Question: Which Feeding Method Is Best For The Infant With A Cleft Lip And Palate?
Pumping breast milk and using specialty bottles are supported as a way of feeding a baby with a cleft palate. The Breastfeeding and Lactation Program at CHOP, or a local lactation consultant, may be of great benefit to you and your baby as you attempt to establish good feeding behaviors.
How do you feed an infant with a cleft lip?
Most babies born with a cleft lip (and no cleft palate) feed well without any special equipment. They usually can breastfeed or use a regular bottle-feeding system. The only change needed might be positioning the nipple so the baby can latch.
How do you feed a baby after cleft lip and palate repair?
Drinking and Eating
- Give soft, pureed or mashed foods for 3 weeks.
- Do not give foods that have chunks, lumps or pieces, such as seeds, grains, pulp or skin.
- Do not give hard, crunchy foods such as cold cereal, cookies, crackers or chips.
- Use only a spoon for feeding.
- Do not let your child feed themself.
Can you cup feed a baby with cleft palate?
Cup Feeding the Infant with Cleft Lip and/or Palate Breastfeeding must be discontinued for at least 3 weeks after surgery, causing possible breast engorgement for mother and decrease in milk supply. Child must be cup feeding before palate repair. Changing from bottle to cup can be upsetting for mother and baby.
Why careful feeding is needed in an infant with cleft lip and cleft palate?
Babies with clefts have trouble with feeding because it changes how parts of the mouth are formed and how they work and fit together. Cleft lip makes it hard for babies to make a good seal around the nipple. Cleft palate makes it hard to create suction because the mouth cannot be closed off from the nose.
What is the most effective feeding positioning to decrease nasopharyngeal regurgitation during feeding?
The nasopharyngeal regurgitation often can be decreased or eliminated with positional changes (upright) and by the use of specialized feeding systems with placement of the nipple away from the cleft during feeding.
How does a Haberman Feeder work?
The feeder’s design enables the feeder to be activated by tongue and gum pressure, imitating the mechanics involved in breastfeeding, rather than by sucking. A one-way valve separates the nipple from the bottle. Milk cannot flow back into the bottle and is replenished continuously as the baby feeds.
Which is the best time to surgical repair of cleft palate?
Cleft palates are typically repaired between 8 and 12 months of age. Clefts of the soft palate can usually be repaired early (8 to 10 months of age). Clefts of the hard and soft palate are best repaired later (10 to 12 months of age).
How do you care for a baby after a cleft lip?
Two to three weeks are needed before healing is complete. After a cleft lip repair, care must be taken not to bump your child’s lip — the area is very fragile. Your child can feed using the same method as before surgery. Care should be taken to avoid placing any hard objects such as straws into the mouth.
How do you feed someone with cleft palate?
Use a specialized cleft palate bottle as demonstrated by your baby’s medical team. Place your baby in an upright, sitting position to prevent the formula from flowing back into the nose area. Keep the bottle tilted so the nipple is always filled with milk and pointed down away from the cleft.
How does cleft palate affect feeding?
A cleft is an opening or split in the palate. This cleft can make feeding hard for your baby. Most babies with a cleft of the palate are not able to use standard bottles or solely breast feed because they cannot create the suction needed to draw the milk out of the nipple.
What is a good latch score for breastfeeding?
The total score ranges from 0 to 10; the higher the score, the more the chances of successful breastfeeding (Table 1). A LATCH score of 0–3 is regarded as poor, 4–7 as moderate, and 8–10 as good.
How can I prevent my baby from having a cleft lip?
What can you do to help prevent cleft lip and cleft palate in your baby?
- Take folic acid.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
- Get a preconception checkup.
- Get to a healthy weight before pregnancy and talk to your provider about gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.
What is IMS Act?
In 1992, India adopted the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (IMS) Act. The IMS Act comprehensively bans all forms of promotion of foods marketed to children up to two years of age. It also bans sponsorship to health care professionals and health organizations by these infant formula companies.
What causes a baby to have a cleft lip?
Causes and Risk Factors Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.
