i'm not part of any brigade, and not anti-formula. nor do i think that trying to normalise bf means i am demonising formula milk, and certainly not demonising other mothers.
I have personally have had a very 'mixed' infant feeding experience. i was determined to bf ds1, but was not successful. i had lots of problems, no support, and ended up ff and was devastated. i guess there are others on this thread who have had a similar experience. but i save my disappointment and anger for those who failed to support and help me, not mothers who have successfully bf, something i really wanted to do but couldn't at that time.
i am cross with the midwife who laughed at me on day 0 when i said i thought my son had a tongue tie (even though i had no idea it may have bf implications. He did and i really had to fight to get it divided weeks later). At the HV who saw me every week after the weigh-ins when ds was sliding off the growth chart and never offered any help. At the GP and paediatrician who said what this baby clearly needs is formula. At the PCT who don't provide any bf clinics near me. And at my family and friends who said bf isn't important, don't worry xx was ff and they are healthy and clever, bf doesn't work for everyone you are being selfish continuing to try etc etc. And at the formula companies who bend the rules to get it advertised (follow on milk), talked about and seen as a equal alternative to bf.
It is the whole ff culture, where ff is the default, normal way to feed that i would like to be different. i lived in a different country for a bit, where there is a bf culture and i met lots of mums who had had bf problems and with the good support available they got through it and continued to bf. i think that could have been me too if had lived there when i had ds.
anyway, happy ending - had ds2 (and now ds3) with more luck, support, information, determination (politics of bf book!) and MN i bf until over 2.5 yrs.