Cleft Palate Foundation

FAQs for Parents of a Newborn

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A to Z: What’s first?
If there’s a baby in your world, congratulations! If the baby is affected by cleft issues, there are a few things to think about, a few things to do, and a few pieces of information that may be helpful to you as you and baby begin your life together:

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Hope, born with cleft lip and palate, with her parents and brother.

  • Take a deep breath. Both before and after their arrival, babies can be exhausting. Learning that your family’s newest addition may bring some unexpected experiences along with his or her arrival can take a bit of adjustment. Catch your breath, encourage family members and friends to do the same, and remember that medical communities and hospitals all over the world offer great care for cleft issues.
  • Request booklets and brochures for parents of newborns. Email CPF, or call, 1.800.242.5338. Provide your name, phone number, mailing address and email address.

What is cleft lip and cleft palate?

A cleft lip is an opening in the lip. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth. Clefts result from incomplete development of the lip or palate while the baby is forming before birth. Babies’ lips and palates develop separately during the first three months of pregnancy. In most cases, the left and right parts of the lip come together, or “fuse,” creating the two vertical lines on the normal upper lip. In a similar way, the left and right parts of the palate come together to create a normal palate. The front-to-back line that can usually be seen along the roof of a normal mouth indicates where “fusion” occurred.

Why didn’t our baby’s mouth fully develop?
We don’t know the answer to this question, but it was not because you did something wrong. Sometimes clefts run in families, and in many cases, they rely on genetic predisposition. Some clefts occur in combination with other problems and are associated with a syndrome. It was not your fault. Scientists have learned that there are many possible causes for clefts. Research is under way to discover more about these causes.

How many babies are born with clefts?
Cleft lip and/or palate make up the most common birth defect in the United States. Approximately one out of every 594 newborns, or over 6,800 children, per year in the U.S. is affected by cleft lip and/or palate.

What can be done to help our baby?
A cleft lip can usually be repaired in the first few months of life. A cleft palate can usually be repaired some months later. The exact timing of these repairs depends on the baby’s health and considerations of his or her future development, as determined by the doctor who performs the surgery.

Can our baby be fed properly?

Will our baby’s teeth grow properly?

Will our baby have trouble learning to talk?

Will our baby be mentally retarded?

How can we pay for the treatment our baby will need?


How can we tell our relatives and friends about the baby’s cleft?

I’ve read the word hare lip what does it mean?
The word “hare” refers to a rabbit, which has a natural indentation in the center of its lip. The term is rarely used by professionals, because it is inaccurate and insensitive. “Cleft lip” is the correct description of the condition.

How can I get more information?
The Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF) has a number of publications for parents of children with clefts, including booklets on infant feeding, on the child from birth to four years, on the school- aged child, and on genetics. Modern care of a child born with a cleft lip or cleft palate is best managed by a team of medical, dental, speech, and other specialists. Ask your doctor to refer you to a “cleft palate team” in your community or state, or call the number listed below to help locate one.

Don’t see your specific question here?
Call us: 1-800-24-CLEFT or send us an email