In a message dated 10/11/02 1:36:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> .  Subsequently,
> plastic surgeons such as Drs Magee and Denk (each  in solo practices in
> Virginia in the US) have been doing early repairs of both lips and palates
> and allow babies to go to breast immed.

Dr Denk will be presenting at the NC LLL Symposium for Health Care
professionals in Nov and I will be presenting also on helping a baby with a
cleft breastfeed/breastmilk feed.
In doing the research for my presentation ( I did this last year) I found
some good info on bfing a baby with a cleft and some really bad info so warn
the mom when she is doing a web search that not all sites are credable.
I have found that sitting the baby on the mom's thigh, facing her breast
helps, along with using the DanCer hand position. However, I also have found
that moms can find variations that work in for their particular baby so try
not to get too strict with her. I also have found that health care
professionals will get into "teaching" mode with these babies, bringing in
students to pry and prod, take pictures, etc.They often will put the baby in
NICU for observation, refer mom to social worker, speech therapist, bring in
the feeding team, etc.  Be the advocate for the mom, remind her that she can
ask them to leave her alone or that she will call when she needs them, and
help her to focus on what is normal, special, wonderful and beautiful in her
baby.

Barb Whitehead, BS, IBCLC
Eastern NC

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