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Lactation for Infant with Cleft Lip or PalateAka: Breast Feeding for Infant with Cleft Lip, Breast Feeding for Infant with Cleft Palate

See Also
1. Breast Feeding Problems for the Infant
2. Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate
Breast Feeding is very advantageous in this group
1. Lower infection risk before and after repair
2. Strengthens facial muscles and eases repair
Suggestions
1. Consider Palatal obturator plate
  1. Plastic dental appliance
  2. Covers cleft in palate and improves suck
  3. Do not delay Breast Feeding waiting for plate
    1. Plate is optional
    2. Breast Feeding can occur without plate
2. Prepare breast prior to feeding (enhances let-down)
3. Nurse upright if not using obturator
  1. Infant faces mother while sitting in her lap
  2. Legs straddle mother's body
4. Asymmetric defect in lip or palate
  1. Hold side with defect against breast
5. Hold as much breast as possible in infant's mouth
  1. Optimizes mouth to breast seal
  2. Mother leans slightly forward
  3. Stabilize infants chin/jaw with index and thumb
6. Consider Breast Pump usage

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.