Brooks: In Mom's Words!

"This is Brooks! We found out at 20 weeks pregnant that he was going to have a bilateral cleft lip and palate. We were initially very worried. There was a lot of unknowns. I got into the cleft groups on facebook & started to see all the other moms who went through this journey and it really helped us cope and feel like everything would be ok. We also met with our pediatric surgeon who specializes in clefts while still pregnant to prepare ourselves. He put our mind at ease and we believe he will be in good hands when it’s time for surgery! Brooks was born on February 12th 2024 at 40 weeks. He was 6 pounds 8 ounces and 19 inches long. He spent only one night and one day in the NICU. One of the challenges most cleft babies face is not being able to feed properly but Brooks took to the Medela Haberman specialty bottle and otherwise is a very healthy baby. We got to come home on day 3 and Brooks has been growing and smiling every day. He will have his first surgery, a lip/ nose repair at 3 months & his palate repair after 12 months. He is such a blessing to our lives."