I feel so bad for new moms, on one hand you're told your baby will be sickly and semi-retarded if you don't breastfeed, on the other, new moms get only 12 weeks of maternity leave (if that), and working full-time and pumping is very, very hard, and not a possibility with all jobs. If we really (as a society) cared about breastfeeding, then we'd push for real family policies that let moms be there for the first 6 months of life.

Moms also face conflicting advice and bad information, even in the hospital. Not to mention the mixed message of being sent home with a bag of formula. And, as not many people know, some of the IV drugs used during a c-section (now more than 30% of all births) can delay milk production, which makes initial breastfeeding painful and discouraging.

My biggest barrier was a pediatrician who was way too focused on the growth charts and kept telling me it was time to wean because my breast babies were not growing quickly enough. She was, IMO, way too willing to overlook their genetics--neither my husband or myself are big people. And both kids grew the way breast babies tend to grow. Thankfully, I did not listen, switched to a doctor who was no so "pound happy" and was able to nurse for a total of 20 months between the 2 kids.

I am AGAINST the idea of making formula prescription, but I would like to see less advertising for formula. All the claims by the different companies gets really boggling and a lot of the marketing practices are downright wrong.

The biggest barrier I faced was a condescending lactation consultant at GBMC who made me feel like I was giving my son DRUGS when I had to give him formula when he went on a nursing strike. She actually told me she felt sorry for me. Always a good thing to say to a hormonal new mom! Needless to say, I never called the warm line again.

I was lucky that breastfeeding came relatively easy to me and my babies grew quickly. Biggest problem? Nipple/breast discomfort as my body got used to nursing. If you want to nurse, one key is to find a pediatrician who really is supportive of breastfeeding.

My biggest hurdle? Nurses in the hospital that are worried that the baby hasn't had enough to eat. Prior to a mother's milk coming in around day 4, don't they realize there's only a few teaspoons of colostrum per feeding and that's all they need?

Choosing to breastfeed was one of the most satisfying decisions I've ever made in my lifetime! It was not a popular decision, and I was not widely supported by anyone other than my husband and two friends who'd already nursed their children successfully. The pediatrician was in a hurry to supplement feedings with formula because she feared my daughter wasn't gaining enough weight. Some maternal intuition told me to refuse formula, so I did. I also changed pediatricians! Long story short, I breastfed for almost seventeen months. My daughter was extraordinarily healthy (and still is to this day over twenty years later), and the bond that we formed is unbreakable. Breastfeeding is not for everyone, but when a mother makes a choice for herself, she has every right to be supported by doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. I agree with all the previous posters.

Breastfeeding was extremely challenging for me. In the hospital (Mercy), it just so happened that the lactation consultants were in all day meetings after I gave birth, so there was very limited help available. I asked my nurses repeatedly to send an LC, and the most I got was about five minutes with one. My daughter wasn't gaining weight appropriately, and at three weeks I paid a LC to work with me. She diagnosed my daughter with a "weak suck" and told me I had to supplement with formula because she had lost too much weight. Because my daughter's suck wasn't strong enough to pull significant milk, my supply had dropped and I was never able to get it back up. Then I got thrush. I pumped for four months, and even with pumping 4-8 hours a day, the most milk I ever got was only 11 ounces. At four months I decided that it wasn't worth the stress anymore. I felt like a failure and that my body failed me. I think that if I had gotten more support at the hospital and in the first week after my daughter was born, breastfeeding would have been much more successful. I'm hoping I can breastfeed at least six months, if not a whole year, when I have my second baby.

Clearly there is a problem with pediatricians being overly focused on the growth charts. One size does not fit all. I remember one acquaintance who was a very tiny woman from Japan, Her pediatrician virtually ordered her to give up breast-feeding because of his concern about the growth charts--but her sons were tiny like her. My second son was only 4 lbs. 6 oz. at birth, and it was months and months before he even got onto the growth charts, but thank heavens for our supportive pediatrician!

Jennifer--better luck the second time around!

I watched so many of my friends struggle through breastfeeding their LOs that I decided I would give it my best shot, but if it didn't work out, I wouldn't stress about it.

Easier said than done.

My milk came in quickly and my LO gained his weight back in record time, so within a week, I was bound and determined to exclusively breastfeed until his first birthday because it seemed so easy! Then I went back to work after 3 months. Pumping at the office was not only a major commitment, but my LO went from the 85% percentile at 3 months to the 10% percentile at 6 months. Pumping was not increasing my supply - it was just maintaining what I produced at 3 months. Having to suppliment made me feel like a failure. My husband had to remind me that I was the one who had vowed not to obsess about it. But it just happened.

In the end, I continued to nurse LO three times a day through 10 months before he grew teeth and I weaned him. In my experience, the pressure came from myself, not from any outside influences. I'm glad I did it, but next time around, I am recommitting myself to my original goal: give it my best shot and don't stress.

I struggle with latching because I have inverted nipples, so I was forced to go solo breast pumping. It was a bit of a hassle, but totally worth it. I just wish I could have had some time to better bond with my son through direct breastfeeding. I used the Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump - http://www.breastpumpsdirect.com/Ameda_Purely_Yours_p/17070.htm, and it worked pretty well.