Why I Tell Raleigh Moms to Skip the Heat and Massage

Gale Touger, RN, IBCLC

Carolina Lactation Consultants · Raleigh, NC

I can't count the number of Raleigh moms who come to me with a clogged duct after a week of doing exactly what the internet told them: hot showers, heating pads, and knuckle-deep massage.

The 2022 ABM guidelines changed this. Heat and deep massage can push bacteria deeper into breast tissue, turning a clog into mastitis. The newer evidence points to cold, not heat.

For moms in the Raleigh area dealing with a lump, I recommend ice between feeds, an anti-inflammatory, rest, and gentle hand expression toward the nipple. It's less dramatic than the old routine — and it works better.

If a lump persists past 48 hours or you develop a fever, that's when in-person care matters. That's what home visits are for.

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