As soon as an infant in your care is able to sit up independently, they are ready to start feeding themselves. Self-feeding is important because it allows an infant to develop the ability to listen to their bodies and stop eating when they are full. When an adult feeds them we are teaching them to override their natural signals about hunger and fullness.

Put a small amount of food in a bowl or on a tray and provide the infant with a spoon. They may quickly resort to eating with their hands, but with enough repeat exposure will eventually be coordinated enough to use the utensil for eating.