Zimm and The OldestCat - interestingly, this cropped up at the BF group I go to (the question of how good/realistic/practical the advance info about breastfeeding was for everyone).
Everyone apart from me had done NCT, and were actually quite angry about what they had been told. Apparently the emphasis was very much 'if it hurts, you're doing it wrong', whereas for all the women there, it seemed to hurt initially when they were doing it right, and they were very much of the mind that some pain early on was a normal part of the experience.
(I kept quiet at this point, as I never had any pain - so far, anyway - I was in a minority of one, though).
They were also critical about how the emphasis on BF-ing being 'natural' made them feel bad when they had difficulties. There's an implication that 'natural' means 'easy', rather than just 'biologically normal' - so when it wasn't easy, they were very worried there was something wrong with them or their babies. Which is very sad, and we all had example of friends who had given up in the 1st few weeks because they thought it was just them 'doing it wrong', and formula was a safer option.
I talked about NHS and MW/Health Visitor advice and encouragement, as I had no NCT experience, and how I felt it wasn't adequate preparation. The whole '9-12 feeds a day' and 'will feed every 2-3 hours' guidance just isn't enough, along with the total lack of info about HOW new babies mostly feed (i.e NOT like older babies, who are more efficient, have bigger tummies, and who are more settled in a a supply and demand situation) - cluster feeding etc.
(I should qualify this by saying that my fab MW did respond to all my questions after birth about BF-ing in a very realistic non-wafty way. Which was a HUGE HELP.)
I also said the whole issue of 'bonding' being promoted as part of the BF experience was very simplistically presented. Again - we'd all felt frustrated at various points, and it's pretty awful having a miserable day BF-ing anyway, without wondering why you are a monster of a parent for not feeling 'bonded', but resentful and overwhelmed instead.
Interestingly, both Health Visitors said as they were trying to encourage women to BF, they were told to emphasise the positive aspects, and thought if they told women it might well be painful to start with, then they just wouldn't do it.
This is a tricky one, IMO. Personally I think painting too rosy a picture backfires badly. If we think we are having a uniquely awful experience, we are surely more likely to give up? And I do see their point about putting women off, I really do... but given the HUGELY steep drop off in women BF-ing in the 1st few weeks after birth, I think realistic guidance and info so we know more about what to expect is a big issue.
I said I felt it was more like learning to drive than anything else. You start off and it all feels alien and so hard and you can't imagine how you'll ever be able to do it competently - and then if you keep at it, it gets better and easier, and at some point, you find you can just do it.
I keep saying I need to start a thread about this (expectations and reality of BF-ing) - DS just started whimpering, need to feed him, I will try later!