Question

The nurse is caring for a 2-month-old with a cleft palate. The child will undergo corrective surgery at age 3 months. The mother would like to continue breast-feeding the baby after surgery and wonders if it will be possible. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

A) There is a good chance that you will be able to breast-feed almost immediately.
B) Breast-feeding is likely to be possible, but check with your surgeon.
C) After the suture line heals, breast-feeding can resume.
D) We will have to wait and see what happens after the surgery.

Answer 1

Breastfeeding after cleft palate surgery is possible, but should only be resumed after the surgical suture line has healed to avoid compromising the integrity of the repair.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mother of a 2-month-old with a cleft palate is inquiring about the possibility of continuing to breastfeed after the child undergoes corrective surgery at age 3 months. It's important to understand that the ability to breastfeed after cleft palate surgery largely depends on the healing process and the specific recommendations of the surgeon. Realistically, breastfeeding could possibly be resumed after the surgical site has healed sufficiently to allow the baby to create the necessary suckling motion without compromising the integrity of the repair. Therefore, the most appropriate response to the mother would be C) After the suture line heals, breast-feeding can resume. This provides an encouraging outlook while also emphasizing the importance of the healing process after surgery.