What happens at the hospital following surgery?
After lip surgery, a child will have stitches in the lip and nasal area. There will be some swelling and bruises near the lip and nose, and some bloody drainage around the nostrils. Most teams recommend that a baby return to bottle- or breast-feeding after this operation.

After palate surgery, there may be some bloody drainage through the nose and mouth. This drainage usually appears pink in color and stops after several hours. If you have any concerns, be sure to speak with the hospital staff and members of your cleft team to confirm that everything is okay.

After lip and palate surgery, your team may recommend that your baby wear arm restraints made of stiff material. These restraints are not uncomfortable for a baby. They are designed to keep a baby’s hands away from the surgical site so it can heal.

What happens during a child’s recovery at home?
After returning home from the hospital after surgery, your child may be fussy or irritable for a few days and may require medication for pain. The team may instruct you to administer a soft-food diet for some time after surgery. Your child may also be asked to wear arm restraints to protect the surgical site (as mentioned above).

A baby’s sleep cycle is likely to be disrupted after returning home from the hospital after surgery. Some babies do not want to sleep at night and may take more naps during the day. Be sure you are getting rest during this time, as well. It can be difficult to care for a baby if you are tired, too.

It is important to bring your child to follow-up appointments as needed and to follow all the discharge instructions from the team.

Citations:

American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association. Preparing for Surgery. ACPAcares.org. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://acpacares.org/resource-center/.

Page reviewed by Pat Ricalde, DDS, MD; ACPA Family Resources Committee