All the photos you’ll see on our website and in our resources are of real people affected by cleft in the UK. We’d like to thank each and every one of you who have shared the beautiful images that can comfort and inspire families all over the world.
This gallery contains a selection of photos of babies born with a cleft at birth and before and after operations. We regularly update this gallery with new images, and you can submit your own below.
Content Warning
While no photos have graphic medical content, some show babies and young children very soon after operations, and in some cases there is visible dried blood, swelling and bruising.
On most devices, photos with this content will not be visible unless you click the arrows beneath each set of images.
Paudie
"As soon as [Paudie] was born, all the worry left us and we fell in love with our gorgeous wee man. Everything [with his lip repair operation] went brilliant and he hasn't looked back since. He is the most loving, happy, relaxed little lad. We feel so blessed."
Paudie before his operation
Paudie right after his operation
Paudie recovered from his operation
Daniel
Daniel in a 3D scan
Daniel shortly after birth at 32 weeks
Daniel before his operation
Daniel with dad right after his operation
Daniel recovering from his operation
Daniel all recovered from his operation
Ffredi
"Ffredi was born with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate. [I fell in] love with him and his cleft the minute he was put in my arms. And I absolutely LOVE showing off his cleft! It’s the best smile I’ve ever seen and the first smile me and my fiancé fell in love with. Ffredi is no different to any other baby, the only difference is we were blessed with two very different but amazing and perfect smiles.
"I will forever miss his beautiful cleft smile and although this wasn’t the journey we chose to be on, he keeps smashing every obstacle that keeps being put in his way! Our little super human who constantly has a huge smile on his face!"
"I will forever miss his beautiful cleft smile and although this wasn’t the journey we chose to be on, he keeps smashing every obstacle that keeps being put in his way! Our little super human who constantly has a huge smile on his face!"
Ffredi shortly after birth
Ffredi at Easter before his operation
Ffredi after his operation
Ffredi after his operation
Eva
"[After diagnosis] I spent the next 20 weeks of my pregnancy extremely anxious. Some days I would be super positive, and other days I would just cry not knowing what it would mean for our precious little one and also for us as a family.
Fast forward a year, and Eva is now 9 months old. I look back now and wish I hadn’t put so much worry on my shoulders, as the moment she was put in my arms all I saw was perfection. Cleft babies have the most amazing smiles which I miss so much already and will always look back on with so much pride and love (even though Eva’s forever smile is equally as infectious!)."
Fast forward a year, and Eva is now 9 months old. I look back now and wish I hadn’t put so much worry on my shoulders, as the moment she was put in my arms all I saw was perfection. Cleft babies have the most amazing smiles which I miss so much already and will always look back on with so much pride and love (even though Eva’s forever smile is equally as infectious!)."
Eva as a newborn
Eva as a newborn
Eva after her operation
Eva after her operation
Albie
"Albie was born with a incomplete bilateral cleft lip. We always look back at his pictures and miss his huge beautiful smile, his cleft was what made him unique and special but we are so proud of how far he has come and he is thriving and meeting all of his milestones, he is a very content and happy baby and NEVER fails to make us smile every single day."
Albie one week old
Albie on the day of his operation
Albie right after his operation
Albie recovered from his operation
Lyle
"The memory that stands out to me the most was seeing Lyle's cleft smile for the first time and how beautiful it really was."
Lyle one hour old
Lyle before his operation
Lyle recovered from his operation
Sully
“My son Sully was born with a unilateral incomplete cleft lip and gum notch, we found out at 20 weeks he had his cleft, and it’s been a wild ride of emotions. But he is here and he is perfect we’ve had an amazing breastfeeding journey and the support of the cleft team has been incredible, he is due his surgery in March.”
Harry and Jacob
Harry (4) and Jacob (3 months) are brothers who were both born with a cleft.
Harry as a newborn
Harry, nearly four years old
Jacob as a newborn
Jacob at three months old
Ollie
Ollie at two hours old
Ollie smiling
Ollie two hours after his operation
Ollie showing off his 'forever smile'
Austin
"My pregnancy with Austin was ‘normal’, nothing was picked up on the scans and everything went smoothly. It was my midwife that actually noticed Austin’s cleft palate as he was making a clicking sound when trying to breastfeed. It’s at the hospital where we were introduced to the name CLAPA. We were provided with specialist feeding bottles and teats as well as a wealth of advice and information."
Austin as a newborn
Austin at two years old
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