Mothers who breastfeed can save the planet, so support them: ANU study

She said she didn't have support from doctors or midwives after giving birth, and felt like a failure because she struggled to feed her baby.

The "excruciating" pain and trauma related to breastfeeding was also "dismissed" as normal in health checkups, she added.

"They think it's so common, that it's fine, that women just get over it. But that's not true. They just give up breastfeeding because it's too hard. It hurts. They don't know what to do," the mother of two said.

"Everyone's saying it's normal but their baby's not gaining weight. Their milk supply is diminishing because the baby's not able to get the milk out properly.

"It's just a really big vicious cycle."

Ms Mann recounted her experiences of bleeding, chafing and narrowly escaping mastitis (breast tissue infection) before paying a certified lactation consultant $500 to release her baby's oral ties and help her breastfeed.

Unfortunately, in her niece's case, her mum eventually gave up breastfeeding because of lack of support.

"If you don't want to go to formula, if you want to [breastfeed], you have to fight for it and you have to pay for it. Which sucks, but that's the truth," Ms Mann, a mother of two, said.

Local data from NSW Health and the Victorian government indicated the number of mothers who exclusively breastfed newborns at the time of discharge were dropping.

In Victoria, 30 per cent of healthy babies were given commercial milk formula before leaving hospital and this number was higher in babies from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

But the Australian Breastfeeding Association says there is also a lack of accurate information for just how many babies are weaned off breast milk across the country.

A national survey from 2010 is believed to be the latest available data which revealed only 39 per cent of babies were still exclusively breastfed before they turned four months old.

A new study led by Associate Professor Julie Smith from the Australian National University is proposing to recognise investment in breastfeeding as a carbon offset.

The research, published in the World Health Organisation's Bulletin journal, argues promotion and production of commercial milk formula must be stopped when 21.7 billion litres of breast milk, essentially free food for babies, is lost every year.

Formula production reportedly generates 11 to 14kg of greenhouse gas emissions for every kilo of the product.

The professor said this was a strong case for governments and businesses to invest in health and support for mothers who breastfeed, such as baby-friendly hospitals for new parents and paid parental leave.

"Countries like Ireland or England even and women who breastfeed, half of them have weaned completely by the time the child six weeks old. None of them exclusively breastfeed for six months. This is a realistic scenario," Ms Smith said, noting the study did not target mothers who chose not to breastfeed or needed to use milk formula.

"If you do nothing, breastfeeding will become extinct."

For people who are capable and willing to breastfeed, the 'breast is best' policy has been advocated by health professionals for decades when it comes to infant health, immunity and development.

Canberra is home to the government-run Maternal Family and Child Health service (MAHC) where children up to four-years-old can seen for a health check for free, for Medicare holders and asylum seekers.

With six centres each in north and south Canberra, the service's website says it can help parents with concerns about breastfeeding, nutrition, behaviour, growth, adjustment to parenthood and maternal mental health.