About
Dr. Shirley Chan-Ramirez is a board-certified pediatrician, IBCLC, and breastfeeding medicine specialist serving families in the Houston area. She earned her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Brown University in 2005, then completed her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in 2009. She finished her pediatrics residency at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital in 2012 and has practiced pediatrics for over a decade since.
A difficult personal breastfeeding experience with her first child led Dr. Chan-Ramirez to pursue lactation medicine. A lactation consultant helped her navigate those early challenges, and that experience shaped her clinical path. She became an IBCLC in 2017 and earned board certification in Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine (NABBLM-C) in 2024, a specialty focused on diagnosing and treating breastfeeding conditions in both mothers and babies. She is one of a small number of Houston physicians who practice breastfeeding medicine as a medical specialty. In 2018, she traveled to Portland, Oregon to shadow tongue-tie expert Dr. Bobby Ghaheri, learning his technique for frenotomy firsthand. Both of her own children had posterior tongue-ties, giving her a deeply personal understanding of the families she treats. She speaks basic medical Spanish and conversational Mandarin Chinese. Houstonia Magazine named her a Top Doctor in 2024 and 2025. Her clinical passions include postpartum care, teen mental health, breastfeeding challenges, and tongue-tied newborns. She believes her favorite part of pediatrics is building long-term relationships with families.
Education & Training
Undergraduate
Brown University, Bachelor of Science with honors, magna cum laude, 2005
Medical School
Baylor College of Medicine, MD, 2009
Residency
Pediatrics Residency, Baylor College of Medicine / Texas Children's Hospital, 2012
Additional Training
Board Certified in Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine (NABBLM-C), 2024; trained under Dr. Bobby Ghaheri in frenotomy technique, Portland, Oregon, 2018
Certifications
Languages
English, Spanish (basic medical), Mandarin Chinese (conversational)
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Chan-Ramirez right for?
Dr. Chan-Ramirez is an excellent fit for newborns and infants with breastfeeding challenges, including tongue-tie or lip-tie. Postpartum families seeking in-home support during the fourth trimester benefit from her specialized care packages. Parents of children through age 21 who want longer, more personal appointments will find her concierge model well-suited to their needs. Teens managing anxiety, depression, or stress also receive focused attention in her practice. Families navigating complex or chronic conditions benefit from her care coordination and clinical depth.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Chan-Ramirez holds three separate credentials in this space: board certification in Pediatrics, IBCLC status, and board certification in Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine (NABBLM-C). That combination allows her to diagnose and treat breastfeeding conditions as a medical specialty, not just offer general support. She is one of a small number of Houston physicians to practice breastfeeding medicine at this level.
Yes. Dr. Chan-Ramirez performs frenotomy for both tongue-tie and lip-tie correction. She trained directly under Dr. Bobby Ghaheri, a nationally recognized tongue-tie specialist, during a hands-on experience in Portland, Oregon in 2018. Her own two children had posterior tongue-ties, so she brings personal as well as clinical perspective to this work.
Dr. Chan-Ramirez sees patients from three months through age 21 as part of her standard pediatric practice. She also offers a dedicated postpartum and fourth trimester package for prenatal families, which covers the period before birth through the baby's first three months.
Yes. Dr. Chan-Ramirez addresses teen mental health as part of her clinical practice, including depression, anxiety, and stress management. She takes a wellness-focused approach with adolescents and provides behavioral consultations alongside standard pediatric care.
Dr. Chan-Ramirez speaks basic medical Spanish and conversational Mandarin Chinese, in addition to English. Families who prefer to communicate in Spanish or Mandarin are welcome to discuss that with her directly.
Dr. Chan-Ramirez earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 2009. She then completed her pediatrics residency at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital in 2012. She has practiced pediatrics for over a decade since completing her training.
Yes. Houstonia Magazine named Dr. Chan-Ramirez a Top Doctor in both 2024 and 2025. The recognition reflects her standing among Houston-area physicians across her specialties in pediatrics and lactation medicine.
Dr. Chan-Ramirez treats a wide range of pediatric conditions, from routine childhood illnesses to more complex concerns. Her clinical focus includes breastfeeding difficulties, tongue-tie and lip-tie, ADHD, depression, anxiety, nutritional and feeding challenges, and growth and development concerns. She also coordinates care for children with complex medical conditions.
Doctor profile last updated March 21, 2026