I can speak from personal experience on this, as well as meeting other
women in the same boat.

I was one of those women I imagine my LCs scratched their head about and
said "why isn't she *breastfeeding*!"  I was quite enamored with my
hospital grade double electric, which supplied plenty for my son until I
became furious with the world and quit when I got mono.

When one is a brand new mom who really wants to breastfeed, and your baby,
for whatever reason, will not latch, screams, turns purple, goes to sleep,
wakes up only to do the same thing several hours later, your natural
reaction can easily be "my baby hates breastfeeding".  "I'm a terrible
mother my baby hates me.  I can't comfort him."

Eventually you give the kid a bottle.  Or a syringe, or a cup, or
something, anything other than forcing him once again to try to do
something he obviously (to your brand new mom limited breastfeeding
knowledge eyes) hates.

Hmmm... the baby is happy.

He's getting mommy milk.  He's not screaming.

Eventually it's not too hard to get to a place where you feel like you're
putting your complex about breastfeeding above your child's happiness.
That you're hurting your child because you've got some complex about formula.

Hmmmm... pumping.  Now there's a neat idea.  No yucky formula.  Happy baby.
 This sounds good...

Oh god now that annoying LC wants me to try latching again.  Wasn't she
*listening* I tried that!  My baby hates nursing!  I was hurting him
because of my complex!  Bad Mommy!

I am NOT nursing ever again!  This is upsetting my baby and I am allowing
people to tell me what is best for my child, when I know him best!  I will
pump for years and bottlefeed with love!

Yes I realize the illogical train of thought here.  But it's a very easy
one to get on as a brand new mom who's very vulnerable and feels like she's
making her baby cry it out.  I have derailed it in myself but can't imagine
for the life of me how to sit next to a mom and help her derail it.

-Wendey (Studying LC in Montreal)