Bertrand, I agree - it is very difficult for mothers to say, in real life and on mumsnet, that for them, breastfeeding is something they feel strongly about.....that this feeling comes from the heart and soul and not from 'the BF mafia' or from pressure or guilt or a sense of duty.
Not all breastfeeding mothers feel that very personal pull towards breastfeeding, of course, but it's not unusual. This personal pull can exist even when some aspects of BF feel like a massive struggle, even when it's painful, even when it's not working well, even when a great part of the mother feels it's time to stop.
It then becomes very hard for them to say how sad and conflicted they feel about stopping at any stage for whatever reason, and to get support for these feelings - because several people will post that they themselves were duped, pressured, guilted into breastfeeding and the idea that it makes a difference to health outcomes is all exaggerated at best or lies at worst. The strong implication is that the poster herself was duped, pressured etc etc and that the way to stop feeling bad is to accept the whole experience of BF was a waste of time.
This is not supportive.
Of course mothers should be free to choose how to feed their babies, and to make the decision themselves when and if their mental well-being is affected by it.
But lets not pretend it is always a clear choice, and that left to themselves without input from anyone else they'd be better off, or that mothers are unaffected by the decision (whatever it is) psychologically, culturally, emotionally, socially . Some posters here imagine that all that's stopping a woman (including the OP) from deciding to stop is the outside pressure from people who want to judge her.