Cleft Lip Palate Feeding Bottles and Teats

Pigeon cleft palate teats and squeeze bottles:

• The teats have a Y- cut and come with an air valve so that milk flows evenly and reduces the amount of air the baby swallows during sucking. This cleft palate bottle comes with 2 teats and 2 valves.
• Available from Cleft Pals Equipment Coordinator (02) 9729 0998 or NSW branch (02) 9294 8944.
• Also available from the chemist in the foyer of the Children's Hospital at Westmead and HavenHall Pty Ltd (02) 9316 9810.
• See Using the Pigeon Cleft Palate Teat fact sheet.

Chu Chu Easy Feed Teat:

• This teat is made of clear silicon. The flat part of the teat acts as a palate. The infant only needs to apply slight tongue pressure to the teat causing the cross cut to open and milk to flow out.
• This teat can be used with the Traz CHU CHU bottle (Queensland squeeze bottle), the Pigeon squeeze bottle and the Mam bottle.
• Available from Traz Chu Chu (02)4936 4322 or fax (02)4936 4122.
• Also available from CleftPALS and the chemist in the foyer of the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

Medela Special Needs Feeder: (previously known as the Haberman feeder)

• The Medela teat is long and narrow. It comes in 2 sizes, the mini and also a standard size.
• The Medela feeder is useful to try with babies who are having feeding difficulties and have not fed successfully with the above teats.
• The teat is squeezed rather than the bottle itself. It has a slit. The flow of milk can be altered from slow, medium to fast according to the way the baby is feeding.
• The teat and cap fit on standard bottles.
• The teat and bottle are purchased as a set and are more expensive than other teats listed here.
• Available from most chemists who stock Medela products.
• Available from CleftPALS and the chemist in the foyer of the Children's Hospital at Westmead.
• Also available from Medela on 1800 787 345.
• See Medela Special Needs Feeder fact sheet.

Other products to try:

Teats

• Orthodontic teats such as the Nuk may assist lip closure around the teat because of its broad base.
• Fast flow cross cut teats could also be tried.
• The above teats are available from chemists.

Bottles

• Mam bottle: This bottle is soft and easy to squeeze. It can be used with the Chu Chu Easy Feed teat. It can also be used with the Pigeon teat and valve. The Pigeon collar needs to be used on this bottle. Refer to the photo below.