Nazan Neslihan DOĞAN KOCABIYIK, Özgül SALİHOĞLU
The European Research Journal - 2026;12(9):1031-1039
Objective: Feeding difficulties are common in neonates with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP/L) and may delay breastfeeding initiation. This study aimed to evaluate feeding outcomes and practical bedside feeding strategies in neonates with CP/L managed in a tertiary hospital. Methods: This retrospective case series included neonates with CP/L hospitalized in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between January 2020 and April 2026. Demographic characteristics, cleft type, associated anomalies, respiratory support requirements, feeding methods, time to first breastfeeding, time to full enteral feeding, hospitalization duration, discharge weight, and feeding outcomes at discharge were reviewed. Results: Twelve neonates with CP/L were included. Complete cleft palate was the most common anomaly (n = 7, 58%). One infant with trisomy 18 died before enteral feeding was established and was excluded from discharge feeding analyses. Among the remaining 11 infants, the median time to first breastfeeding was 2 days (range, 2-25 days), the median time to full enteral feeding was 6 days (range, 2-39 days), and the median length of hospitalization was 10 days (range, 7-65 days). Feeding tolerance was satisfactory in 10 of 11 surviving infants. At discharge, 9 infants were receiving breastfeeding either exclusively or with bottle feeding. Delayed transition to oral feeding was mainly observed in syndromic infants and those requiring respiratory support. Conclusions: In this cohort, many nonsyndromic neonates with CP/L achieved successful oral feeding with simple bedside feeding strategies and breastfeeding support. Within the limitations of this case series, routine reliance on specialized feeding devices was not necessary to achieve oral feeding in most nonsyndromic infants.
