Breastfeeding a child born with a cleft lip or palate assures that mother and baby spend lots of cuddling time together. If breastfeeding is initiated right after birth, closeness between mother and baby will be enhanced. Mothers and babies find the skin to skin contact during breastfeeding calming and comforting. The soft breast is ideal for the baby's mouth. The flexibility of the breast allows it to be molded to compensate for abnormalities of the baby's lip or mouth.
Early practice helps baby imprint on the breast.
Although choking due to milk leakage into the nose is a common problem when there is an opening in the soft or hard palate, human milk is a natural bodily fluid that is not irritating to the mucous membranes. Therefore, breastmilk is the optimal choice for feeding a cleft lip or palate baby. A baby needs to suck for comfort as well as nourishment. Breastfeeding allows a baby to spend time at the breast sucking for comfort as well as for feeding. At The Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, we encourage breastfeeding after surgical repair.