Once your baby gets close to a year old, they are likely to have sprouted a few teeth and can start putting them to use by eating slightly chunkier baby food. And once they grow accustomed to the art of chewing, they'll be ready to begin the process of learning to eat autonomously.

Teaching your baby to self-feed is a slow, messy process. Be patient. Your baby might get frustrated that his/her motor skills can't keep up with what their minds want to do. But by helping them along with lots of love and guidance, your baby will quickly be on their way to mastering one of life's most necessary skills.

Your baby might be ready to self-feed when they:

• Can stand when holding onto a crib rail or table

• Can chew

• Have developed a pincher grasp

• Are learning to drink from a sippy cup

Babies tend to have two very different reactions to the prospect of learning how to self-feed. Some babies like the autonomous feeling they get from eating all by themselves and once they start, only want to self-feed. Others are content to sit back and let you do the work. At this age, either is fine -- just be sure to have plenty of bibs, baby utensils and splat mats ready for the occasion!

To help you along, here are some tips that address the needs of both distinct feeding personalities.

DIY Baby
Before a baby has developed the pincher grasp motor skill that allows them to pick up food and put it in their mouths, they can only pick up things with the palm of their hands. At this stage, the undeterred DIY Baby tends to grab food by the fistful -- only to wear more than they eat. The good news? Babies that show this kind of initiative usually make for champion spoon feeders later on.

Help your self-sufficient sweetie along by:

• Offering palm-friendly food, like strips of toast, where baby can grasp one end and gnaw away at the other.

• Giving your baby one spoon to hold while feeding them with another. This way you can be sure to get a good amount of food into them while letting them practice their spooning skills.

• Gradually decreasing pureed forms of baby food in favor of chunky consistencies, so baby can practice chewing and swallowing.

By the time a DIY Baby is a year to 14 months, they are usually well on their way to becoming independent eaters.

The Slow Starter

For the baby who is content to lay back and let you do the work, you might need to take steps to slowly, but surely, nudge them along.

Encourage your slow starter to self-feed by:

• Starting each phase of learning slowly and in baby-steps.

• Getting an early start -- in the day that is. At breakfast, babies are well rested and are in a better place to take on new challenges.

• Encouraging them to eat on their own by guiding their hands to spoon food and put it in their mouth.

• Giving them space between bites to check out the food and think about eating.

• Gradually decreasing your participation at mealtime.

Remember, every baby has their own development schedule and their own unique way of learning new skills. Some kids eat by themselves as soon as they are able, while others need help and encouragement into toddlerhood. As long as you tune into their needs and give ample encouragement, your little one will master the skills they need to self-feed -- and feel real good about doing it!