What should an infant be prevented from doing after cleft lip repair?

After a cleft lip repair, it is important to prevent the infant from crying and feeding to avoid undue stress at the surgical site and interference with the healing process. Crying can increase pressure in the mouth and disturb the surgical area, potentially leading to complications like disruption of the repair.

Feeding post-surgery also poses challenges because suckling can cause strain on the newly repaired tissue, risking damage and prolonged healing time. Therefore, the focus should be on minimizing the infant's crying and breastfeeding during the recovery phase to ensure proper healing and avoid additional trauma to the surgical site.

Safety measures usually include using a special feeder designed to reduce suction or using alternative feeding methods until the incision heals adequately, which is often advised by medical professionals following surgery.