Lactation Support

In-Person, Out-Patient, Office Visits

Orange County Health Department, Whitted Human Services Center
Ritza Saenz, Breastfeeding Support Specialist / Community Health
300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Telephone: 919-245-2400 (For Appointments, Press 2)
Hours: Monday, 8 am-5 pm; Tuesday, 9:30 am-6:30 pm; Wednesday, 10am-5pm; Thursday, 8am-5pm; Friday, 8am-noon.

The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) provides education and support through home visits and clinic visits (OCHD and Piedmont Health Services) to parents who are interested in and/or need help with breastfeeding. Services are available to any Orange County resident. The Family Home Visiting Services brochure provides additional information.

UNC Women’s Hospital Lactation Service, Chapel Hill, 984-974-8078
IBCLCs see families for regular well-baby visits, as well as parents with breastfeeding concerns such as pain, low milk supply or postpartum depression. They also offer prenatal consultation for parents who have a history of breastfeeding difficulties or are expecting twins or triplets and consults for adoptive mothers considering induction of lactation. Breastfeeding Medicine clinic for medical issues impacting breastfeeding.

Piedmont Health/Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Piedmont Health WIC Program Office Locations
WIC provides nutrition and breastfeeding support to qualifying families with children under 5. WIC can provide food, breast pumps, classes and support groups to new parents. The Piedmont Health/WIC team offers in-person and virtual services. WIC services also continue to be available by phone during normal WIC business hours. New & Established participants are always welcome!

Please call the WIC office that is closest to where you live to talk directly to our staff, or check out the information online at Piedmont Health/WIC:

  • Sign Up For WIC that links to the North Carolina WIC Referral Form
  • Do I Qualify for WIC?
  • How to Use My WIC Benefits Instructions
  • Breastfeeding: Information, Classes, and Support
  • Locations

Support Groups, Meetings, and Classes

Women’s Health Education Center-NC Women’s Hospital

The Women’s Health Education Center offers breastfeeding classes. Check out the calendar of events for dates and times. You also can email stork@unch.unc.edu or call 984-974-8882 for more information or for help registering for a class.

Chapel Hill La Leche League

La Leche League (LLL) of Chapel Hill offers free lactation support groups during the month. Check out the LLL of Chapel Hill website for meeting information and Leader phone numbers, if you need help before a meeting or anytime.

  • Morning Meeting – First Friday of Each Month at 10am
  • Monday Morning Cafe – Each Monday at 10am
  • Monday Afternoon Cafe – Each Monday at 4pm
  • Evening Meeting – Second Wednesday of Each Month at 7pm
  • Family Meeting – Second Saturday of Each Month at 10am
  • Toddler Meeting – Third Wednesday of Each Month at 10am
  • Night Owl Cafe – Each Thursday at 8pm

Durham La Leche League

La Leche League (LLL) of Durham offers free peer-to-peer lactation support groups each month. Check out the LLL of Durham website for meeting information and contact information for Leaders, if you need help before a meeting or anytime.

  • Daytime Meeting – First Wednesday of Each Month at 10am
  • Evening Meeting – Second Monday of Each Month at 6:30pm
  • Daytime Meeting – Third Thursday of Each Month at 10:30am
  • Saturday Morning Cafe – Third Saturday of Each Month at 9:30am

Local Lactation Consultants

Bliss at the Breast 
At Bliss at the Breast, Jessica Altemara, IBCLC, offers a variety of services to families, including prenatal consults, full consults, virtual consults, and functional assessments. Reach out to Jessica by phone or text to 919-260-7202 or by email to Jessica.Altemara@gmail.com.

Kindred Bee Lactation 
Tracey Williams Lenhardt offers chestfeeding/breastfeeding support, neurodiverse infant feeding support, postpartum lactation support visits in-person and telehealth, when appropriate. In-office consults available at the office in downtown Hillsborough at 117 W. King Street, Suite 9, Hillsborough, NC. Reach out to Tracey via the website https://kindredbeelactation.com/contact-us.

Mattea’s Lactation Services 
Mattea Alexander, IBCLC, provides newborn and infant feeding consultations and lactation support virtually and in-person. Services in English and Spanish. Todos los servicios vienen en español. To schedule an appointment, call or text Mattea at 617-959-4333; or email mattea@matteaalexander.com; or submit the website contact form.

Teaching Babies to Nurse
The team at Teaching Babies to Nurse provide lactation support and craniosacral therapy. They offer virtual lactation consultations and in-person visits at 111 Knox Way, Unit 110, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. To schedule an appointment, check out their website or call 919.438.2293 to get started.

Free Phone Support

Local Support

UNC Breastfeeding Support Warmline offers breastfeeding support with a lactation consultant. Call 984-974-8078 or toll-free 866-428-5608. Leave a message, and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

When you need support between meetings, La Leche League (LLL) can offer free phone, text, or email support. All LLL Leaders have been accredited by La Leche League International. Find a Leader:

Regional and National Support

  • Appalachian Breastfeeding Network (888-588-3423) Have a breastfeeding question? Call to speak with a lactation professional. It is free hotline and anyone can call. You do not need to live in Appalachia to call.
  • LLL USA  (877-452-5324 / 877-4-LALECHE) Looking for breastfeeding/chestfeeding/human milk feeding support? LLL USA is committed to helping families reach their nursing goals. LLL USA offers a toll free warmline service. Calls are returned by LLL Leaders, who are trained parent volunteers offering free information and support to help you.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Education and Support

Gift of Love Postpartum Care
Gift of Love Postpartum Care with Andrea Fowler, CLC & Postpartum Doula, offers a free virtual Latch Mini Course, virtual prenatal breast/chestfeeding and pumping classes, on-call answers service to quickly respond to postpartum lactation challenges and in-person overnight postpartum doula services to support lactation goals while maximizing parent sleep. Contact via email at giftoflovepostpartumcare@gmail.com.

Ready Set Baby! Live Online Classes
This free service offers education for pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. Classes are facilitated by lactation-training students and staff at the Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute and are supervised by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Classes in English and Spanish.

Nutrition Support – Pregnancy/Postpartum/Lactation

Rebirth Nutrition Counseling, 410 Millstone Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Rebirth Nutrition Counseling offers personalized, one-on-one nutrition support during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum (including lactation). Reach out via email at hello@rebirthnc.com or submit the contact form. Clients can be seen in our office in Hillsborough, NC or via telehealth. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna insurance and can also provide a superbill to bill as an out-of-network provider.

Parenting Support Groups and Meetings

Emerald Doulas
A full-service birth and postpartum doula agency offering the following free support groups and meetups:
New Moms Groups, Moms of Color Group, New Dads Meet-up, LGBTQ New Parent Group.

Online Resources