Due to the cleft in the lip or palate, the infant usually cannot be fed directly from the mother’s breast. The cleft prevents the creation of a vacuum needed for suckling to adequately stimulate the flow of milk. Feeding an infant with a cleft can be very tiring for the child and frustrating for the parents. Milk is spilt through the open cleft into the air way causing the child to cough.
The most important step in the treatment of cleft infants is FEEDING, because adequate nourishment lays a strong foundation for further procedures and surgeries. Feeding babies with a cleft lip is often very difficult. It is important to be educated on proper feeding methods and to assist new parents with nursery care.
Read also about Feeding, Nursing & Nutrition Program