The data do indicate babise can go to breast immediately after lip repair
without difficulties. However, those were newborns, not 2 mon olds.

You may wish to discuss with mother that the ability of the baby to
breastfeed will be improved with lip repair, but that the issue of greater
significance is the baby's willingness to do so.  However, do not assume
all is lost. Remember that most babies under 3 months who are adopted will
go to breast--even in the face of exclusive bottle-feedings prior to the
adoption. The younger, the easier this is, but babies are quite tolerant of
what we ask them to do, as long as we are gentle and patient and
consistent.

Why not wait until lip repair is complete (they will likely put an
appliance over it to prevent bottle-feeding from disturbing the repair
site, so breastfeeding can't take place until that is removed anyway) and
then see what baby does.

Sometimes fingerfeeding in an interim period is necessary to teach baby to
be more initaiting in feeds than is the case with bottle-feeding, but often
this is not necessary.

Good luck and let us know what happens/mother decides to do.



         %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
         %% "We are all faced with a series of great  %%
         %% opportunities brilliantly disguised as    %%
         %% impossible situations" - definition of a  %%
         %% lactation consulting service.             %%
         %% Kathleen G. Auerbach, PhD, IBCLC          %%
         %% [log in to unmask]   Homewood, Illinois USA %%
         %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%