Just a quick thought about the "militant breastfeeding" thing -- I had a look at the American website when I first read the guardian article. As I understood it, the woman who set up the Militant Breastfeeding Cult organisation had heard the term used against pro-breastfeeding people and decided it was so ridiculous that she'd use it for her organisation as a sort of two fingers to those kinds of attitudes, like gay people using the word 'queer' or black people using the n- word.
I didn't really have time for a longer look at the site, but must go and have another look when I have some leisure. A failed long-term bfeeder, myself -- all mine weaned themselves off the breast at 14-15 months. But who knows whether that was them, me, cultural attitudes or what.
Here's a radical thought -- how about a breastfeeding counsellor attached to every GP practice, working alongside the HV. Someone who actually knows about bfeeding, long and short term, and can support women in making the right choices for them and their babies. And change cultural attitudes at the same time. Oh, yes, and a free copy of Gabrielle Palmer's book on the Politics of Breastfeeding for every woman at the booking appointment. What fraction of the Iraq war budget would that cost?