As a nurse who counsels in the hospital setting and when I did postpartum home visits I sense this ambivalence in some Mothers who have indicated they want to breastfeed- an incongruity between what they've indicated they want to do (breastfeed) and the behaviors they are adopting.  I give Mom's my talk about how to get breastfeeding off to a good start (and I talk everyone like I assume they want to succeed at breastfeeding) and sometimes I can tell by their reaction to my recommendations right then or else I will leave the room and 15 minutes later they will ask for a bottle.  
It makes me wonder frequently if because breastfeeding has become more the "in" thing to do and maybe because some Dr's and Nurses are encouraging it that some Mother's who wouldn't have had the innate desire to breastfeed are doing so to please others and to be seen as a "good" mother but they don't really want to be doing it.  These mother's seem to want to breastfeed but only on their terms and when it doesn't match up to their terms or expectations they quit.  These situations are frustrating.  I used to think that what motivated everyone to breastfeed was the fact that it is best for baby and they will do what it takes to succeed but if you do this for very long you realize this is not true.     I wonder if lactation supporters are seen as extreme because our recommendations (the behaviors that make breastfeeding work) don't fit with the "terms" mothers have of their breastfeeding experience.  Of course,  in these scenarios breastfeeding probably won't go on for long and so when it doesn't work these parents will not think fondly of breastfeeding and recommend it to their friends.  They won't recall that they didn't follow the recommendations given them and that's why breastfeeding didn't work. 
Sally Myer RN    

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