My DD is just about 2.5 and I think she has pretty much weaned :-(. I am 22 weeks pg currently. She was down to only nursing once a day before bed, then every few days, once a week, etc. I was pretty much doing the "don't ask, don't refuse" thing, and she stopped asking very often. Occasionally, in early pg, when she was still nursing before her nap too, I would distract her or tell her we'd nurse later, before night time, because I felt so sick and was unfortunately getting the "ick" feeling a lot from nursing. Then after she had not nursed for about 3 weeks, she asked one night and we started, but the pain so was excrutiating and unexpected I actually screamed. Of course it scared her, and I tried to explain it wasn't her fault, etc, but we just couldn't continue. That was a little over a month ago and she has not asked since and I feel so sad that this was probably our last experience nursing. :-( But then again, my breast pain this pg seems to be super bad and I just don't know if I could do it. Anyhow....long intro, but that is where we are at.Â
As for closet or public, it definitely depended on the company we were in, after about 18 mth or so. Around my mom or close friends, no problem, they knew. Around other family or not as close friends, definitely not, and they probably had no idea I had continued. And sometimes when it would come up I often found myself saying things like "well, she only nurses once a day" or the like, and then I'd kick myself later, wondering why I couldn't be more confidant about it. I guess I just wasn't up for the confrontation, and really, it isn't anyone's business. I was lucky in that she rarely asked to nurse in public when she was older. Signing helped too....she learned to sign fairly early on and sometimes she'd sign, and I could whisper to her "later", or "when we get home" if I was uncomfortable. Now I would be proud to tell anyone who asked that we nursed for almost 2.5 years. Funny how when you are doing it though, you are kind of protective of who knows. Seems that is common from the posts.
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I am lucky in that my DH is very supportive. In fact he is all scared now that she doesn't BF and wants to put her on some sort of multi vitamin, even though she is a very good eater. He also wanted to see the 2 sibligns nurse together I think. Maybe it's odd, but I actually felt quite a bit of pressure from DH throughout the nursing relationship - he always wanted me to nurse more, not less! In the early days, if she was fussing in the slightest he'd say "shouldn't you be nursing her" even if she had just finished a short time ago, etc. There were times when I even argued with him that he was not the one having to be up all night, etc! But now he is the one who goes to her if she ever wakes in the night, and I think he treasures this part of their relationship so much that it has all worked out well. She calls for "daddy" now at night which is very sweet, and I feel like that might be a good thing considering I will soon be attending to the baby at night.
And from reading other posts....maybe she will want to nurse again when she sees the baby nursing?! who knows! I really don't know how I will handle that. I told myself when I got pg than I would take her lead, and was prepared to tandem if that's what she wanrted, but now I must confess I am kind of glad she seems to be done, and slightly terrified at the thought of nursing 2 at once. But even having said that, I have cried a few times at the thought of her being done, and it being my fault for scaring her away.
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I don't think my doc knows we BF for so long, and if she did she probably just wouldn't say anything. My midwife now knows and was very supportive....in fact I was almost embarrassed to tell her she seems to have weaned! We moms always have something to be guilty about, don't we?
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Good for all of your EBF'ing out there. It is such a wonderful gift for our children. Sorry for such a long post... I guess I needed to get a few things off my chest, so to speak! thanks.
 I can't think of anyone who made me feel bad about our choice to my face, but based on snippets I've heard, I know there was some talking about it behind my back. Ah, well. What can you do? ;)
I'm so happy to have found a community where I'm not treated like a circus freak for being AP and CLW.
