About this episode

Kindsay Dams shares her journey as a first-time mom navigating the challenges of raising a son with a cleft lip and palate, discussing surgery preparation and emotional support for parents in similar situations.

In this episode of Our Forever Smiles , host Laura Arroyo sits down with Kindsay, a first-time mom navigating life with her six-month-old son born with a cleft lip and palate. Kindsay shares her deeply personal journey — from receiving an unexpected diagnosis late in pregnancy to navigating the emotional realities of birth, NICU time, feeding challenges, and her son's cleft lip repair. She opens up about the overwhelming moments, the learning curve of caring for a medically complex baby, and the strength she discovered along the way. Together, Laura and Kindsay discuss the realities many cleft parents experience but don't always talk about: advocating for your baby, managing feeding struggles, preparing for surgery, and coping with the emotional weight of the first year. Kindsay also offers heartfelt advice to parents who may have just received a cleft diagnosis — reminding them that while the journey can feel overwhelming, they are not alone and there is hope ahead. If you're a parent navigating a cleft diagnosis or looking for reassurance from someone who understands, this episode is for you. Links: Buy Us a Coffee FB Support Group

People in this episode

Host: Laura Arroyo

Guest: Kindsay Dams

Topics covered

• parenthood
• cleft lip and palate
• surgery preparation
• emotional support
• feeding challenges
• advocacy for children

Keywords

• cleft diagnosis
• parenting
• surgery
• NICU
• feeding struggles
• emotional weight
• advocacy
• support
• first-time mom
• medically complex baby

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NICU, FB Support Group

More episodes of Our Forever Smiles with Laura Arroyo

• When You Know Something Isn't Right: A Mother's Journey Through Cleft Care | Kailey Kuck · July 21, 2026 · 59 min
• Born with a Cleft Palate: Learning to Speak Up and Thrive | Delaney Yard · July 14, 2026 · 36 min
• Finding Healing Through Art: Amy Hofland on Cleft, Compassion, and Community · July 7, 2026 · 55 min
• The 100 Cleft Portrait Tour: Building Community Through Storytelling · June 30, 2026 · 32 min
• From Cleft Provider to Cleft Mom: Dr. Jordan Virden's Story · June 23, 2026 · 43 min
• Why Are Babies Born with Clefts? Genetic Counselor, Robin Imagire Answers · June 16, 2026 · 54 min

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