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Cleft Lip and Palate starting solids

Shelley - posted on 11/16/2009 ( 1 mom has responded )

1

16

Hi, I'm from New Zealand and I have a beautiful and healthy 6 month old daughter who was born with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate which was diagnosed at our 20 week ultrasound. She has been a fantastic baby and luckily she has always fed well. She has had her lip and nose repair surgery which went well and we are awaiting her soft palate repair in late Jan or early Feb 2010. I have recently started her on solids, she is fine with all runny foods (they do still come out her nose but I expected that), I'm wondering what others have tried when it comes to things like toast etc, I tried her with some the other day and she loved it but once it got soggy a piece broke off and got lodged in her gap at the front and obviously caused her quite a bit of pain, it has put me off trying anything other than very runny foods but this can't go on forever I would really appreciate any tips or advice you could give me on how to manage this challenge.

Thanks

Shelley

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Michelle - posted on 11/16/2009

14

65

I completely understand your frustration. My daughter was born with the same thing 8 years ago. I would suggest staying with the more softer foods until she is able to control her tounge and everything a little more as she eats. She will be able to have harder foods like toast and such foods, but I would wait until she is a little bit older. She will have food coming out of her nose for a while, but as she gets older and it annoys her she will learn to control it until one day...you realize she has gone through a full day of not having anything come out of her nose while eating. It will be a joyous occassion :)



I hope this helps and if you would like...I would like to stay in touch in case you have any more questions that maybe only other parents in the same situation can answer. It's something I wish I could've had when my daughter was growing up.

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