ABSTRAK
The birth of a baby with a cleft palate is usually unanticipated and the parents feel hurt, disappointed, even resentful and inadequate. The feeding of the infants with cleft palate is the first and most important concerns of the parents to survive. Dentists in the cleft medical team can help provide basic and more positive ones, so that parents are assured that they will be able to care and feed their infants. Feeding for the baby is very important for both parents. Feeding a cleft palate infant is best with bottle-fed or breast-fed. Feeding and swallowing patterns by the baby with a cleft palate are invariably altered and modified. With clefts, swallowing occurs without the assistance of compressive strength by pressure built up in the mouth. The feeding techniques need some modifications from the normal child. The dentist should participate as a team, to help and describe feeding procedures that have been utilized in infants with cleft palate and to encourage consultation and communication between parents and specialists.