I have been trying to read through all of the posts but I haven't yet completed that task...

Firstly Cai what a great post - it brought tears to my eyes because I really know how it feels... Since this is being submitted to parliament I will share my story. I have done so before on BB but here goes...

My first child was a planned home birth. After a long 22 hours I made the decision to transfer to hospital. My contractions were 2 minutes apart from the onset of labour so you can imagine my exhaustion... When we got to hospital I requested an epidural...
The first epidural was inserted too high and caused some respiratory problems in myself... This was removed and a second go was had... This resulted in a "dural tap" - basically a release of cerebro spinal fluid which causes an intense headache... The epidural didn't take but I was left with this incredible pain. In order to push my baby out I needed a nurse on either side of my head to push on my temples - it was the only way I could control the pain...

After my baby was born I requested pethidine for the pain... I couldn't move my head without intense agony... I couldn't lie on my side without intesnse pain. The hospital staff said it wasn't a dural tap - the pain would be much worse. I was discharged the next day... I vomited on the way home due to the pain... My midwife brought nipple shields in a way to attatch my baby whilst I lay on my back. My DH had to help with this each feed. This went on for 7 days... One night my dH phoned a doctor who came to the house who agreed it was a dural tap. I was admitted to hospital that night... Still told it couldn't be a tap and perhaps I had had a mini stroke! What the!!!!
To cut a long story short a professor of anaethetics saw my chart and did a blood patch and within hours I had no headache...

So, you can imagine what all of this did for my breastfeeding... It was HELL... But, like a previous poster I chose to battle on... It was really hard at times and finally I was able to feed like a trooper and my baby was chubby and thriving... We breastfed for almost 3 years... It was so very very difficult in those early days...

What made the difference for me? Well, I had been around the homebirthing movement for a long time so I had lots of support for breastfeeding. Lots of good advice... I had a really supportive partner... I am as stubborn as a mule and I was very educated about breastfeeding... I had continuity of care. I had my own midwife. I didn't have conflicting advice as many women do... I had one professional guiding me...

I lament that women dont' feel supported. I lament that our health professionals at times don't acknowledge just how difficult those first 8 weeks can be... It's not easy. It's a challenge and breastfeeding needs a supportive community to make it work. I am a committed breastfeeder and I do know first hand just how damn hard it can be...

I too wonder what would happen if ABM just wasn't available... But we would need more support... We live in a society that is far from a village for many of us. One where women live in isolation and battle with their fears, their trials and this breeds guilt and a sense of worthlessness. I despair at that. We all love our babies and would lay down our lives for them... We need to show our love and support for women - whatever their choices. I make different ones to some of you but I deserve support just as you do...

There is no argument that breast milk is far superior to ABM - that's a moot point... I know so many women who would have continued to breastfeed if they had been supported. If they had been educated well prior to birth about how it may be tough... If they had continuity of care and no conflicting advice... This is our rsponsibility as women to seek out this information and the responsibility of the health system to aid in that information sourcing...

I found through my experience that I too was judged. I was judged for not using a bottle. So, I think that the judgement happens sadly on both sides. What I needed from those people was support for my decision. NOT to be told that it wasn't that important. It was important for me... In many ways I felt I had failed somewhat in labour I didn't want to fail at b/f as well... (that was my FEELING - not necessarily the reality)...

So, for me one of the main factors inhibiting successful breastfeeding from what I have witnessed is lack of continuity of care and birth intervention...