Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital facial malformations in the world. For a long time, research and scientific studies have focused on cleft lip and palate in order to understand more about it, but also to find support strategies for parents who are still confronted with the traumatic reality of the occurrence of a congenital malformation. However, it appears that in the sub-region and particularly in Senegal, few studies have focused on the psychological experience of mothers of cleft lip and palate children. Indeed, in all societies, the birth of a child is considered as a wonderful gift, a gift from heaven that brings joy. However, the birth of a child with a congenital malformation is a real emotional ordeal, especially in the African context where cultural aspects and the weight of social beliefs can influence the appearance of psychological symptoms in mothers. This research aims to analyze the psychological experience of mothers of children with cleft lip and palate. A descriptive design with a qualitative approach was used to achieve this objective. The random sample was chosen with 14 women interviewed, aged between 25 and 45 years. The application of the semi-structured interview allowed us to detect and analyze the mother's feelings and emotional reactions. The analysis of the mothers' experiences of their child's cleft lip and palate revealed that the occurrence of the cleft lip and palate was an unexpected event, which they considered to be strange, incomprehensible and difficult, painful, stressful and traumatic. The mothers' feelings towards their child were mostly negative and characterized by disappointment, fear, crying, confusion and anxiety among others.The mothers encountered difficulties in feeding their child, but also in accessing care. In short, this study shows that the appearance of a cleft lip and palate in a newborn creates a real emotional shock for mothers, especially those who discover it at the birth of their child, which can considerably affect the mother/child relationship and lead to psychological problems in the mothers' lives.
