Some Words of Advice

For those of you who follow Rachel's Journey because you also have a journey like mine, having a child affected by a cleft of some sort, I have a few words of advice that I'd like to offer up.

If your baby was born with a cleft lip, don't be afraid to take pictures. Once your baby has their lip repaired, you'll be surprised at how attached you had become to that face and smile you came to know and love. When Rachel was 4 weeks old, I made it a point to take her for professional pictures before her lip was repaired. I've never regretted it. Taking pictures is a way to document your baby's constant change and development. For a breif time following surgery, you'll miss that 'wide smile' and you'll regret not having pictures to look back at if you didn't take any.

If your baby has a cleft palate, before the palate repair, take video of the words, noises, and babbling he/she makes. After their palate is repaired, you'll be amazed at how different her/his cries, babbling, and words will sound. We didn't do this with Rachel and it's something I wish we had done. The thought never crossed my mind. I never thought her noises would change so much.

Just some words of advice from a mom who's "Been There, Done That" and has learned a thing or two along the way. :)