What do you think is the biggest barrier to breastfeeding In Australia?

[Smoke Jaguar]

Jelvie - I was talking about attitudes and that there can be an in-between attitude. I mean an attitude of "well, you have tried and tried because you know that the benefits are plentiful, but now we need to look at plan B". The WHO has this sort of attitude - Plan A is to BF, plan B is wet-nurse, plan c is EBM (have I got that mixed up?), plan D is formula, or something to that effect. Whilst 'last resort' is the best term I can think of, when other people use it, it tends to have a slightly negative connotation. Maybe that's just me. It concerns me that the term infuses a mother, who is already feeling guilty, with feelings of ineptitude.
So, Jelvie, I'm not sticking my head in the sand, I realise that in our society it's a BM or formula dichotomy (not always, though - as someone else said, they comp feed, and that's possible for many women, too), it's the ATTITUDE I'm referring to. We don't have to be 'nipple nazis' and we don't have to be the women who say 'look, it's just easier to FF'. We can be women who are empowered with knowledge, and then act according to our own circumstances, or advise with consideration for someone else's circumstances. Even the ABA is curerntly trying to tackle the false image that is out there portraying a bunch of women saying 'you HAVE to BF, no matter what'. Both extremes concern me.
KWIM?
ETA I'm probably not explaining myself well, but let me stress that my post was referring to attitudes, not actual feeding practices
Nixonsmama - your lactation consultant did the right thing by you! She can't control the fact that you will want to beat yourself up about it - she recognised that the best thing for your baby was to comp feed and was helping you to accept that. It's not a reflection of her professionalism or skill that you didn't want to accept her acceptance. All I can say is that I hope you feel better about it now or very soon - there is plenty more about your baby's life that you will beat yourself up about, let go of something you really tried hard to 'fix' :hugs: