One of the most challenging things for a baby born with a cleft palate is bottle feeding. Since surgery is not done until the third or fourth month, feeling your baby can be very stressful and challenging. If your baby was born with a cleft lip, cleft palate or both chances are they will stay in the hospital a few extra days. Most cleft palate and cleft lip babies are born via C-Section and some are premature.

In some experiences, parents cannot take their babies home until they can show the doctors and nurses that they are capable of feeding their babies. Babies with cleft lip and palates cannot use pacifiers for drink from regular bottle nipples. They will have to use a special nipple and depending on the severity of the lip and palate there are many different styles to choose from. But the best nipple and bottle on the market is called the Haberman Feeder or the Special Needs Feeder. These bottles are very different in both body and nipple.

Haberman Feeder now called Special Needs Feeder

The Haberman Feeder or Special Needs Feeder comes in two different sizes the 80 ml and the 150ml. The nipple is different than the regular nipples. These nipples come in 2 sizes there is a small nipple and a longer one for babies who are born with cleft palate. Depending on the severity of the cleft will determine which size nipple is best suited for your baby. These bottles come with 4 different parts, the body, the collar, nipple, white membrane and the yellow disc.

The way the bottle works is you fill the bottle with formula and then there is a white membrane and a yellow disc that go together and then you place it on the opening of the bottle and then you place the nipple into the rim and you pop it into place. The way the formula gets into the bottle is by turning the bottle upside down and hold the nipple and the formula will go into the nipple. The trick is to get the baby to suck the formula through the nipple. Babies born with cleft palate and lip have a hard time sucking and that is why they need these special bottles.

To help the baby, try holding the babies cheeks along while they have the nipple in their mouth. Then squeeze the nipple and the checks at the same time. It sounds hard and it is but you get the hang of it and as soon as you feel comfortable the baby will feel comfortable. There are small slits in the nipples so there is no overflow from the bottle. These bottles are great for babies with cleft lip and palate; they can also cut back on the amount of air that goes through the nipples.

Haberman Replacement Parts

One of the most challenging parts about bottle feeding a baby with cleft lip and cleft palate is that they need replacement parts from time to time. These bottle parts are not found in your local drug store or local retail store. These parts can only be found in some specialty stores but mainly online. You can find the nipples and the white membrane, yellow disc and collar in specialty stores like Elite Breastfeeding Supplies in California.

If your baby is in the hospital for a few days after they are born, ask your nurses to send you home with a couple of bottles, this will hold you over for a while. The collar, yellow disc and the white membrane are very cheap to buy they cost as little as $ 1.50 each. The nipples can run something like $ 2.50 to $ 3.50 depending on where you buy from.

Medela Haberman Feeder 80 ML

These feeders are the same as the Haberman but they are called the Medela Haberman. These feeders are good for babies with Down’s Syndrome and Cleft Lip and Palate Babies. These feeders are very important to the growth of your baby. The Medela Haberman Feeder is a one way feeder where once the formula comes out it can’t get back into the bottle so the formula will keep longer.

Babies need nutrition to grow and babies that are born with these challenges need all of the help they can get. These feeders are the perfect way to help them get started. The Haberman nipples are used by most hospitals for babies with these challenges.

It is going to be difficult in the beginning to get your baby used to drinking this way but with a little time and patience you can help your baby get started. Then once the cleft lip and palate are repaired then you won’t need these bottles anymore. Don’t get frustrated because your baby can feel your frustration.

If you need any help make sure that you ask plenty of questions, once you leave the hospital there is not going to be anyone around to show you how to do it so make sure you are comfortable with everything. Have confidence and understand that your little one needs you more than ever.