Torri,
My son was born on Feb 9th with a unilateral cleft lip and palate and he has not had his first operation yet. He was scheduled to go at five weeks old, but it was canceled because he got sick. They now realize he also needs ear tubes, and want to do the operations toegether. I don't know if there really is a perfect time. When he was first born I was so anxious to get it over with and wanted to have the operation right away. Then I started to read about it and realized they often want these babies to be 10 weeks old and at least 10 lbs before ever considering operations. Remember, there are many risks with any surgery and especially on young babies - so you need to do what is best for your baby. I remember feeling like I could handle the situation better, the stares, the questions, if he had his surgery right away, but now after learning more about everything I can be patient and wait for the best time for my baby. You have to trust your doctors, they have been doing this for a long time, and trust that you know what is best for your child. I love to hear about early success stories, espeically when it is beneficial for the baby - such as helping with feeding, etc. but sooner isn't always better for every baby.
Sorry so long...feel free to e-mail me and we can talk further (
mikegago@etv.net)
Jenny - Mother of Ryan