Here you will find some of the photos submitted to us by parents of children with a cleft lip. This photo gallery is intended to give new and expecting parents an idea of what their child might look like and what can be achieved by modern surgery.
PLEASE NOTE: While no photos have graphic surgical content, some show babies and young children very soon after surgery, and in some cases there is visible blood, swelling and bruising. We publish these photos to help parents prepare for their child’s surgery, but we know that these may be distressing to some, so please carefully consider if this something you are comfortable viewing.
Would you like to add your own photos? Jump to the bottom of the page .
Aimee
Aimee at 4 months old
Aimee shortly after lip repair surgery
Aimee at 6 years old
Aimee at 8 years old
Alfie B
Alfie on the day he was born
Alfie 3 weeks before surgery
Alfie 12 days after surgery
Alfie 3 1/2 months after surgery
Archie
Archie when he was born
Archie shortly after surgery
Archie recovered from surgery
Arthur
Newborn Arthur
Arthur the day before surgery
Arthur a few hours post lip repair surgery
Arthur 4 weeks post surgery
Austin
Baby Austin
Hello!
Austin sleeping pre-surgery
Bathtime post-surgery
Austin smiling after his operation
Ava Ruby
Ava Ruby at 4 weeks old
Ava Ruby at 6 months old
Ava Ruby 4 months post lip repair
Bethany
Bella
Pre-op
2 weeks post-op
1.5 years
2.5 years
Blaine-Zachary
Blaine-Zachary at 7 hours old
Blaine-Zachary and parents
Blaine-Zachary at nursery, 2 years old
Blaine-Zachary and parents now
Buddy
Buddy at 3 months
Buddy after his first stage lip repair
Buddy after second stage lip repair
Cai
Cai at birth
Day of first operation at 16 weeks
2 days post operation
Day of palate operation at 9 months old
1 day post palate operation
16 months old
Caleb
Caleb at a few hours old
Caleb after lip repair surgery
Callie-May
Callie-May at 2 days old
Pre-surgery
Post-surgery
Feeling recovered!
Charlie
Charlie 6 hours old
Charlie 8 weeks old
Charlie’s cleft
Charlie T
Charlie at birth
Just before surgery
Recovered from surgery
Charlie S
At birth
Immediately after surgery
Recovered from surgery
Charlotte
4 months old (1 week before surgery)
Charlotte 1 day after surgery
Charlotte 5 days after surgery
Chester
Cody
Cody just before his 2nd birthday
Cody at 2 years old
Cody with his sister
Cody at 26 months old
Cody
Cody just before surgery
Cody just after surgery
Cody 5 weeks after surgery
Curtis
Before surgery
Right after surgery
2 months after surgery
Daisy
Daisy before surgery
Daisy just after surgery
Daisy fully recovered
Daniel
Daniel just before surgery
Daniel right after surgery
Daniel at 11 months old
Darcy-Rae
Darcy-Rae, 10 days old
Darcy-Rae, 6 1/2 months after lip repair
Dylan
Dylan before surgery
Dylan aged 8
Eduard
Eduard before surgery
Eduard after surgery
Eduard at 1 year old
Edward
At birth
Just before surgery
1 month after surgery
Edward B
Edward at 2 months
Edward just after surgery
Edward, 2 years old
Edward U
3 Months Old
Recovering from surgery
18 Months Old
Ellis
Emily
Emily at 3 months old
Emily after surgery
Emily at 18 months old
Ewan
Ewan at 2 days old
Ewan at 8 months old
Ewan
Ewan at birth
Ewan directly after surgery
Ewan 2 years later
Feargus
Feargus at birth
Feargus just after surgery
Feargus fully recovered!
Finley
Finley at 3 weeks old
Finley at 6 months old
Finley at nearly 1 year old
Finley
Finley shortly after birth
Finley after his first lip repair
Finley after lip revision surgery
Florence
Florence before surgery
Florence just after her lip repair
Florence after her lip and palate repairs
Frankie
Frankie around 4 months old
Frankie the day of his surgery
Frankie after surgery
Frankie now
Fynn
Day Fynn was born
Pre-surgery
Post-surgery
3 month later
Gracie
Gracie and her mum
Gracie right after lip repair surgery
Gracie 3 days post-operation
Gracie-Mai
Gracie-Mai the day she was born
Gracie-Mai two hours after lip repair
Gracie-Mai two hours after palate repair
Gracie-Mai on her 1st birthday, 6 months after lip repair and 3 months after palate repair
Harrison
Harrison a few days old
Harrison after his first surgery
Harrison age 2, about to take part in a CLAPA Sponsored Walk
Harry
Harry’s first smile
Morning before surgery
A few days after surgery
4 months later!
Harry pre-palate repair
Harry post-palate repair
Hayden
Hayden – 2 months old pre lip op
3 months, day of lip operation
8 months, day after palate operation
9 years old
Honor
Honor at birth
Honor 1 day before surgery
Honor 1 day post surgery
Honor at 10 months
Idris
Idris before surgery
Idris shortly after surgery
Idris fully recovered
Isla
Isla at 8 weeks old
Isla at 13 months old, 1 month post palate repair surgery
Isla-Mai
Isla-Mai in the special care unit
Isla-Mai’s NG tube to help with feeding
Isla-Mai lying down
Isla-Mai at 7 weeks old
Issa
Issa before surgery
Issa just after surgery
Issa at 3 months old
Jack
Jack before his lip surgery
Jack now (9 months old)
Jackson
Jackson at Birth
Jackson a Week Pre-op
Jackson Two Days Post-op
Jackson at 9 Months Old
Jacob
Jacob at birth
Jacob just after surgery
Jacob recovered
Jacob M
Jacob before his repair
Jacob 1 week after his surgery
Jacob at 17 months old
Jada
Jada before surgery
Jada at 5 months
Jada at 8 months
James
Bright Eyed Boy
Something you miss, strangely enough
Just after primary op
Doing great
Jamie
Jamie newborn
Jamie 1 hour post-op
Jamie with his little sister
Jamie
Day Jamie was born
Jamie 2 months old
Day after his first operation
Jamie made a full recovery
Jayden
Jayden before surgery
Jayden directly after surgery
Jayden recovered
Joshua
Joshua before surgery
Joshua and dad just after surgery
Joshua before starting school
Jaxon
Kataleena
Newborn baby Kataleena
1 week old
Kieran
Kirah-Jewel
Kirah-Jewel and mum
1 month after surgery
1 year old! 8 months after surgery
Kyle
Kyle before surgery
Kyle after recovering from surgery
Kyle and mum
Layla
Newborn Layla
Layla right after surgery
Layla soon after
Layla now (nearly 1 year old)
Leo
Leo shortly after birth
Leo directly after surgery
Leo recovered from surgery
Leo W
Liam
Liam aged 4 months
Liam aged 4 months, post lip surgery
Liam aged 16 months
Libby
Libby before surgery
Libby after recovering from surgery
Libby now
Libby M
Libby before surgery
Libby just after surgery
Libby recovered from surgery
Lilah-Rose
Lilah at 7 days old
Lilah after waking up from surgery
Lilah 5 months after surgery
Lincoln
Lincoln’s soft palate before surgery
Lincoln before (right) and after (left) surgery
Logan
Logan at birth
Logan before surgery
Logan just after surgery
Logan now
Lorena
Lorena half an hour after birth
Lorena before any surgeries
Lorena age 2 after 3 surgeries ( 2 lip 1 palate)
Lorena aged 3
Lucas
Lucas at 2 days old
Lucas 5 days before his operation
Lucas post-surgery
Lucas 9 days after surgery
Lucas
Lucas at birth
Lucas the day before surgery
Lucas half an hour after surgery
Lucas 10 days after surgery
Luka
Luka Pre-repair
Luka Post-repair
Macey
Macey before her lip operation
Macey leaving the hospital the day after her operation
Maldin
Maldin before surgery
Maldin after surgery
Maldin fully recovered
Max
Max at birth
Max directly after surgery
Max now
Maya W
Maya W at birth
Maya before surgery
Maya before her surgery
Maya W post and pre surgery
Maya W after surgery
Megan
Megan 30 minutes after birth before being taken to SCBU
Megan in SCBU
Megan day 7 in SCBU and allowed home
Megan 8 months old and 2 months before surgery
Megan moments after surgery
Megan day 1 after surgery
Megan’s healed mouth, 4 weeks post-surgery
Mia
Mia smiling pre-op
Mia relaxing pre-op
Mia right after surgery
Mia 1 day after surgery
Miah
Miah before surgery
Miah directly after surgery
Miah recovered from surgery
Miguel
Miguel before surgery
Miguel directly after surgery
Miguel fully recovered
Miguel now
Miguel now
Mikey
Mikey before surgery
Mikey on the day of surgery
Mikey all recovered
Moaz
Moaz at 2.5 months on his way to surgery
Moaz a few days after surgery
Moaz at 8 months
Moaz at 10 months
Nate
Nate at birth
Nate just before surgery
Nate immediately after surgery
Nate fully recovered
Noah
Noah before surgery
Noah immediately after surgery
Noah recovered
Noah M
Noah shortly after birth
Noah today
Oakley
Oakley at birth
Oakley at 11 months
Oscar
Oscar before surgery
Oscar and family
Oscar after surgery
Oscar O
Oscar the day he was born
Oscar immediately after lip repair
Oscar now nearly one
Oscar now nearly one
Poppy
Poppy at birth
Poppy directly after surgery
Poppy at 1 year old
Rafferty
6 weeks old
Hours after lip repair
3 weeks after surgery
Ralph
1 week old!
Right after surgery
Healing nicely 1 week after
Ralph now!
Rex
Rex before surgery
Rex 2 months post-surgery
Rex 1 year since surgery
Rhianne
Rhianne at Birth
Rhianne 2 days post-surgery
Rhianne 6 Months after surgery
Rhianne Now
Robin
Robin before his operation
Robin after his lip operation
Robin after his palate operation
Robin now
Rocco
Rocco before surgery
Rocco just after surgery
Rocco at 2 years old
Ronny
Rorey
Rory
Rory newborn
Rory’s first Christmas
Rory less than 24 hours post-op
Rory 4 weeks post-op
Ruari
Reuben
Day 1
Morning before surgery
Post-surgery
3 days after surgery
Ryan
Ryan at 3 Weeks Old
Day before Surgery
Day after Surgery
Ryan now at 4 years old
Sam
Sam shortly after birth
Sam shortly after birth
Sam 2 Weeks Post Surgery
Sam recovered from surgery
Sean
Sean aged 4 months
Sean aged 4 months
Sean after lip repair surgery
Sean aged 9
Spencer
Spencer at 4 weeks old
Spencer just after his cleft lip repair surgery
Spencer at 7 years old
Spencer playing for Crosfields ARLFC Club
Sophia
Day 1
3 months old
3 months old post-surgery
Sophia aged 5 (6 surgeries later)
Sydney
Sydney before her surgery
Sydney right after surgery
Sydney 6 weeks after surgery
Sydney now!
Teddy
The day Teddy was born
One week before surgery
Two hours after lip repair
Three weeks after surgery
Teddy E
Hello, Teddy!
Teddy pre-surgery
Teddy 2 days post-surgery
Teddy’s birthday
Thatcher
Thatcher 1 week old
Thatcher 11 months old
Thatcher 1 year old
Toby
Toby straight after birth
Toby after lip adhesion
Toby after main lip repair
Toby now, at 10 month, soft palate also now repaired
Trai
2 days old
Baby Trai
1 day after surgery
Weeks after surgery
Trai aged 7
Tristan
Tristan just before palate repair surgery at 11 months old
Tristan the morning after surgery
Tristan home and recovered
Tristan at 16 months old
Thank you to all the parents who have submitted the above photos!
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