CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As a mother's body produces nutrients to fill the infant's belly, she's also giving her baby essential antibodies that just may be lifesaving. According to the CDC, Texas was included as one of the few states in America to see a 3 percent rise in infant mortality from 2021 to 2022.
"And those numbers that you are saying, are very affected also by how the pregnancy and birth goes," Lactation consultant Elizabeth Santos Pagon said. "How successfully they are in breastfeeding, will depend on the support and education that they get before hand."
While mothers are the ones physically going through the learning process, breastfeeding will have lasting and noticeable effects on the child.
"The body of the baby, the digestive system is different, the oral motor system develops different too," Santos Pagon said. "The respiratory system is going to be optimal too. Different conditions, that are chronic conditions, can be reduced with breastfeeding, also for mom and baby. "
Just as different organ systems will function differently, every pregnancy is different, which is why regardless if you're a first-time mom or not these classes are still beneficial.
"It's funny because we think well it's natural," pediatric chiropractor at Empower Wellness Dr. Kristin Knowlton said. "You know, we get our baby and we're going to put them to breast and it's just going to work and there's just so much nuance to it. Every time that I sit with a family and hear about their breastfeeding journey, there's always some new challenge that I am presented with."
Babies are of course welcome to come as they encourage a hands-on approach to better serve the mother.
"That education, that little bit of information here and there can make a world wind of a difference and I see it happen everyday, it's really fabulous," Knowlton said.
