Will l be able to Breast Feed?
I recently had a mom call me to discuss her nursery experience and ask for guidance in feeding her baby who was born with a cleft palate. She was committed to breast feeding and convinced that her baby was breast feeding successfully but the weight scale proved otherwise. The feeding specialist at the hospital wanted her to pump and feed the baby breast milk with one of the special feeders that do not require suction. The mother feared that using a bottle would put an end to any chance of nursing in the future. I understood this mother’s concern but I don’t think my response was what this mother had hoped for.
I am delighted when breast feeding is successful but we do not see many babies who successfully breast feed when there is an overt cleft of the palate. Often we see infants who attempt to breast feed become too tired at the breast and fall asleep before getting a complete feed in. We do not discourage attempting to breast feed but it is important that the infant get enough nutrition and fluids to grow well.
Even though you may not be able to nurse your baby, you may be able pump and provide enough breast milk to meet your baby’s nutritional needs. We recommend you see a lactation specialist to assist you in establishing an adequate supply of breast milk.
Feeding a baby with a cleft palate takes some effort as you and the baby learn together what method works. We do expect to see the natural reflexes of rooting, latching to the nipple and swallowing. The suck and swallow movements can sometimes look as though the baby is getting plenty of milk. However, a baby born with a cleft palate usually does not have enough suction to draw milk from the breast or from a regular bottle. The baby may become fussy or tired from trying so hard and fall asleep without finishing a feed. When this happens we know we need to move to one of the specialty bottles made for babies with weak suction. (see “Feeding an Infant with a Cleft”).
It is not unusual for a mother who learns she cannot breast feed to experience a sense of loss. We know this disappointment can be experienced as grief. If these feelings continue, it may be linked to postpartum depression. Do discuss this with your physician.