Science shows that about 1 in 2,000 people are born with rare genetics. This fact brings to light the incredible diversity and complexity of human biology.
This story proves once again that the support of our loved ones is really important. Courtney and Gaʋin, parents to a special daughter, share their inspiring experience with many on their social media about having a baby with a cleft lip to help other families going through the same thing.
Courtney and Gaʋin Gardner welcome their daughter, Sutton, who was born with a cleft lip. The mother is concerned about the health of her second child and spends the entire night after Sutton’s birth wondering and praying that all is well. In the 20th week of her pregnancy, the doctor performs an ultrasound, which reveals that the baby has the so-called rabbit lip. When Gardner receives the news, she is in for a real shock.
“The last part they did was the ultrasound on her face, and then the specialist said, ‘Oh, she really has a cleft lip.’ This could happen,” says Courtney.
Cleft lip and palate are very rare conditions, affecting up to 1 in 1,600 babies, and occur when a baby’s lips or mouth do not develop normally during pregnancy. This can be caused by various factors, such as food or medication the mother took, but it can also be a type of genetic predisposition.
After the Gardners welcomed their first child, they regretted not doing a special baby photo shoot with him. When Courtney became pregnant again, she knew that she wanted to capture every moment of her newborn daughter being born to her. Photographer Shannon Morton takes the photos, which the parents then share on social media. One of them quickly gained popularity, garnering more than 10,000 likes in a matter of hours. In the days that followed, the number of likes increased to an impressive 750,000.
Courtney says that all the comments about her daughter have been kind and encouraging, with most people saying how beautiful she is. The post inspired many people to share her stories and photos. The Gardners are motivated to create their own Facebook page, My Cleft Cutie, to help other parents going through a similar diagnosis with their children. “My little princess was born with a bilateral cleft. Fortunately, her palate was intact. Dad and I assure her every day that she is the most beautiful girl in the world and her personality is amazing,” one mother commented on the Facebook post.
The parents are concerned for their daughter’s health but also very grateful to the hospital, which is helping them immensely during this incredible journey. Sutton’s cleft palate made bottle feeding a real challenge and she spent the first 18 days of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit. The girl is expected to undergo the first of a series of surgeries in a matter of days, with the next when she turns one. Specialists insist that intensive work with a speech therapist will be necessary.
“Although things can be scary and bleak in this early period for little Sutton, this is actually a condition that is 100% treatable and manageable,” says Courtney. Her parents describe her as very sociable, lively, smiling and genuinely happy, especially when her older brother is by her side. And they hope that one day this story will be just a memory of the past.