break from graduate school work and relaxing with
LactNet...
I happen to have a bit of experience with cup feeding a child with cleft lip
& palate (unilateral): my youngest brother was born with said problem when I
was 18 years old (still in high school). My mom had no desire to BF
unfortunately, but we did cup feed the baby until after his external surgery
at 3 mos had healed. By that time, of course, he was old enough for a "real"
cup so never had a bottle! We used a small beaker (size of a shot glass,
which is what I use with moms in the home). It worked really well --I still
tell people that I was a pioneer in cup feeding. When I first heard of it's
use for breastfed babies, I was excited as I already had had so much
experience with it! With cleft babies, they must be held semi- upright as
there is more "holes" for the milk to go thru on the way down (i.e. in the
palate), and be prepared that it often comes out the nose with a burp. The
cup feeding method is gentle enough and non-invasive to the mouth, so it can
be used right after the surgery and through out the recovery period, until BF
can be resumed.
KathyRubin IBCLC RN who is overwhelmed with one three credit course!