Doctors Offer Mothers of Cleft Lip and Palate Babies Hope for Breastfeeding
Tampa-based Florida Craniofacial Institute surgeons create video "how to" on nursing a newborn with cleft lip and/or palate.
TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In their continued support of mothers who have a newborn with cleft lip and/or palate and wish to nurse, the surgical team of Florida Craniofacial Institute recently produced an informative video on breastfeeding. The video includes the mother nursing the infant patient as well as the team discussing options to overcome challenges such a different holds or special taping systems.
Lead by Pat Ricalde, MD, DDS, FACS and Victoria Palermo, MD, DDS, and with the help of lactation specialist Mary Unangst, the video is part of a series to help educate and empower families whose children are born with cleft or craniofacial differences.
"We want families to have all the information and support possible. Not every mom will be able to breastfeed but, if they want to try, we're doing all we can to help. This video is exciting because so many moms feel like a cleft diagnosis means they won't be able to do certain things a new mom can do for her baby, such as breastfeed," says Dr. Palermo.
Most cleft repair surgeries are scheduled when a baby reaches 10 lbs, or 10 weeks of life. Noting the lack of resources available to moms with cleft babies, Drs. Ricalde and Palermo enlisted the help of a patient's mother and created a video that documents a newborn with an unrepaired cleft during a breastfeeding session. The mother was excited to help with the project because of her own questions and difficulty in finding reliable, functionally-based information.
Dr. Ricalde explains, "In the last 10 years we have seen an increase in the number of cleft lip and/or palate cases with mothers that want to breastfeed their babies. Years ago the medical community advised moms against nursing their cleft baby, but this has all changed over the years. Using our knowledge and experience, and the guidance of an established lactation specialist, we have helped many moms accomplish their goal. Challenges can be overcome and babies with unrepaired clefts can successfully nurse. The bonding experience is amazing to witness."
The video has been released on the practice's website and on various social media platforms. Florida Craniofacial Institute was established in 2005 in Tampa, FL by Dr. Pat Ricalde. For more information or to schedule an interview with Dr. Ricalde or Palermo please call Public Relations Coordinator Caren Mastroianni at 813-404-6503.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIKGbCUT0WE
Florida Craniofacial Institute | 4200 N. Armenia Ave, Suite 3 | Tampa, FL 33607 | 813-870-4200
SOURCE Florida Craniofacial Institue
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