From Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics:
“Obstacles to initiation and continuation of breastfeeding include insufficient prenatal education about breastfeeding, disruptive hospital policies and practices, inappropriate interruption of breastfeeding, early hospital discharge in some populations, lack of timely routine follow-up care and postpartum home health visits, maternal employment, (especially in the absence of workplace facilities and support for breastfeeding), lack of family and broad societal support, media portrayal of bottle feeding as normative, commercial promotion of infant formula through distribution of hospital discharge packs, coupons for free or discounted formula, and some television and general magazine advertising, misinformation; and lack of guidance and encouragement from health care professionals.”1
Citing two studies, one from Pediatrics and the other from the Annals of Family Medicine, the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) states:
“Women who receive prenatal education, postpartum hospital and home visits, and telephone calls from a lactation consultant, are more likely to breastfeed through week 20 and at a higher breastfeeding intensity than women who do not receive assistance from a lactation consultant.”2,3