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 %% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%