NAM (Nasoalveolar Molding) & Taping

The day after we got home from the hospital (Oct 26) we had an appointment to meet with Dr. Lacey. It was hard to have to get out of the house so soon after getting home but it was important to get treatment started. Dr. Lacey is the plastic surgeon who will be doing Wyatt's surgeries. At this first appointment he took a look at Wyatt's cleft and reviewed with us the process for repairing it. Wyatt's first surgery will be in January to close the lip and dental ridge. Dr. Lacey told us the cleft was wide, approximately 5 mm. The next time we see the doctor will be one month before surgery. In the meantime he referred us to an orthodontist at the University of Minnesota.

The orthodontist will help prepare Wyatt for surgery by aligning the cleft and getting it as close together as possible using a NAM (Nasoalveolar Molding) device and taping. We met with the orthodontist for the first time when Wyatt was a week and a half old (Nov 2). The orthodontist is amazing. We love her. Wyatt doesn't like her as much but he will when he gets older because she is going to help us prepare for the best possible results with his surgery. At his first appointment the doctor showed us how to tape Wyatt's lip and took impressions to make his NAM (Nasoalveolar Molding) device. We went back the following week (Nov 5) to get his NAM and will have weekly appointments to make adjustments until his surgery.

Here are some pictures of Wyatt getting molds done for his NAM.

  Here is a picture of the NAM.

Finally, here is  picture of Wyatt with his lip taped and his NAM in.

Wyatt wears the tape and the NAM 24/7. The orthodontist recommends changing/cleaning it after every feeding unless it doesn't get too dirty. I didn't like changing it at first because Wyatt doesn't like it and it is just plain gross! Imagine a plate that collects whatever is coming down from his nose and spit up... yuck. I almost gagged a couple of times. We are all getting used to it though. :) It is amazing also what a difference it makes in Wyatt's appearance when he is wearing the tape. We don't really notice the cleft anymore with or without the tape and mold. Sometimes it is hard for me to have that cute face covered up with all that tape and stuff!