Upcoming Surgery

[Carlie]

Hi Everyone!
I have a 10 week old baby girl and she is going to have her first surgery in 2 and a half weeks. I'm really scared. I am so glad there are web sites out there like this. What can I expect the day after her surgery, the week after? I don't know what to expect. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Right after surgery..you will be in shock to see your baby girl with a new smile! It was an amazing moment in my life to see my son's new look. She will be swollen, bloody and in and out of sleep. Some reactions to the anesthsia are different. Feeding at first for us, was done out of a syringe. My the end of the 10 days we were able to have a bottle again. It takes some time to get in the swing of feeding ..but it will work out. The arm restraints will be worn for about 10 days depending on your doc. She will need lots of love and before you know it...she will be back to her old self. I switched to a normal bottle after the lip repair. Playtex disposable with an ortho nipple. I just put in extra holes. Good luck and God bless. You are going to be the happiest mommy in the world!

[Jo - mum ot Olivia]

Is your first surgery for the lip/nose repair only?


My little girl had her lip/nose repaired at 4 weeks of age,
weighing only 7lb in weight and I, like you, was so
scared. I had been used to her cute cleft smile and feeding
her as we used to say "up her nose"!!


The first thing to cause upset for me was that they do a lot of
tests on them which check everything is fine - blood tests, scans of their
bodies (like the ultrasound you will have had when you were pregnant). These
do not hurt them but be ready for a lot of crying!!


Then you have the fasting before the operation which my little girl did not like
- she liked to drink milk a litte and often and did not like the time
she could not drink pre the op.


I got upset knowing she would look different - it is a strange emotion but you
feel you don't want her face to change.


Then for her to be taken away - I did not see her put to sleep as I would have found
this harrowing - I just let a lovely nurse take her. The wait while they are in theatre is
so unbearable but the relief when you are called to get them from the
recovery room is amazing. My little one has sensitive skin so was quite bruised on her
nose eyes and mouth and seemed so vulnerable and more amazingly so different.


After the op you will have the drip in to enable them not to become dehydrated - in the UK where
I am each baby is monitored and the drip stays in depending on how they take the milk.


If you are having a palate operation at the same time it is harder for the babies as inside the mouth is
very sore so feeding is slower.


After the operation in the UK we had to give water after every milk feed to enable the stitches were
cleaned of milk and to reduce the infection risk. Olivia had her lip stitches out a week after her operation and
the tension stich they put in her nose a few days after this.


With the palate repair the stitches dissolve in their own time.


I could not believe how different Olivia looked after the first operation, and even her
cry changed which was strange for me.


She looked like a "normal baby" and I was so thankful to the docs. The palate operation that she had
at 9 months was, after a month or so getting over it, the best thing ever as she ate so good after it.


I am happy to chat more - sorry if I have gone on too much.


Good luck to you and your family.


Jo - email oliviaandjo@yahoo.com

[Linda]

My daughter had her first surgery at 3 months old. She had her unilateral cleft lip repaired, her nose straightened and tubes put in her ears. It was an outpatient procedure - in at 8:00 am out at noon!


The hardest part was seeing her in recovery with blood on her mouth, nose and ears - and not recognizing her. She looked so different and at first I didnt like the change. She looked so much different than the baby that went in to surgery. It takes a little while to get used to the new look - but rest assured you will love it.


She had very little post surgical pain and was able to take a bottle within hours of the procedure. She did not require anything stronger than Tylenol for the discomfort. The stitches disolved by themselves within 10 days or so.


I found that a soft cross-cut orthodontic nipple worked best for her for feeding (they push the nipple against the roof of their mouth with their tongue and the milk pours out so there is no sucking involved).


Take lots of pictures before the surgery - you will cherish them later!


Good luck and God bless. Feel free to e-mail me at Pony3131@aol.com if you need to talk with someone.