Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. 

 It can help.  Really! 

Imagine that you are teaching a child to do this technique.  You might say, "I know that breathing and swallowing with an NG tube is hard but you know, Mermaids are able to breath and smile and enjoy their lives and they live underwater.  That is a much harder place to breath.  You'd think they'd choke and gag all the time but they don't.  So .... would you like to learn how Mermaids breath?  It isn't hard.  It is just like this:  you breathe with your mouth, not your nose.  And you breathe OUT first.  Not in.  Out-of-the-Mouth-first ... every breath.  Do you want to do some Mermaid Breaths with me, and see if that helps?"

No.

Swallowing happens in the mouth.  

Saliva collects in the mouth.

So it's all breathing out-the-mouth

The good news is, most of us breathe out the mouth normally anyway.  Plus, the nose is at half speed with that NG Tube in one nostril.

So ... it's all about the mouth.