Post Views: 836 Babies as early as 8-9 months of age start showing signs for being independent. And this is seen by their desire to eat on their own. At first, they may just rake food in their hands and bring it to their mouth but eventually, they learn to use their thumb and index finger (pincer grip) to pick up food. This is a very important milestone, as the child takes his first step towards independence by developing his fine motor skills and coordination. Encourage your child through this stage by helping him feed himself. To make the eating process less messy and to make it an enjoyable hands-on…