First Hospital visit
Description:
If you have received a diagnosis before birth, you will be referred to the cleft team and may have an opportunity to meet with them before the birth. If the cleft is diagnosed after birth, your child’s general health may be assessed by a Paediatrician. A health professional on the maternity ward, will send a referral to the Cleft Team. You will generally see the Cleft Team within the first few weeks of your child’s life.
Things to talk about:
- You will find it useful to contact the Cleft Lip and Palate Support Group for information, reassurance and support. Website:www.cleft.org.nz or Phone: 0800 4 CLEFT
- Before you leave the maternity ward, ask for a contact name and number for your Cleft Team.
- In what circumstances should we contact our Cleft Team? How do we do this?
- You may wish to talk about:
- Your feelings about your baby, and hopes for the future.
- How to handle the feelings of your partner, family, friends and other children.
- Bonding with your baby.
- Ask about access to a needs assessor who can let you know of any financial assistance you may be entitled to. Financial assistance cannot be back dated, so the earlier you enquire the better.
Important information:
- Informing friends and family before they first meet your new baby is a good idea. Refer to section Your role as caregiver - informing family and friends for an information page you can copy for them.
- Most importantly, when you feel you have enough information sit back and enjoy being pregnant and/or your new baby. Obtaining information may make you feel empowered but it can also be draining, and you don’t want to focus too much on the cleft. This baby is a baby first, and a baby with a cleft second. Over time, the focus moves away from the cleft and returns to all those special characteristics which make your baby so unique and wonderful. Enjoy your precious baby - things get easier.
