Feeding Your Cleft Baby

Feeding Your Cleft Baby: Our Recommended Bottles & TipsHaving a baby is a whole new adventure but having a baby with a craniofacial condition like cleft lip or cleft palate, the most common craniofacial anomaly, is a journey. You and your baby are navigating through an unfamiliar path and learning together.

One of the most common problems parents face with cleft babies is feeding. Your baby needs nutrients to grow and strive and will have complications getting those nutrients if you don’t know how to properly feed your baby and don’t have the proper tools.

Here’s our top two favorite bottles and some tips for feeding your cleft baby:

Dr. Brown’s® Specialty Feeding System

Designed in collaboration with medical professionals seeking an oral feeding solution for infants identified with complex feeding challenges such as those often observed in infants with cleft lip and palate, ankyloglossia, high-arched palate, oro-neuromotor dysfunction, common or rare syndromic sequences and/or craniofacial anomalies.

BPA free

 

Easy to clean – dishwasher, sterilize, autoclave, safe

Exhibits a typical feeding bottle design

Dr. Brown’s Specialty Feeding System allows the milk to flow freely, while reducing the amount of air that is entering your babies body. The specialized valve that is inserted into the nipple of the bottle allows your baby to have control of the flow of milk to their system.

Tips:

Before feeding, squeeze the nipple and point the bottle downward so that the nipple is three quarter of the way full with milk, this will make the process smoother for your baby to begin feeding.

Pre-mix your formula in the bottle as the motion of shaking can cause the ventilating system in the bottle to separate causing leaks.

https://www.drbrownsbaby.com/medical/products/specialty-feeding/

SpecialNeeds® Feeder by Medela

The SpecialNeeds Feeder is designed for babies with facial or oral problems that hamper their ability to maintain adequate suction for feeding. The specially designed valve and silicone feeder adjust milk flow to suit baby’s needs.

One way valve

Sensitive to baby’s needs

Variable flow rate controlled by baby and feeder

Medela Special Needs Feeder is our second favorite bottle for your cleft baby because it gives your baby a more natural feeding experience as they can have control of the flow of milk. We also love that it comes in different size, smaller teat for small babies and premature babies. The sleek design also has the appearance of your average baby bottle.

Tips:

Before feeding determine the flow rate you want the feeder to follow, if your baby’s suck is slower make sure to start in the teat position the medium and longest line on the bottle. Medela reccomends that if your baby needs help, “Hold the feeder with the
collar resting in the angle between your thumb and first finger. Gently squeeze and release the straight body section, or reservoir, of the teat.”

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/576/specialneeds-feeder#tabs-horizontal4

Other Tips When It Comes To Feeding Your Cleft Baby

Breastfeeding a baby with a cleft lip is not impossible but may be difficult for baby’s to receive the full nutrients they need. We recommend adjusting the position of the mother’s breast to fill the gap in the lip/gum full in order to functionally breastfeed. We highly recommend breast pumping and using a specialized bottle for cleft babies.

Take your time with your baby and understanding that short feedings are normal as your baby learns to adjust to her new eating habits.

Holding your baby in a semi upright position can prevent an overflow of liquid into their nasal passageway. It’s important to hold their head in a straight line with their chin slightly angled toward the chest.