

Help us celebrate our new home on the web by saving 15% on your order of $5 or more through our Etsy shop!  Just enter code NEWWEB during checkout.

But hurry!  This coupon code expires Nov 14, 2015!

HALLOWEEN FLASH SALE

Our Halloween Flash Sale is going on NOW at the Team Russcher Etsy Shop!  Stock up on Christmas G-Tube Pads, or create a custom feeding tube belt for your little ghoul.

Today only, take 20% off your entire order with code: SPOOKY

Team Russcher wishes you a Happy and Safe Halloween!

Benefits of Using Coolers for G-Tube Feeds

There are two main benefits of using coolers for G-Tube feeds that every tube-feeding family should know about.  These are Food Safety and Convenience.

FOOD SAFETY

When kept at temperatures between 55-75 degrees, Abbot Nutrition provides the following guidelines on formula hang times on their website:

"Ready-to-use feedings that have been prepared using clean techniques to decant them into administration containers may be hung safely at the bedside for eight to 12 hours....
Hang time for reconstituted powdered products for use in adults should be limited to four hours.

In all cases, label instructions should be followed to ensure sanitary handling techniques."

 

For families that bolus feed using a pump these hang times may be irrelevant - often bolus feeds are done rather quickly.  For other families, like ours, food safety was still an issue with bolus feeds. 
Allison had a very sensitive stomach, and her feedings ran for as long as 2 hours before we switched her G-Tube to a GJ-Tube and started running continuous feeds.  We experienced clumping and "browning" of formula in used tubing in as little as an hour on warm summer days. 

For all formula types, Abbot Nutrition increases these times to at least 24 hours upon refrigeration.  Cooler bags can provide a refrigerated environment with the use of ice packs and provide important protection from food spoilage.

CONVENIENCE

Rigorous feeding schedules, especially during the night, are exhausting.  For months we fed Allison 2 hours on, 1 hour off.  Our powdered formula required us to rinse the bag between feedings, refill and reprime for every feed to comply with the 4 hour hang time requirement.  It was hard.

When I made our first cooler bag our life became so much easier!  We were able to mix multiple feedings at a time and eliminate the need to rinse and prime the bag after each one.  We simply unhooked the bag tubing from her extension and tucked it up in the cooler to store in between meals.  Later, when we switched to a GJ-Tube, continuous feeds were a breeze.



Alli's first IV Pole Cooler

 

With a cooler bag, travelling was also much easier with our little tubie since we were able to mix enough food for our entire adventure at once instead of stopping while we were out.  We were also able to turn feeds on and off in the night without waking her up! 

Team Russcher cooler bags have been designed with busy tube feeding families in mind - we were one!  Our bags have a waterproof fabric on the inside to keep condensation in (and bag leaks, they happen).  A layer of insulated batting keeps heat out and cold in.  We also provide plenty of room for you to use an ice pack or two, yet our 500ml bags are small enough to stuff into a small backpack!

We offer "IV Pole Style" bags with a top hook to hang from a pole or hook, and "Car Seat Style" bags with straps to hook around a car seat, chair, or crib rung.  We also offer front pockets for an additional fee, which eliminate the need to carry a backpack for the pump!

Our coolers are machine washable.

Let us make your tube feeding journey safer and more convenient with one of our custom coolers.  You can check them out here: http://etsy.me/1sIgGJ7

Blog readers - take 10% off your custom cooler order through 10/31/15 with code: BLOGCOOLER

One Year Anniversary

Happy One Year Anniversary Team Russcher!

 

On August 11, 2014 we officially announced the creation of Team Russcher to our friends and family on Facebook!

 

Here's a look back at our first year:

 

We began making feeding tube gear for our sweet Allison Ruth while she was still in the NICU.  Over the next few months our products were tweaked as she grew and her needs changed.  In August, we launched Team Russcher to help us raise money for our trip to Johns Hopkins for Alli's treatment.  We were able to make our trip this past June!

  

Team Russcher has given our family a way to support the special needs community by providing affordable gear that makes daily life a little easier and more comfortable.  Our cute designs and popular characters bring smiles to the faces of our special friends and their caregivers, and help make their medical needs more approachable.  In one year, Team Russcher has shipped more than 125 custom orders all over the United States and Canada!  Amazing!!

 

To keep up with our orders, we've expanded our work area from a small desk in the dining room of our house to an entire room!  Since Team Russcher was created for Allison, it only made sense that we should continue our work with her room as our studio, which we lovingly refer to as the Princess Cave.  The extra space has made us much more efficient while providing room to increase our fabric offerings.

 

In the past several months, we have expanded from custom feeding tube gear to trach supplies and items to help support the breast feeding and cloth diapering communities!  We have also made adding ready-to-ship products a priority.  We are loving the variety in our shop, and we hope you are too! 

 

Team Russcher has also given me (Melanie) a way to be creative through all of the heartache of the last few months.  Tubie gear was my project with Allison - we used to sit together and work on orders every night.  We love our tubie friends, and I know she would want me to keep taking care of them! 

 

Celebrate our anniversary with us by taking 10% off your order of any amount from our Etsy shop with code: ANNIVERSARY  :)  But hurry - this offer is only good 8/11/15 - 8/14/15!

Please visit Allison's memorial foundation, the Princess Alli Foundation <3

Team Russcher

Welcome to the new home of Team Russcher on the internet!  We are excited to have all of our product information in one spot!

Team Russcher was founded in 2014 by the Russcher family in order to provide cute tubie gear for our daughter, Allison Ruth.  We are happy to offer our products to help make medical gear more approachable and fun!  We love our tubie friends <3

We are also proud to offer products to help support breastfeeding, trach pads, and other fun gifts. 

We are currently using Etsy's selling platform for most of our product sales.  However, there are a few items that we **Flash sale** on our Facebook page!  Make sure you LIKE us on Facebook to get new product information, info on our flash sales, and COUPON CODES!

Please check out Allison's memorial foundation, The Princess Alli Foundation, at www.PrincessAlliFoundation.org