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

[Phoenix]

I really think the lack of education on all fronts could be addressed firstly by advertising. We all see those full page glossy adverts saying if we don't feed our child sugary toddler milks they will be anemic have poor immune systems and lack intellegence.
Mayeb a TV ad campaign with celebrities and other mums (Bec cartwright springs to mind) saying that yes it is hard and it can hurt but it is worth it and here is ABA they can help. As well as magazine advertising (not articles because we already get those and lets face it are lot are very contradictory and lack any real info-and many don' t mention ABA!). But it needs to come from the government not ABA (just have ABA as a part of it) so people see this as something the government is trying to improve.
Health professionals need to be educated, most are not, the BF rates among Drs and their wives are equal to the rest of society so they are coming up against the same barriers normal women are. Having health professionals that come into contact with pregnant or lactating women being required to hold accreditation in lactation is a must.
Int he past few years the UK has taken a big stance in trying to increas the BF rate. The problem is everyone is pushing BF BF BF but there is no skill and support to back them up so babies are being hospitalised right left and centre. So the professionals need to be educated and then society needs to be educated.
I talk about BF at my local hospital antenatal classes. I can tell them until I'm blue in the face that BF is not easy that ABA can help if you have a problem or a q's but I cannot make them BF, I can not overcome when our local Dr tells women with mastitis to quit, I can't undo the harm that their mothers or their sisters who didn't BF do by suggesting the mothers milk is no good. I give the phone numbers, information I include the dads (they have their own handout with things they can do) because a mother is 10 times more likely to BF if her partner supports her, but it doens't help when those closest to her or the so called professionals say something else then what I have told her.
Sorry blabbered a bit there so education needs to be for health professionals (who can then pass this onto mothers and support her after birth) and then for society (so mothers can BF at work, Bf in public, BF until 2 as WHO states etc etc- and not feel discriminated against in any way).

[Liz]

I can not overcome when our local Dr tells women with mastitis to quit, I can't undo the harm that their mothers or their sisters who didn't BF do by suggesting the mothers milk is no good.

Completely agree. Sadly mums and sisters are the WORST for this. My mum even now suggests that Tallon has a cold because my milk isn't nutritious anymore. Argh! Say that to someone who is tired and emotional, and well, any confidence they had left is flushed right down the toilet.

I 'think' I've got through to my mum a bit with regards to her only feeding for 3 months. She DID dry up, but she understands now it was because she wsa taught not to feed for more than 10 minutes per side, and scheduled the feeds. So she gets the whole demand feed thing now.

I think with regards to education campaigns... gosh, they could do a whole SERIES on busting breastfeeding myths. Tell people what NOT to listen to. I learnt what not to listen to from all the lovely ladies here on BB, from the ABA class, and from the ABA website. (as a result I've ignored LC's, midwives, MCHN's, GP, and mum! LOL - but hey.. we're still feeding!!) I've been fortunate that I haven't had a need for direct contact with the ABA since, but I wouldn't hesitate if I needed them. Women need confidence that they DO know what they're doing, so they can ignore all these silly comments about the milk not being good enough, and that they're starving their baby.