I am looking for some input for a mom I am working with whose baby has a
cleft lip, her palate is intact. Her baby started out nursing well, at about
8 days her baby was fitted with an appliance covering her gum line and goes
all the way back to the soft palate. It also has a small hook coming off it
which goes to her nose which helps shape her nose. The problem is this baby
is now not able to draw the breast tissue back, to get a deep latch, I don't
think she can feel it well. She is sucking with a shallow latch, the other
problem is it is very painful for mom to nurse with the appliance in place,
she has developed some trauma to her nipple allready. She can nurse her
without the appliance two times a day when she takes it out to clean it, and
the baby does great. This is a very easy going baby and willing to work with
different positions, but it is hard putting the appliance in and out,
removing the tape etc.
I tried several different positions and nothing helped either baby's suck or
mom's pain. I tried a nipple shield and that did nothing for baby's suck but
it did take care of the pain. It has been taking mom 1hr or longer to feed
30cc's, baby is getting exhausted and mom is worried. I helped her feed the
baby by using a squeeze bottle which helped the baby take in more br milk
faster.
She is not having surgery for three months and has to wear this appliance
until then.
 I would appreciate some input from anyone out there that has any experience
with this appliance. I am told this is standard practice now. Any literature
I have read concentrates on after surgery. I wish they would consider earlier
surgery but I don't think this is an option at this time.
I can be e-mailed at [log in to unmask]   Thank you Nuala Murphy RN IBCLC

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