Find out more about: 1  folic acid in pregnancy. 2  vitamin D in pregnancy. 3  iron in pregnancy.  vitamin C in 1  pregnancy. calcium in pregnancy.  vegetarian and vegan diets in 1  pregnancy. the Healthy Start scheme.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects. This means they happen while a baby is developing. Normally, the mouth and nose of a baby develop between the first 6 and 12 weeks of growth inside the mother. In some babies, parts of the lips and roof of the mouth don't grow together.
Different kinds of cleft. Babies with a cleft palate may need extra help to feed, which could include using specialised bottles and teats, or in some cases using a nasogastric (NG) tube. For babies with a cleft lip, the size and shape of the cleft may make forming a seal around the breast or bottle difficult.