I think that as well as subsidising one year's membership (or even the 6 month option), the government could put lactation consultants on medicare, just like they have with psychologists recently. That way, when a GP is presented with a new mother who is having problems, they can refer to an LC. When a maternal nurse has a mother with problems, she can send the mother to her GP for a referral to have a subsidised visit from an LC.
It gets me a bit worked up when I hear someone say "I'll call the ABA if I have problems", or, when they have been given a subscription, "I"ll go to the group meetings if I have problems", as if the people who go to those meetings are all having problems. They're not, usually - they've moved beyond that and get together to provide much needed solidarity. That's why I love going to my Booby Club - to just get together with people who won't say "are you STILL feeding", or potentially feel uncomfortable. I would have gone to meetings before DS was born, but there was a mix up with the contact details I was given and my bulletin came the week Oscar was born. I didn't think I was going to have problems. In fact, it wasn't even MY problem when I had problems, it was DS's problem that was hurting my boobies! Even so, joining the local group is good even if done when problems arise, but to think that the ABA is there only for problems is a big misconception. In an ideal world it would be. But in our world it is there to provide support to women who need the moral support to keep going in the face of disapproval, lack of family support etc.