My 9-month-old is spending less and less time nursing. Should I make her feed longer or is she starting to self-wean?

Self-weaning usually only takes place when the baby is over one year of age (more commonly over two years old). When a baby is self-weaning, he/she is able to get most of his/her nutrition from solids, could drink well from a cup and would cut down on nursing gradually. Teething could be one of the reasons why your baby is spending less time nursing. Another common reason would be due to cold or a change in the taste of your breast milk (brought on by hormonal changes during your menstrual period). For now, you could continue to breastfeed according to your baby’s cues. Even with a fairly consistent drop in breastfeeding, it is unlikely to be a permanent change. It is quite common for babies this age to alternate between having more and having less breast milk for a week or two.