Pediatric Cleft and Craniofacial Center
Feeding A Child with a Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate
Knowing
how to feed your child with a cleft lip or palate is very important.
If your newborn child has a cleft lip only (with a normal palate),
he/she should be able to eat normally using standard techniques.
They can even breast feed, if you desire. However, if your newborn
has a cleft of the palate, special techniques are required.
-
Make sure your child is eating in an upright position.
Gravity will help prevent milk from coming through the baby's
nose.
This limits choking and gas. It also helps to decrease the
risk of ear infections.
-
If you want to breast feed, you will need to pump your breast
milk, then feed it to your baby through a bottle. Direct breast
feeding is not an option because a child with a cleft palate
cannot generate any suction.
-
Use a cleft palate bottle or other squeezable bottle. You
may make the hole in the nipple bigger by cutting an X in
the
top. With a squeezable bottle, you can actually push the milk
into your child’s
mouth and he/she doesn't need to suck.
-
BURP YOUR BABY FREQUENTLY. Infants with cleft palate tend
to swallow a lot of air during feedings – even when eating
in the upright position.
-
Eventually, feeding time should be no more than 30 minutes
for 2-3 ounces. If it’s taking longer than that, call
us or send us an email. [link to email address] We can
discuss your techniques and offer helpful suggestions.
-
Please schedule weekly visits with Christine, our nurse
practitioner, [link to Christine's contact info] or with your
pediatrician until your child is eating well and
gaining appropriate weight.
The following companies manufacture bottles especially for infants
with cleft palate:
To contact the Cleft and Craniofacial Center or a team member,
please call 585-273-FACE.
