Good Morning, I'm always on a mission it seems trying to find a better way to feed Graeme (soft cleft palate). We use the Mead bottles but have been trying different nipples and now too the Playtex bottles with the plastic liners. I've tried them before with Stage 1 nipples and just pressing on the liner to feed him but I made a discovery yesterday that is working, as he's getting bigger and stronger his suction is getting a little better I find. I bought the Natural Latch nipples in Stage 2 for babies 3-6 months, Graeme is 8 weeks now, well it worked... he takes the bottle without the assistance of us squeezing it into him. So I'll play with that some more and see what's better. I just figured if I end up switcing to formula that the Playtex system is more portable. I also had a better attempt at nursing him yesterday, so maybe I need to work on that with him and getting him comfortable eating that way, maybe there's still hope that he'll nurse.
What has been the success of anyone with nursing their babies with a cleft of the soft palate only??? Any helpful advice? Also how are the Pigeon bottles? I've looked those up too?
A lot of what I could find on nursing is that it isn't very successful with soft cleft palate (even in the La Leche information). I have dedicated all my efforts to pumping my milk and I would like to see if I can't give nursing another shot before I give it all up and go to bottles.
Graeme's surgery will likely be in May at 6 months old.
Thanks
Holly