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

[Smoke Jaguar]

Good point, Amy&rafi, there is definitely a level of responsibility that a lot of women abdicate. Others just don't have the exposure to BFing, though - how do you find out about something no-one around you values? Some women don't have basic research skills to seek out resources. I often get frustrated when a woman tells me she didn't know about such and such, because if they had just asked around they would have known sooner. It's easy to say it is their fault for not investigating it themselves, but women have become so disempowered in this society of advertising saturation, images of babies=bottles, hospitals comp feeding babies etc, that it is no wonder that, realistically, women just don't know better. Ideally, they should be more instinctive and questioning, but it's just not as simple as that anymore.

[Bathsheba]

Ideally, (women) should be more instinctive and questioning, but it's just not as simple as that anymore.

I agree totally.

I'm also with rayray and after reading all these brilliant comments I could almost change my vote. I still don't know whether education is a "cure all" but it certainly would help more than silencing the formula companies I guess. I like the comment about getting a script for formula, maybe for babies younger than 6 months so that some professional counselling could be provided.

I also really agree with the comments about being discharged from hospital before your milk comes in... infact it almost seems like they want you out of there before that happens because all of a sudden you will become too demanding/needy at that point...well that's just how I felt when I had my 2nd child. I knew that I would want extra help when my milk came in but they kept saying to me "Oh it'd be much more comfortable for you at home wouldn't you think?" A total fob off! But it was only because I was a 2nd time mum that I new what was coming...

I also enjoyed reading Jennifer's comments about countries that have paid maternity leave usually have high BF rates... fortunately I've never had to juggle work and BFing but I can't imagine that it would be easy!

Really enjoying reading all the comments... it's interesting how my initial ideas have changed a bit since reading the entire thread too.