When will my baby be ready to feed herself?

6-9 months: Babies are usually ready for large "teething" biscuits around 6 months old, and can also practice with sippy cups at this age. Around 9 months, most infants have the ability to pick up small objects with their thumb and forefinger, and can try small pieces of easily dissolvable foods designed for infants. Check with your pediatician to make sure your baby is developmentally ready.

9 months: When baby begins to reach and hold things, he also puts them into his mouth. He may start finger feeding by 9 mo, using utensils by 12-15 months. The majority of feeding, however, will still be from you, as he will lack the coordination to load the spoon and get the contents to his mouth without spilling. That will occur about 2 years of age. Just because they can use utensils, doesn't mean will.

The evolution of : Grasp dictates what foods a baby can self-feed, like crackers ~5 mos & cheerios ~ 8 mos. Promote finger-feeding of cubes of soft, cooked foods that won't cause choking ~12 mos. By allowing self-feeding first, then feeding the rest of the meal. If you help with dipping, a 14-mo.-old can get spoonfuls of food to his/her mouth, spoon-feed with spills by 15 mos. & spoon-feed a whole meal by 20 mos.