Mary, I have had one experience with a baby,( midwife delivered), with a soft
palate cleft, undiagnosed,until baby was 3 months old when the midwife was
puzzled about the baby's slow weight gain.  This was mom's 4th child and she
had successfully breastfed her other children.  There was a small vertical
cleft, about 1/2" in the soft palate that was visible only when baby opened
her mouth really wide, and the back of her tongue was depressed as in crying.
 The obvious sign that something was not right was the way the baby nursed.
 Baby would click with every suck and delatch and then relatched.  Mom was
bent over baby and the milk was practically dripping into baby's mouth. Long
story - shortened. Baby was referred to Cleft lip and Palate programme at a
well-known children's hospital in Toronto and never breastfed again!  The
clinic staff showed a video depicting bottle feeding and haberman nurser was
used, not really successfully either, and mom rationalized that at least now
the other older children were feeling really good about the fact that they
could help feed the baby now! I believe that a cleft in the hard palate and
also a cleft of the lip is better as far as breastfeeding goes.
 Breastfeeding with cleft in the soft palate much more difficult but was
working (at least as well as the haberman nurser) until somebody tried to fix
it!
   New person in the cleft lip and palate clinic now who is more supportive
of breastfeeding.   I'm hopeful.
   Kathleen in Toronto.