>I am email counseling a mom that has a baby that she says has just been
diagnosed with mild cleft palate, the baby is almost a month old.

Melisa
Am working with a very similar mother & baby myself.  Emailed you directly
as my response is long.  I am
consulting with the LC she has met with twice as well as her midwife.  This
mother is aggressively pumping & bottlefeeding with the Haberman bottle.
Baby does not
have a strong suck or rooting & food-seeking behaviors.

Baby is seeing a chiropractor next week.  Baby is being suck-trained with
Haberman.  This next week we are hoping to get the baby part-time @ the
breast using a nipple shield with an SNS.

Parents took baby to a
specialist who said they won't operate until baby is 1 year & if feeding
problems occur they can fit the baby with a prosthetic plate. This may have
to occur but LC is reluctant to introduce anything new to baby now.

THE PART THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT YOUR CASE IS THE COMMENT ABOUT CONGESTION.
IS THIS LUNG CONGESTION?  THE DANGER WITH THESE SWEET LITTLE ONES IS THAT
THEY MAY ASPIRATE INTO THEIR LUNGS.

Has this baby seen a specialist?  Did she locate a local LC w/ suck
training expertise?

Good luck!
Kimberly Anthony
LLL Leader & Mommy to 2 beautiful nursers!

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