I have my first patient with a unilateral cleft lip and a bilateral
cleft palate,

I have been searching for any info on this, I have searched the archives
but they are SLOW tonight, I did find this on another web page, what do
you all think?

Subject: Cleft and Nursing: The BASIC Facts

     (c) 1997 Wide Smiles
     This Document is from WideSmiles Website - www.widesmiles.org
     Reprint in whole or in part, with out written permission from Wide
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     CLEFT AND NURSING: THE BASIC FACTS

     by Joanne Green

     1) A child with a cleft lip CAN and most likely WILL successfully
nurse
        at the breast.

     2) The alveolar ridge does NOT determine whether a child can nurse
at
        the breast or not.

     3) A child with a cleft palate does NOT possess the mechanics
necessary
        to allow him/her to nurse at the breast.

     4) A child with an intact lip and/or alveolar ridge BUT a cleft
palate
        is NOT likely to successfully nurse at the breast.

     5) Very few babies can nurse at the breast after palate repair.

     6) Lip repair will NOT facilitate nursing at the breast.

     7) If a child has a cleft of the soft palate, an obturator will not
        facilitate nursing at the breast.

     8) Exceptions to all of the above occur, but are exceptionally
rare.
        These exceptions are based on a combination of the unique
character
        of each individual cleft and of a mother's ability to let down,
the
        size of the breast tissue, etc.

     9) In ALL cases, each mother/child team must learn what they can
and
        cannot accomplish.  Nursing at the breast may be a family's
FIRST
        choice, but it is not their ONLY choice.

     10) As much as we would like to think otherwise, doctors, nurses,
and
         even lactation consultants may NOT know about breastfeeding a
child
         with a cleft. Their degree and/or certification does not
necessarily
         prepare them for the unique challenges of nursing a
cleft-affected
         child at the breast.
--
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Cindy Curtis , RN, IBCLC  ~ Virginia , USA
ICQ # 412812          mailto:[log in to unmask]
Benefits of Breastfeeding Home Page http://www.erols.com/cindyrn