Lactation Consults

Breastfeeding Support

Breastfeeding provides essential nutrition for infants birth to one year and older. As with learning anything new, most breastfeeding mothers and babies (and dads too!) need some instruction and support during this learning perio

That's Where We Come In!

We have a high number of breastfeeding families. We will do our best to help you meet your breastfeeding goals. Dr. Meri Harper completed training in 2025 to become a certified lactation counselor.  All of our physicians support and coach families with this process, too.

We respect each family's feeding decisions. We do encourage moms to breastfeed exclusively or give only breastmilk for the first four months then continue to breastfeed and give solid foods until your baby is a year old.

We love babies and enjoy helping families learn how to breastfeed! We will help you as little or as much as you need. We provide in-office feeding evaluations for hands-on help as well as phone support for any questions you may have along your breastfeeding journey.

Some areas we can provide guidance include:

  • Positioning your baby at the breast
  • Latching
  • Caring for your breasts and nipples
  • Assessing milk transfer
  • Assuring adequate nutrition
  • Assembling and using a breast pump, including sizing for the right size flange
  • Storing milk
  • Returning to work/school while breastfeeding
  • Traveling and breastfeeding
  • Training a breastfeeding baby to a bottle
  • Teething while breastfeeding
  • Breastfeeding premature babies
  • Managing slow weight gain babies
  • Breastfeeding twins
  • Breastfeeding babies with special medical needs such as cleft palate, Down Syndrome, and heart conditions
  • Managing medications, medical tests or surgery while breastfeeding
Is Your Child Sick?®

latest news

starfish
February 12, 2026
There have been cases of measles in NC, with exposures in Chapel Hill, Durham, and Wake County. We can give the MMR dose early to families who want it. This applies to infants 6-12 months who have not gotten a dose yet or kids under 4-5 years who have not gotten their second MMR dose. At this time, the NC DHHS and health departments are not recommending this unless traveling or living in an area with sustained transmission. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective (97%) at preventing measles infections. At CHCAC, children receive their first dose at 12 months of age and a second dose at 4 years of age, ensuring they are fully protected as soon as possible, in accordance with the most up-to-date AAP recommendations. Some infants aged 6 months to 11 months who travel internationally or in high-prevalence areas may need a dose to protect them; however, they still require the 1-year and 4-year-old doses as well. If you are ever concerned about a possible exposure to measles, please CALL before entering our office. DO NOT ENTER the office. NC DHHS keeps a list of areas with measles exposures here . This is a highly contagious illness, and special precautions must be taken to prevent spread. The virus can be present in the air for 2 hours after an infected person is in the room, and 90% of susceptible patients can be infected. As always, if you have questions, we are here to help make sense of it all!